During the second quarter, Nexon's game Arc Raiders generated $114.9 million in revenue and recorded the sale of an additional 800,000 units

Screenshot from Arc Raiders. A soldier in futuristic armor runs through sand towards a large explosion, with a drone overhead.

Image credit: Embark Studios/Nexon

In the second quarter, Nexon's financial performance surpassed forecasts, largely due to the strength of the MapleStory series and the growing success of Arc Raiders from Embark Studios.

The company reported a 77% increase in net income compared to the same period last year, mainly due to a ¥1.7 billion ($10.6 million) foreign exchange loss—an improvement from a ¥17.5 billion ($109.9 million) loss reported in the second quarter of 2025.

Key financial figures include:

Revenue: ¥121.1 billion ($760.8 million), a rise of 2%
Operating income: ¥31.3 billion ($196.6 million), a decline of 17%
Net income: ¥29.6 billion ($185.9 million), marking a 77% increase

The company noted a 17% decline in operating income, citing changes in its product mix that increased costs related to revenue, including creator and acquisition expenses, cloud service payments, and software service fees tied to global live services and data utilization.

Arc Raiders, developed by Embark Studios, generated ¥18.3 billion ($114.9 million) this quarter, bringing its total earnings to over ¥88 billion ($552.8 million). The game sold an additional 800,000 units in the second quarter, reaching total sales of 16.3 million units, with a major content update anticipated in October.

The trio of franchises MapleStory, Dungeon & Fighter, and FC collectively brought in ¥81.2 billion ($510.1 million), reflecting a 5% decrease from the previous year. MapleStory saw a 63% revenue surge overall, while MapleStory Worlds experienced an impressive 123% growth, driven by new user-created worlds launched in Korea and Taiwan in April.

Dungeon & Fighter's revenue decreased by 44% year-over-year, aligning with expectations, but Nexon forecasts an improvement in the following quarter. The FC franchise did not meet revenue expectations due to softer-than-anticipated monetization and traffic, with an expected recovery after the June update.

Nexon plans to introduce four new games in 2026. Among them, "Arad: Idle RPG" is set for Q4, while the mobile version of "Dave the Diver" will debut in late September, along with "Azur Promilia" and "Temppal: Overgeared."

For the upcoming third quarter, Nexon projects revenue to fall between ¥120.7 billion ($758.4 million) and ¥133.4 billion ($838.2 million), equivalent to a 2% to 12% year-over-year increase. Operating income is expected to range from ¥22.6 billion ($142 million) to ¥32.3 billion ($202.9 million), indicating a decrease of 40% to 14%.

In their earnings letter, Nexon expressed optimism about the latter half of the year, highlighting the ongoing robustness of the MapleStory franchise, the upcoming Frozen Trail update for Arc Raiders, and the release of new titles.

The company emphasized that despite an industry-wide contraction, its prospects exceed the challenges due to robust game franchises supported by dedicated communities, which provide a solid financial base. This enables Nexon to invest in promising new games and attract top talent following global layoffs.

The success of Arc Raiders, a game that has gained traction in Western markets traditionally dominated by longstanding franchises, validates their commitment to global growth. Embark's strategy focuses on pioneering technology to achieve more efficient development, unlocking new opportunities for Nexon worldwide.