During Nexon's second quarter, Arc Raiders achieved $114.9 million in revenue and sold an extra 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

During the second quarter, Nexon surpassed financial forecasts with remarkable results, highlighted by strong earnings from the MapleStory series and Embark Studios' Arc Raiders.

The company observed a 77% growth in net income, influenced by a ¥1.7 billion ($10.6 million) foreign exchange loss, which is significantly lower than the ¥17.5 billion ($109.9 million) loss recorded in the same period the previous year.

Key financial insights include:

Financial Metrics

Sales: ¥121.1 billion ($760.8 million), increasing by 2%
Earnings before interest and taxes: ¥31.3 billion ($196.6 million), decreasing by 17%
Net Profit: ¥29.6 billion ($185.9 million), with a 77% increase

Main Highlights

Nexon's operating income fell by 17% this quarter, a result of changes in its product lineup and associated costs. These costs include fees related to content creators, user acquisition, and other services tied to worldwide live operations.

Embark Studios' Arc Raiders brought in ¥18.3 billion ($114.9 million) in quarterly revenue, adding up to over ¥88 billion ($552.8 million) since its release.

In the second quarter, Arc Raiders sold 800,000 more units, cumulating in 16.3 million total sales. The largest content update since its introduction is scheduled for October.

The combined revenue from MapleStory, Dungeon & Fighter, and FC was ¥81.2 billion ($510.1 million), marking a 5% decline from the previous year's figures.

Although MapleStory observed a 63% rise in revenue, MapleStory Worlds exceeded expectations with a 123% increase year-over-year. This surge was due to two new user-driven worlds debuting in Korea and Taiwan by late April.

Dungeon & Fighter met expected revenue performance but saw a 44% year-over-year decrease. Nexon anticipates a reduction in Q3 revenue, with potential improvements in subsequent quarters.

The FC series underperformed in terms of revenue outlook. The monetization and traffic of FC Online did not meet projections, but improvements are expected post the June update.

For 2026, Nexon plans to release four new games: Arad: Idle RPG in the fourth quarter, a mobile adaptation of Dave the Diver scheduled for late September, along with Azur Promilia and Temppal: Overgeared.

Revenue predictions for the coming quarter range between ¥120.7 billion ($758.4 million) and ¥133.4 billion ($838.2 million), reflecting a 2% to 12% year-over-year growth. Operating income is expected to be between ¥22.6 billion ($142 million) and ¥32.3 billion ($202.9 million), indicating a reduction of 40% to 14%.

Nexon noted in an earnings letter that significant catalysts for the latter half of the year include ongoing MapleStory success, the upcoming Frozen Trail update for Arc Raiders, and new game launches.

The company emphasized its robust established franchises as a strong economic foundation, which allows ongoing investments in promising new titles and attracts global talent, especially in light of recent industry layoffs.

Nexon’s global growth strategy has been proven effective, as demonstrated by the success of Arc Raiders in Western markets, typically dominated by older franchises. Embark's approach – utilizing innovative technology for quicker, more efficient development – is crucial for Nexon's international expansion.