MapleStory N: A New Era in Web3 Gaming

MapleStory N, the Avalanche-based Web3 version of the MMORPG MapleStory, aims to distinguish itself in the Web3 gaming sector by tapping into the nostalgia of the original game, as stated by Nexpace CEO Sunyoung Hwang in an interview with The Block.

MapleStory N is a PC-based MMORPG that integrates blockchain technology with the globally recognized MapleStory IP.

> "We need to see a Web3 game that makes users want to spend, not just their money but become fans and enthusiasts of the content," Hwang expressed. Nexpace, the Web3 division of gaming giant Nexon, reported over $2.9 billion in annual revenue last year.

Hwang commented that the primary challenge for blockchain gaming remains onboarding genuine players who enjoy the gaming experience.

Since its launch in 2003, MapleStory has become Nexon's most famous product, amassing over 260 million players worldwide, according to its official website.

> "I think there’s a huge platform of people that hold good memories of MapleStory from the past, and that’s the target population we aim for rather than current players of the game," Hwang added. "In terms of how many real users we can bring, I think we have the competitive edge, which makes our unique point in the Web3 scene."

Last month, MapleStory N shared its 10-day user testing results based on 1,000 participants, showcasing an overall retention rate of 82%.

Fixing Web2 Problems

MapleStory’s upcoming Web3 version builds on the successful design of the original game while adding a blockchain layer with NFTs and token-linked currency to create an open-market economy.

In many Web2 and Web3 games, users often feel pressured to spend money to gain a competitive edge, a practice commonly referred to as "pay-to-win."

The original MapleStory faced criticism from players for allegedly encouraging spending, leading to a ruling by South Korea's Fair Trade Commission regarding manipulated probabilities of winning "loot box" items.

To provide a more transparent and fair gaming experience, MapleStory N plans to issue NFT game items and rewards in limited quantities, exclusively obtainable through gameplay.

Additionally, the price of an NFT item or its upgrades will be based solely on in-game demand to avoid inflation.

> "Web2 games would issue more items when there are more users and fewer when there are fewer users, which makes the whole in-game economy very vulnerable," Hwang explained. "In MapleStory N, the total amount of in-game items and money is fixed from the beginning, with a limited quantity released each week."

The in-game economy will utilize a currency called Neso, which is linked to Nexpace’s ecosystem token, NXPC.

Future Plans

Nexpace plans to launch MapleStory N as part of an expansive ecosystem known as the MapleStory Universe, which will include other dApps based on the IP, such as a decentralized item marketplace and an on-chain game item data tracker, enhancing user immersion in the Web3 ecosystem where NXPC serves as the utility token.

> "Of course, everything has side effects. We do test out models and try to perfect them, but it’s natural for various problems to arise during live runtime," Hwang explained, emphasizing that the team will refine the game ecosystem for greater decentralization post-launch. "For critical matters, we already have safety nets set in place."

The Nexspace CEO stated that concrete developments regarding the launch of MapleStory N will be announced towards the end of this year and into early 2025. Additionally, with South Korea's ban on blockchain-based games, MapleStory is expected to be launched outside its home country upon release.