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Posts Tagged ‘Berkanix’

Choirock Games Sold Shaiya to Nexon

January 25th, 2012

Choirock Games' gaming portal Nolto

From now on, Choirock Games is more like a publisher than a developer.

Choirock Games announced on the 20th of January that its MMORPG <Shaiya> is handed over to Nexon, selling whole right to development and service of the game. The whole <Shaiya> team moved to Nexon too.

Selling the game after ceasing of development of a MMORPG <Berkanix>, Choirock Games now only owns two self-developed games: MMORPG <Dragonsky> and a web game using intellectual properties of <Berkanix>.

With the disposal money it is preparing an unveiled web game and a smartphone game of <Super Star K Online> besides currently available games: rhythm action game <Super Star K Online> and FPS <Mercury: Red>.

A Choirock Games official said “Selling <Shaiya> does not mean cutting down the game business at all. Our goal for this year is to introduce diverse games as a publisher.”

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Posted in Korean Games Industry

Tags: Berkanix choirock games developer disposal Dragonsky mercury:red MMORPG Nexon nolto publisher Shaiya super star k online web game

Rebuilding Berkanix from the Ground Up

June 14th, 2011

Choirock Games announced rebuilding its SF MMORPG <Berkanix> from the gound up. They plan to dismiss the whole development team and reconsider the project in order to make it totally new.?Therefore about 120 developers are now fired on last 13th.

Choirock Games are reportedly to regroup another development team after considering business profitability and competitiveness of <Berkanix> and mapping out a strategy. The previously developed resources seem to be used as much as possible.

The layoff of the whole team is almost unprecedented situation in such big MMORPG project. So it could mean that the management and the developers have failed sharing the same vision and direction on <Berkanix>.

<Berkanix> has been revealed since July 2009 but it has taken 5 years from the very first planning so far. The investment are assumed about more than US$18m as it already took 5 years for making it.

To Choirock Games, the success of <Berkanix> is desperate as they have put a lot of time and money upon it. So I wonder what made Choirock Games fire the whole team which was an extreme decision.

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Posted in Korean Games Industry

Tags: Berkanix choirock games development fire layoff rebuilding team

2011 April Fool’s Day Events

April 4th, 2011

▶ Click to watch all the videos.

<Berkanix>

Its SF MMORPG <Berkanix> changed itself to enter the market for children. ?Check out the developing play video of <Berkanix Kids> in pursuit of succeeding the popularity of Pororo which is the best character ever to children.

The game that will create a game world that gives dream and hope to children changed the character into SD and the sound effect to childish sound.

“To correct the wrong notion that games are violent and bad for young children’s future, we just started making a brand new game,” said Choirock Games.

<Mabinogi Heroes>

One looks like Einstein appeared on April 1 and said “Do you know a portion that imitates others? It’s funny, but someone stole it from me. Who is it?”

Every NPC’s face turned into Geren’s face. Even a pig!

<Dungeon And Fighters>

New female character named Seria Kirmin was revealed for the first time in addition to a new <DNF> application for smart phone. Seria might be updated within April and the application would be released on April 7.

Moreover, a peice of artwork of White Wolf hinted new episode ‘Act.∞ It’s All Because of Liver’(it’s a famous phrase from a TV commercial in Korea).

Neople also changed its name to NoBrain which sounds similar to Neople in Korean.

<Elsword>

Shockingly, the characters of <Elsword> changed their genders. Well, not bad for some. lol

<Alicia>

Ntreev Soft applied motion technology to <Alicia>. You can see how to ride and race with your body. Believe it or not, even gamer’s hairs fly as the game goes faster.

<Dragon Nest>

Eyedentity Games founded the first game financial service with <Dragon Nest> in gaming history around the world. It is the first 5th financial institution ever.

It provides credit card, insurance, and loan.

The <Dragon Nest> credit cards offer maximum 30% of additional benefits on purchasing cash items and maximum 30 Won(=US$0.03) per a month for foreign tour.

The insurance guarantees the compensation from level 1 to 50 at monthly payment of 100 golds. It covers noobie control, disease from the enhancement stress, disconnection, errors, bugs, and so on.

It also burrows newbies GM equipments and items. However others will know you are loaned and it is controversial over sexual discrimination because female gamers are fine with only level 1 while male gamers need to prove all the coloseum test, avice play test, nest play test, npc favor test, and enhancement success test.

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Posted in Korean Games Industry

Tags: alicia april fool's day Berkanix DNF Dragon Nest dungeon and fighters elsword event Mabinogi Heroes

Berkanix Trailer Released

February 22nd, 2011

ChoiRock Games has released its SFantasy MMORPG <Berkanix> before the 2nd CBT.

The trailer continues the tales of ‘Gadel’ race on the heels of the episode 1 and 2 released at the 1st CBT and introduces new content ‘hero system’, advanced ‘battle system’, and ‘booster’ that allows speedy action.

It is also made without any CG work so you can see the improved graphic quality of <Berkanix> achieved by Unreal engine 3.

▶ Click to watch the trailer.

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Posted in Korean Games Industry

Tags: Berkanix CBT choirock games MMORPG trailer video

[Korea] Upcoming MMORPGs in 2010

January 8th, 2010

If year 2009 was all about action MMORPGs, year 2010 appears to be about blockbuster MMORPGs.

Age of Conan vs. Warhammer Online

Age of Conan and Warhammer Online are in the process of localization and expected to launch in the first quarter. Neowiz Games plans an OBT for Age of Conan in the first quarter while NHN plans the first CBT on January. Two games focused on localization: Warhammer has been working on applying Korean cultural codes to character appearance, weapon effect, and sound effect while Conan even translates some of its adult contents (including cursing and swearing) into Korean in order to maintain the original look-and-feel.

Another non-Korean MMORPG that will enter the Korean market is Allods Online from Russia. Astrum Nival, the Russian publisher/developer, is seeking for a local publishing partner and plans to launch the game within this year.

Made-in-Korea MMORPGs

To name a few, Tera will be published by NHN Games in the first half and XL Games’ ArcheAge will be available for a test on June and then commercial service within this year.

<NHN’s Tera- OBT and commercial service are planned in 1H 2010>

CJ Internet is launching DragonBall Online on January while Mgame plans to launch?Argo and Yulgang 2 (열혈강호 온라인 2: Kor). Neowiz Games plans to test Project H (developed by MAIET Entertainment) within this year as well.

And the list goes on. There are YD Online’s Pae Online, WeMade’s Changchun2 (창천 2: Kor) and NED, Sonov’s Berkanix, Hanbit Soft’s 삼국지천 (Three Kingdom’s Heaven? or 三國之天: Chi), and?EASTsoft’s Cabal Online - all waiting to be released this year.

To stay ahead of the competition, each game tries to differentiate from others. Dragonball Online is based on the already-too-famous comics. Pae Online and Berkanix are developed by a famous author and a famous comic book artist. Tera and Project H emphasize on non-targeting combat system. ArcheAge is selling its mysterious storytelling and changeable game world.

The Variables

Blade and Soul, NCsoft’s fourth blockbuster MMORPG, might be delayed its test to next year but there is a chance to happen later this year. Also, the rumor has it that Hak Kyu Kim’s IMC Games- Kim was responsible for Granado Espada’s sucess- might be able to show a new martial arts MMORPG.

ArenaNet’s Guild Wars 2 is one of the games that Korean players look forward to even though it doesn’t announce any specific launch schedule in Korea.