WeMade Entertainment announced it is going to appoint Hoon NamGoong, the former CEO of CJ E&M Netmarble, as its new board director today.
After his appointment, NamChul Kim the president of WeMade and he are going to be inaugurated as co-CEO of WeMade on the 23rd of March.
His joining would expand WeMade’s smart games business to global market from China.
Mr. NamGoong had been a co-founder of Hangame and the ex-CEO of NHN USA and CJ E&M so far.
CJ E&M Netmarble gained a publication right of side-scrolling action MORPG <Heroes of Pantheon >, developed by Studio EX, for Korea and Japan today, also acquiring its co-publication right for global market excluding Japan in company with YJM Entertainment.
<Heroes of Pantheon > is a web-based online action game, featuring cross-platform and Olympus and Titan factions based on Greek myth.
Netmarble has also signed a publishing contract of YJM’s casual racing game <Blue Monkeys> last February 7.
“We have added a social action online game that fits the latest trends to our publishing lineup. We will make the game better and bring it to our customers as soon as possible,” said YoungKi Cho the CEO of Netmarble.
A picture of signing ceremony of Sudden Attack 2 between GameHi and CJ last 2008
The publishing agreement of upcoming <Sudden Attack 2>, one of the most anticipating FPS game in Korea, between GameHi and CJ E&M Netmarble(CJ) is broken.
GameHi officially announced the cancellation yesterday. It will reimburse CJ about US$3M including the deposit of US$2.17M as penalty for breach of contract.
Plus, the publishing rights of a web game <Kingdoms> and a TPS game <Hounds> both developed by CJ Gamelab returned to CJ from GameHi.
“We could not keep the contract with CJ that scheduled to test <Sudden Attack 2> within 2010. Both of us tried to rearrange the development schedule but we failed to come to an agreement. So we decided to cancel the contract as we believed we would not make it by the time CJ wants us to finish it,” said an official from GameHi. “Despite the cancellation we continue developing the game and will introduce when it is ready.”
Meanwhile KOSDAQ stock market headquarter warned GameHi for reversing its announcement about the agreement and noticed designation as disloyal public corporation.
CJ E&M Netmarble announced Trion World’s MMORPG <Rift> will launch its OBT in Korea next second quarter of 2012.
The launguage localized <Rift> will be introduced to the Korean gamers for the first time at G-star 2011 taking place Nevember 10 to 13 followed by CBT in 2012 Q1 and OBT in 2012 Q2.
Netmarble decided the subscription based payment but detail policy and schedule are not fixed yet.
By the way, UI in <Rift> will be revised and Trion World’s real time in-game feedback management tool will also be adopted for friendly service to Korean gamers.
“In 2012, Netmarble will write a new history of Korean RPG market. With <Rift> we will bring second heyday out as a major publisher of not only FPS genre but MMORPG,” said Netmarble.
CJ E&M introduced <Rift>, <S2>, and <Ghosts ‘n Goblins Online> will be mainly featured at G-star 2011 in Busan.
The sensational MMORPG <Rift> featuring Korean localized version at the site for the first time is catching Korean gamers’ attention since it has defeated <WoW> in NA.
FPS <S2> is a game being developed by a team of <Sudden Attack>. They are introducing the brand new title after 6 years from <Sudden Attack> and it had been introduced as <Project RAW> last April. It will hold CBT during the G-star 2011 and every visitors can play it.
<Ghosts ‘m Goblins Online> which recieved positive feedback from last G-star will introduce a new character and 6 new classes.
In addition, adult-targetted hardcore action MORPG <Bloody Hunter>, 2D side-scroll action MORPG <Core Fight>, and stylish action shooting game <Guns TSD> will also be revealed for the first time at ‘Coming Soon’ booth.
“We will run 4 booths consisting of <Rift>, <S2>, <Ghosts ‘n Goblins Online>, and Coming Soon and place maximum 30 PCs to each booths except the Coming Soon which is only for demonstration. We are looking forward great feedback on <Rift> and <S2> since they are revealed for the first time at this G-star,” said HyunIk Kim the director of Netmarble.
“Netmarble has focused on publishing business so far and has built the successful line-up in Korea. Since next year, we however will also launch self-developed online games in order to expand our business globally,” said YoungKi Cho the field representative of CJ E&M.
