Nexon, one of the biggest gaming developers and publishers in Korea, is partnering with Polygon to power its MapleStory Universe’s in-game economy using non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
According to the project’s production director, Sun-young Hwang, players will be able to create and manage NFTs within the game. The MapleStory Universe is an NFT-fueled spinoff of MapleStory, the massively multiplayer online game with over 180 million registered players that was initially released in Korea in 2003. According to a company presentation, the game has generated more than USD 4 billion in revenue for the publisher.
While larger gaming studios have been hesitant to incorporate NFTs and cryptocurrency into their games, Nexon’s move to embrace NFTs via MapleStory may signal a shift in this stance. Currently, players buy and sell items with one another using the game’s currency. In the upcoming web3 version, players will be able to obtain NFTs through gameplay, which they can use to access multiple benefits and utilities in various games and applications within the ecosystem.
Polygon’s Supernets will enable the game’s crypto features to function. It is an extension of the core blockchain that allows it to scale up and perform more complex tasks while maintaining low-to-no transaction fees, making it attractive to larger gaming companies. Polygon has previously partnered with prominent gaming industry players such as Square Enix, Jam City, and e-sports teams like Cloud9 and DrDisrespect.
