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Hoyeon. (Photo=NCsoft) |
[Alpha Biz= Reporter Kim Sangjin] NCSoft (036570), navigating through a challenging financial period, has decided to reduce more than half of the development team for its collection-based role-playing game (RPG) 'Hoyeon' as part of a recent organizational restructuring.
According to industry sources on the 5th, NCSoft announced plans to lay off over 100 of the 170 team members and has initiated the voluntary resignation process. The 'Hoyeon' development team was integrated under the Chief Business Management Officer (CBMO) following a reorganization announced at the end of last month.
NCSoft launched 'Hoyeon' with high expectations in August of this year; however, the game struggled to achieve initial success, leading to this difficult decision. Despite a significant marketing push in markets including South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, 'Hoyeon' received criticism for its gameplay and character design compared to similarly released games, resulting in a rapid decline in its rankings on various application market sales charts.
Additionally, it has been reported that NCSoft is considering an early termination of 'Hoyeon' service during this reorganization. However, since the game has only been live for two months, the company plans to continue development with an eye on potential service opportunities in global markets, including China and North America, while downsizing the team.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim SangJin(letyou@alphabiz.co.kr)
