| More numbers - $1.6 million in virtual asset sales in | | | | further 50 million worldwide. Nexon is best knownfor |
| February 2006 (600,000 items). | | | | KartRider, a three-year-old online go-cart racing game |
| Nexon America Expands Mainstream Presence With | | | | that has been wildly popular in South Korea. A U.S. |
| the Upcoming Launch of Dance | | | | version is due out later this year. In 2005, |
| Game, Audition | | | | Nexon had worldwide revenues of $230 million, 85% |
| First-Ever Gift Cards for Virtual Items Available at | | | | of it from virtual items. |
| Target Stores | | | | Starting in the fall, Sony Corp. (SNE ) will offer |
| Nationwide | | | | PlayStation Home—a realistic 3D online world |
| The New Avatar In Townof Korea Nexon and others | | | | where players can buy digital items such as T-shirts |
| are edging onto Second Life turf, using simplified | | | | and |
| features | | | | Sony Brevia TVs—as a free download for its |
| Cyndi Lester, 20, recalls her first meeting with future | | | | PlayStation 3 videogame console. And Nintendo of |
| husband, Frank: My avatar walked past his. He | | | | America is betting on the free, easy-to-design avatar |
| noticed me and typed: I like your hair. After | | | | feature ofits popular Wii console to attract older |
| theirreal-life wedding last year, Cyndi and Frank | | | | nongamers. |
| bought digital rings and staged a second, virtual-world | | | | The rise of the avatars coincides with explosive |
| wedding. | | | | growth for Massively multiplayer online games in |
| It all happened in MapleStory—a fantastical online | | | | general. The category, which includes technically |
| game where players hunt cartoon monsters and | | | | simpleand nonviolent Casual games as well as more |
| communicate in text. For Lester, a Huntington | | | | graphically complex shooter games, is expected to |
| (W.Va.)homemaker who devotes three to six hours | | | | produce revenues of $760 million this year in North |
| a day exploring this two-dimensional universe, the | | | | Americaalone, and nearly triple that in four years, |
| allure of MapleStory is more about show than shoot | | | | says videogame researcher DFC Intelligence. |
| em-up. Shespends up to $100 a month buying new | | | | A SNAP TO OPERATE |
| clothes (at 9 cents to $7 apiece) and hairstyles | | | | The new multiplayer games are tailored for |
| ($5.70) for her digital double. | | | | nontechies. Simple images in MapleStory and |
| Suddenly it looks as if Second Life, that 3D virtual | | | | KartRider do not require sophisticated graphics cards |
| world that last year became a favorite hangout for | | | | or ultrafast |
| hard-core techies and trend-watching | | | | Internet connections. Avatar details are a snap to |
| corporations,has competition. A new crop of online | | | | customize with drop-down menus for selecting things |
| multiplayer games is coming, targeting a broader | | | | like Cutie hair pigtails or red rubber boots. |
| audience with simpler navigation and customization | | | | Nexon waited to court American players until |
| than Second Life. | | | | Broadband reached critical mass, says John H. Chi, |
| These games also rule out lewd behavior. The | | | | Nexon America Inc. president and CEO. But the |
| companies behind them have a novel way of making | | | | companyalso needs to broaden its market. KartRider |
| money, selling digital goods such as avatars and their | | | | popularity in Korea has been waning—as many as |
| outfits. | | | | 100,000 Koreans log on at a time today, vs. 200,000 |
| The games themselves are free. | | | | in 2005. |
| The mainstreaming of virtual worlds started, as so | | | | Now the question is, will Americans spend real money |
| many consumer-tech stories do, in the Far East. | | | | in virtual worlds? (Older games rake in subions or |
| MapleStory, from Korean online game maker Nexon | | | | down- load fees.) MapleStory was a litmus testto see |
| Corp., hasbeen a hit in Asia since 2003. The company | | | | if U.S. audiences would have spending patterns similar |
| U.S. arm began marketing a North American version | | | | to Korea, says Min Kim, Nexon America director of |
| last September, riding the virtual-world bandwagon | | | | game operations. To make it easy, Nexon |
| after | | | | Cash cards, which are used to buy digital goods, are |
| Second Life started grabbing headlines. It now has | | | | being sold at Target (TGT ) stores. |
| more than 3 million North American players, joining a | | | | |