What is “MapleStory N”?
The Korean game giant Nexon recently held a press conference in Taiwan for the blockchain game “MapleStory N” developed by them. Dominic Jang, the business director of MapleStory Universe, took this opportunity to introduce the differences between this classic IP and the original version of “MapleStory” after entering the blockchain world to Taiwanese media and players.
“MapleStory N” is one of the core games in the MapleStory Universe ecosystem, which consists of multiple applications including a wallet, a trading platform, and the game itself.
Image / MapleStory Universe X
“MapleStory N” is built on the Arbitrum blockchain and is a MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game). It inherits the classic style of “MapleStory” but incorporates blockchain elements into the economic system and player experience. This game allows players to own and trade in-game items and characters using NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) or FTs (Fungible Tokens).
These transactions are not limited to servers and can be conducted in external trading markets outside of the game. There is no “cash shop” in “MapleStory N” as the developers aim to maintain a free economy between players. Additionally, the items in the game are different from the original “MapleStory” as they have quantity limits, which helps maintain their value and resist inflation.
As for the concern of many players regarding the “token economy,” currently “MapleStory N” has two currencies, including the in-game $NESO (similar to the original game’s mesos) and the utility token $NXPC. In the future, the developers will release a detailed white paper and announce the method of converting $NESO into $NXPC.
The classic MapleStory IP can also be seen in “MapleStory N”.
What can we expect from “MapleStory N”?
Dominic Jang revealed that “MapleStory N” is expected to launch in the first half of 2025, and features such as the costume system and trading market will be simultaneously released.
Regarding the target users of the game, he divided them into three categories. The first category is the original loyal players, especially long-term players who have resonance and nostalgic feelings towards “MapleStory”. They are already very familiar with the game’s operations and content, and may be interested in the new version and participate again.
Another category is content creators and developers who will enter the game and participate in the expansion of the ecosystem. For example, developers can introduce the default shoe item NFT from the game into other “earn while running” games (such as STEPN), allowing players in those games to earn more points by having the same NFT item.
Lastly, there are players who have never played “MapleStory”, especially Web3 users who are primarily attracted by blockchain technology.
Although the economic model in the game is not yet clear, Dominic Jang stated that the game aims to reward players who contribute to the game community. These contributions can be content creation, community development, etc., and will be rewarded according to the level of contribution.
“The development team values every feedback, question, and interaction with players,” said Dominic Jang. He added that in the future, “MapleStory N” does not rule out the possibility of introducing more interactive experiences, allowing players to play a more important role in key game decisions. Additionally, “MapleStory N” is open to collaborations with other famous Web3 IPs. However, the team’s current focus is on successfully launching and stabilizing the game system.
(Left) Dominic Jang, the business director of MapleStory Universe.