Netmarble Corp., South Korea’s leading game developer, is slated to roll out “RF Online Next” on March 20, a revamp of the old title “RF Online” released in 2004.
Reflecting the strong anticipation for the new game, character reservations for “RF Online Next” were fully booked just three hours of opening on March 6. Its showcase on Feb. 12 drew a peak concurrent viewership of 23,345.
To engage with gamers ahead of its official launch, Netmarble has released a special video titled “RF Truth Game” on its official Youtube channel.
To generate buzz for the game, Netmarble also released a web novel based on the “RF Online Next” IP, titled “Bad Born Blood,” which was publihed periodically for 15 months starting in October 2023.
The novel has recorded 3.55 million downloads and boasts an average rating of 9.3 out of 10. Its eponymous webtoon adaptation was launched last year, earning an even higher rating of 9.93.
The upcoming title aligns with Netmarble’s strategy to leverage legacy intellectual properties (IPs) to expand its portfolio.
Meanwhile, the company decided at a board meeting on March 7 to transition to a single-CEO system, ending its five-year, dual-CEO structure.
Kim Byung-gyu, appointed co-CEO in January 2024, will take full leadership of the game developer.
In 2024, Netmarble turned an operating profit of 215.6 billion won ($148 million), snapping its two straight years of losses.
By Yeonhee Kim
yhkim@hankyung.com
Jennifer Nicholson-Breen edited this article.
