2014/02/06News
KLab Partners with Online Gaming Giant NHN Entertainment
KLab Inc.（TSE Prime Market: 3656）
Tokyo, Japan – February 6, 2014 – KLab, a leader in online mobile games, announced a new partnership agreement with NHN Entertainment, a major South Korean online gaming company, established on January 28, 2014. This partnership will involve the release of Love Live! School Idol Festival, a blockbuster rhythm game co-developed by KLab and Bushiroad, in South Korea. The release is slated for spring 2014.
Love Live! School Idol Festival Entering the Korean Market
Japanese anime has garnered an unprecedented level of popularity in South Korea, with multiple series being featured on Korean television. The Love Live! anime has aired on local television, helping to create a large fan base anchored by fans of the show. The smartphone proliferation rate in South Korea is over 70%, and the number of mobile gamers is still increasing. The popularity of the Love Live! series coupled with the growing popularity of mobile games in the domestic market has created an excellent foundation for releasing Love Live! School Idol Festival in South Korea.
Partnership with NHN Entertainment
The new partnership defines each company’s role in the South Korean release of Love Live! School Idol Festival as follows.
KLab and Bushiroad
1. Planning and development for Love Live! School Idol Festival
2. Technical support for service provision
3. Providing programs, game demos, and other information and resources required for service
NHN Entertainment
1. Localization for Love Live! School Idol Festival (Korean translations of in-game text and necessary platform adjustments in the localization process)
2. Publishing for all platforms
3. Game operation and customer support provision
4. Marketing and promotional activities
KLab and Bushiroad will work together with NHN Entertainment to create a framework that will help Love Live! School Idol Festival to succeed in the Korean market.
About the Korean Mobile Game Market
The mobile game market in South Korea is the third largest in the world, ranking only behind the United States and Japan. Moreover, the immense popularity of online PC games has given rise to a significant number of mid-core gamers. The market also shows a high ARPPU trend for online mobile games.
About NHN Entertainment
- Company Name:
- NHN Entertainment Corp.
- Headquarters:
- South Korea
- Founded:
- August 1, 2013
- Capital:
- KRW 7.5 Billion
- CEO:
- Ujin Chung
- Business:
- Gaming Portal Service and Game Development
- Website:
- http://www.nhnent.com/en/index.nhn
NHN Entertainment was created when the Game Division of NHN Corporation split off as a separate company in August 2013. The company is listed on the Korea Exchange (KRX) and runs Hangame, the largest gaming portal site in South Korea. NHN Entertainment is also involved in publishing online mobile games. Pokopang, one of the company’s most recent hits, was met with an impressive amount of success in the domestic market.