Nexon CEO Thinks That User Feedback is More Important Than Data in Game Development

As a long-time gamer and follower of the gaming industry, I can’t help but admire Nexon’s CEO, Park Yong-Hyun, for his forward-thinking approach to game development. His emphasis on user feedback over numbers is not only refreshing but also wise, especially in today’s saturated market.

In a recent interview at the Tokyo Game Show, the CEO of Nexon opened up about his professional journey, the expansion of Nexon, and the key elements required to create a successful video game. As one of the globe’s leading game developers and publishers, Nexon has recently gained attention due to certain character designs in The First Descendant, an action-MMO title.

In a straightforward manner, Park Yong-Hyun, the CEO of Nexon Games, emphasized that player feedback holds significantly greater value compared to statistics and past data in the process of creating a game.

‘Numbers Will Not Produce Good Results’

4Gamer interviewed Nexon Games’ CEO, Park Yong-Hyun, who emphasized that listening to community feedback is crucial for a game development studio in creating a game.

In light of high costs, I believe it’s counterproductive to implement a rigid budget and make decisions solely based on numbers. While user feedback can certainly influence sales, I doubt the development expenses would be entirely wasted even if it fails to sell completely.

Yong-Hyun pointed out that developing games based on calculations derived from old numbers may have worked in the past, but this approach alone is no longer sufficient for creating a new game.

I think that focusing on user feedback is the most reliable standard at present … I think that if you confidently tell the upper management, “This game will be well received by users!”, it will be accepted, but I don’t think it will work if you say, “We can make this much money.” This is because the sales figures change depending on various circumstances.

Recently, Nexon has introduced significant updates to The First Descendant, their newly launched action MMO that received mixed reviews upon its release in July. Lately, the gaming community has been buzzing on social media due to the unveiling of Ultimate Freyna, a stronger version of an original character, who is known for her outfit, one of the most revealing we’ve seen in any game thus far.

The public reaction to this character was tremendous, sparking a buzz in the market that hinted at its potential success even before it was officially launched. Following its addition to The First Descendant on October 10, Ultimate Freyna has been generating quite a stir.

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