“Revitalizing Growth: A CEO’s Vision for Recovery Post-Layoffs”

Since the early days of online games in the late ’90s and 2000s, developer NCSoft and its expansive multiplayer online role-playing games have been a constant presence. The company’s one significant advantage against competitors such as Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft was its focus on bridging the gap between Western and Eastern MMORPG audiences with a cross-continental portfolio including Lineage II, Aion, and Guild Wars 2.

As live service games have become increasingly high-stakes for the industry, the long-established developer sees a path through the disruption, with ambitions for company growth. By 2025, the developer plans to intensify its focus on live service ventures following layoffs and restructuring to reinforce its position in the global market—all while emphasizing its MMORPG legacy.

New CEO of NC America Jeonghee Jin expressed her optimism about the business—and the company—recovering post-layoffs. According to her, NCSoft is adjusting its strategy to better support Western game developers, with the goal of not repeating past blunders.

Establishing a New NCSoft

Although NCSoft has enjoyed ongoing success with established titles like Lineage II and Guild Wars 2, the company has faced challenges in other areas of its portfolio. During the 2010s, NCSoft attempted to expand in the US, but this ultimately led to the closure of the sci-fi MMO Wildstar and its developer Carbine Studios, as well as the online music rhythm game Fuser from developer Harmonix (now part of Epic Games). Recently, the company has laid off staff and gone through a complete restructuring in late 2024.

“The last couple of years have been quite challenging for many game companies, including NCSoft, but honestly, I’ve witnessed cycles like this in the gaming industry, as well as in other sectors,” mentioned the CEO. “We always observe these fluctuations, especially right after the COVID lockdown phase. Currently, we are witnessing numerous layoffs and cancellations of promising projects; however, I maintain a strong sense of hope because I believe we are at the bottom of this cycle, and an upward trend is emerging.”

In 2024, Jin was appointed CEO of NC America after serving as the former senior vice president and CEO of Pearl Abyss America, where she played a key role in expanding the reach of the South Korean MMORPG Black Desert Online. Since her arrival at NCSoft, the company has made several investments in European and Korean development studios for new IPs, including a new first-person shooter from Moon Rover and an RPG called Breakers from Vic Game Studios, respectively.

Jin acknowledged the company’s prior missteps, stating that she joined with the intent of learning from its past mistakes. “When I came on board, I had many ideas about how we could evolve NCSoft,” she continued. “This publisher has a rich legacy in the MMORPG field across both Korean and Western markets, which makes it an exceptional entity.”

“Going back to the ’90s, NCSoft was undoubtedly one of the earliest MMORPG creators, and they undertook numerous experiments in trying to break into different markets. Often, these titles performed exceptionally well in Asia, but to a lesser extent in Western regions, which we intend to focus on more.

“There have been ample investments in NCSoft throughout the years, along with numerous experiments, some of which succeeded significantly while others did not fare as well. I believe many people tend to only remember the failures, but there are also many successes that paved the way for other Korean companies and Asian developers seeking to go global. I truly feel very positive as we invest more in the Western market, which we see as a promising opportunity.”

Image courtesy of NCSoft.

Now in 2025, Jin leads the new NCSoft office in Southern California following a comprehensive restructuring initiative. According to Jin, her fresh vision for NCSoft is for it to become a developer that releases innovative games appealing to wider audiences—including the online shooter Project LLL.

NCSoft will continue to capitalize on its celebrated successes in online live service games, which they still see as having significant potential. Alongside titles from Moon Rover and Vic Game Studios, a recent investment in Mistil Games and their upcoming third-person shooter Time Takers demonstrates how NCSoft is venturing into new areas.

“It is beneficial for us to diversify the genres in our portfolio, and with NCSoft America and the Western divisions, we are ideally positioned to bring these titles to a broader audience.”

Achieving Success in the Live Service Model

The video game industry has faced unique challenges in recent times.

This area has turned into a perilous and currently challenging environment for developers to operate in. With unprecedented layoffs and studio shutdowns, organizations are also managing escalating development expenses and rising expectations for success.

“I believe there are still numerous thriving titles right now, and they continue to be enjoyed by a vast number of players, without having a significant negative effect on their communities,” she elaborated. “Thus, I observe many bright and some darker aspects of the industry currently. However, I am confident we will see that rise again, and we shall achieve everything together as industry partners. I’m genuinely excited about all the projects we’re engaged in, so I feel very hopeful and positive about the long-term outlook.”

Jin clarified that NCSoft remains convinced that its primary publishing role, which supports a broad range of studios, offers advantages compared to being a studio focused on a single game. Live service games require “content” players, and tracking player behavior is often overwhelming for one development team.

“It can be quite overwhelming…for any creator and developer working on live service games, as they constantly receive a lot of harsh feedback and suggestions,” she remarked. “However, that’s precisely why a core creator exists for [live service games]. A highly competent team must develop that and figure out how to engage the community and evolve the game over time.”

For online games, the communities they cultivate often serve as a driving force behind future success. While parent company NCSoft has collaborated with Amazon Games to launch Throne and Liberty in the Western market, NC America is also preparing for the Western release of Blade & Soul Neo—a visual and gameplay remaster of its popular martial-arts action MMO—ai