Nexon virtually admitted to’manipulation’… “Probability of all items, will be released in real time”

Input 2021.03.05 15:03 | Revision 2021.03.05 15:55

Nexon, all stochastic item information with public key
Netmarble and NCsoft also reviewed publicly after collecting opinions
Jeong-Hun Lee, CEO of Nexon “To all responsible executives”

Nexon decided to transparently disclose the probability of item appearance in all games. In the process of updating the company’s game’Maple Story’, suspicion was raised that the probability of in-game items, etc., was manipulated, and after several attempts to evade responsibility, public opinion deteriorated greatly, and this was acknowledged and remedial measures were taken.

Nexon decided to provide a system that allows you to visually see how much the probability is determined in real time for game contents determined by probability, such as reinforcement in the game, as well as items. The targets for disclosure are major online games and mobile games that Nexon is servicing, and plans to expand the disclosure to all paid probabilistic items in the future.

Through the announcement on the 5th, Nexon said, “We will disclose the probability of Maple Story Cube on this day after thorough investigation and verification internally,” and “We will disclose all detailed figures including the upgrade probability.” Following “We will avoid the use of terms such as’random’ and’random’ that confuse users. “In the future, we will use terms according to clear principles so that users can clearly understand the contents, and if we use terms related to probability, we will avoid related probabilities. We will provide additional tickets so that there will be no controversy.”

As Nexon comes up with proactive measures related to’probability-type items’, attention is also focused on whether NCsoft and Netmarble, which are called 3N, will disclose the probability of so-called 3N together with Nexon. It is known that the two companies will come up with countermeasures through collecting opinions from inside and outside the company sooner or later.

◇ What is the probability type item… “No. 1 credit for promoting game speculation”

Probability-type items refer to items that can be obtained with a certain probability. In the case of the game Maple Story, which has a problem this time, it is divided into capsule-type items that give rare items with a certain probability when purchasing a’random box’ starting at least 900 won, and reinforced items that can increase possessed equipment and character abilities. .

Maple Story is called the beginning of the domestic probability-type item. In 2005, an egg-shaped capsule-type item was introduced for the first time in Korea. Game users called this item’incubator’ in that rare items come out when eggs hatch.

Since then, probabilistic items have become the main profit model for games. In order to stand out in the game, you need to have good items, but since the grade of the item is determined by probability, users have repeatedly paid for items that are rare and have good performance. A structure was created to keep spending money to play games well.

After the success of MapleStory, almost all game companies have begun to introduce probabilistic items, which are a reliable and easy profit structure, into their games. In addition, the probability was applied to reinforced items that increase the performance or ability of the possessed weapon or character in a simple drawing.

However, how much money must be spent to produce satisfactory results was not clearly indicated inside and outside the game. For this reason, probabilistic items were criticized for promoting speculation in the game, and domestic game companies including Nexon have disclosed which items will come out with what probability under self-regulation from 2015.

Nevertheless, game companies did not disclose the probability of reinforced items due to trade secrets. Nexon has also adhered to the position that the reinforced item provides options with the same probability every time, but the update includes the content that “adjust the probability evenly,” raising suspicion that the probability is being manipulated and users’ anger.

In the end, Nexon decided to disclose the probability of reinforced items for the first time in the domestic game industry in order to calm the anger of users.

◇ As the controversy grows, “Responsible management lies with the responsible management”

Jeongheon Lee, CEO of Nexon (Photo) Announced a separate letter sent to the executives and employees on the in-house system on this day. CEO Lee said, “Everyone of the staff must know that there is a lot of controversy over the probability-type items in our game,” and “I sincerely regret that everything is entirely up to the management, including myself, for not meeting the expectations of users. “I said.

Next, CEO Lee said, “Nexon, Nexon games, and our society’s perspectives on games are changing, and I did not recognize these changes and stayed there.” I will match the social level. I will no longer be insensitive to the user’s voice.”

CEO Lee said, “We will correct the use of in-game terms that do not fit our status as the best game company in Korea,” and “We will seek forgiveness and understanding from users with detailed explanations and rewards.” He added, “The reason why we can’t tell you that all Nexon games are released at a time is not because we have a weak will, but because the situation is very different for each game,” he said. “The cooperation structure is interlocked with production and service companies including foreign companies.” .

◇ The National Assembly “proposed a bill to disclose the obligatory item probability”… The industry “will be midnight”

The National Assembly proposed an amendment to the related law in that probability-type items promote speculative behavior and induce unnecessary payments. Lee Sang-heon and Democratic Party lawmaker proposed the entire revision of the Game Industry Promotion Act, which passed through the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, and passed the plenary session within the first half of this year. For a long time, the girls and the nights are making a common voice.

Rep. Ha Tae-kyung, the People’s Power, is insisting on an investigation by the Fair Trade Commission on probabilistic items. Congressman Ha said, “Lineage, Maple Story, and Everyone’s Marvel are’the 5 bad guys’ games that fool consumers with numbers,” he said. “We will ask the FTC to investigate.”

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which is the main department of the game industry, has also started to improve. Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hwang-hee said, “I agree to legally mandate the disclosure of probabilistic item information,” and “I will come up with a plan to revitalize the game industry separately” at a general meeting of the National Assembly’s Culture and Sports Committee on the 26th.

Separately, the game industry has a policy of continuing its midnight efforts. In the case of Netmarble and NCsoft, they expressed their position that they plan to review the probability disclosure after collecting opinions.