Nexon CEO Lee Jung-hun has officially confirmed in an interview with the Japanese gaming outlet 4Gamer that Mabinogi Mobile is slated for a Japanese release next year.

The details emerged from an interview published by 4Gamer on the 29th. When asked about Mabinogi Mobile, CEO Lee stated, "We are working towards a Japanese launch next year. A simultaneous global release often leads to diluted focus in certain regions. We chose Japan first to respond more nimbly to the unique characteristics and needs of local players." He politely declined to provide a specific month.

As for localisation, the team is adjusting the game for a local environment where large-scale downloads are less common than in Korea, aiming to streamline the process. Given the text-heavy nature of the title, they are pouring resources into meticulous translation and professional voice acting to enhance the delivery. Once a Japanese test build is ready, they intend to conduct a closed beta to gather feedback and refine the content accordingly.

This follows Nexon's recent briefing with domestic media on the 20th, where they announced a major push into overseas markets starting next year. At the time, Nexon Business Division Head Kang Min-chul noted, "Rather than picking specific target markets, we plan to launch with equal attention across the globe. North America, in particular, remains a market where we haven't seen a massive breakthrough yet, so we view the challenge there as highly valuable."

The interview covered more than just Mabinogi Mobile. Regarding 'The First Berserker: Khazan,' which launched this March, CEO Lee admitted that while KPIs fell short of projections, the true metric for success was 'polish.' He noted that the high Metacritic and Steam user ratings suggest the quality was well-received. He expects performance to improve through the upcoming Chinese release in partnership with Tencent and DLC drops next year. Lee emphasised that the project provided invaluable experience in developing premium package games for Western audiences, significantly levelling up the development team's expertise.

He also touched upon The First Descendant, noting that its explosive initial popularity caught their mid-sized team of 100-200 people off guard. The rapid consumption of content led to gaps that negatively impacted player retention. Looking ahead, Lee expressed a desire to foster 'artisans' within the company across various genres—leveraging cash cows like MapleStory, Dungeon & Fighter, and FC Online to support new ventures like looter-shooters such as The First Descendant or subculture hits like Blue Archive.