Korean MMORPGs: archive games and their developers
A Korean MMORPG is one built by a studio in South Korea and later brought to Western players by a publisher. Only two archive games have a developer named with a Korean location.
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How Korean MMORPGs reached the West
Most Korean MMORPGs that reached the West around 2010 to 2013 arrived through a publisher in the US or Europe. The studio built the game, and the publisher handled servers, translation and billing. That split explains why one game can have several publishers over a decade.
MapleStory shows the pattern at its largest. Its Steam store page lists NEXON Korea Corporation as developer and Nexon America Inc. as publisher. The archive games follow the same split, but the sources are thinner, so this hub names a developer only where a source does.
Archive games with a developer named in Korea
Only Atlantica Online and SevenCore have a developer named with a Korean location.
Atlantica Online Playable
- Genre
- Turn-based tactical MMORPG
- Developer
- NDOORS, Korea
Developed by NDOORS in Korea. GamingNexus reported on 3 September 2008 that it went commercial in Korea in January 2008. Nexon's takeover of North American publishing is dated 22 March 2011.
SevenCore Not running
- Genre
- Fantasy MMORPG with flying mounts
- Developer
- Noria, Seoul
Developed by Noria in Seoul. gPotato opened the Western closed beta on 9 August 2012 and the open beta on 6 September 2012. Ignited Games listed it by August 2013.
Archive games with an open developer question
Where these were built is unclear. Karos Online is the exception on name only: Galaxy Gate is its developer, and its location is not given.
WonderKing Playable
- Genre
- 2D side-scrolling MMORPG
- Developer
- Unknown; the 2026 relaunch lists dreamideasoft
The Korean developer is not named. The 2026 Steam relaunch lists dreamideasoft as developer.
DarkEden Playable
- Genre
- Isometric 2D vampire MMORPG
- Developer
- Not confirmed; Joymax and SOFTON are named for the Asian versions
The original developer is not confirmed. Joymax and SOFTON are named for the Asian versions, and SOFTON publishes Dark Eden Origin on Steam.
Karos Online Playable
- Genre
- Free-to-play fantasy MMORPG
- Developer
- Galaxy Gate
Galaxy Gate was the builder and ijji.com the launch site, on 20 April 2010. Japan followed in April 2011 through OG Entertainment.
Rosh Online Not running
- Genre
- Fantasy MMORPG with castle sieges
- Developer
- Unknown
The developer is unknown. Ignited Games launched it in the West on 7 December 2011.
WindSlayer 2 Not running
- Genre
- 2D side-scrolling MMORPG, free to play
- Developer
- Unknown
The developer is not named.
Developer record by game
Developer and Western publisher for each game
Atlantica Online
- Developer in the sources
- NDOORS, Korea
- Western publisher in the record
- NDOORS, then Nexon from March 2011
SevenCore
- Developer in the sources
- Noria, Seoul
- Western publisher in the record
- gPotato (2012 beta)
Karos Online
- Developer in the sources
- Galaxy Gate
- Western publisher in the record
- ijji.com (NHN USA), 2010
DarkEden
- Developer in the sources
- Not confirmed
- Western publisher in the record
- Ignited Games, 2011
WonderKing
- Developer in the sources
- Unknown
- Western publisher in the record
- Ndoors Interactive, 2010
Rosh Online
- Developer in the sources
- Unknown
- Western publisher in the record
- Ignited Games, 2011
WindSlayer 2
- Developer in the sources
- Unknown
- Western publisher in the record
- Ignited Games, 2011
An unnamed entry here means the name is missing from the record, not that the developer lacks one.
Who published what, and when it changed
The Korean MMORPG record is mostly a record of publishers. Atlantica Online has the longest chain. GamingNexus reported on 3 September 2008 that the game had gone commercial in Korea in January 2008, and RPGFan says the North American servers were up on 30 October 2008. Engadget reported on 9 March 2011 that Nexon would take over North American publishing and servicing on 22 March. Mein-MMO reported on 16 July 2016 that Nexon Europe was handing the German version to VALOFE.
Ignited Games appears in the same record in a narrower role. By 2012 Ignited Games carried Atlantica Online only as Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese versions. Karos Online shows a shorter chain: ijji.com launched it on 20 April 2010, and Engadget reported on 6 April 2012 that the global servers would close on 13 April. SevenCore's Western record starts with gPotato's closed beta on 9 August 2012.
Western publisher changes
Dated publisher steps for the archive's Korean games
Atlantica Online
- Step
- Commercial launch in Korea by NDOORS
- Date
- January 2008
- Source
- GamingNexus, 3 September 2008
Atlantica Online
- Step
- North American servers up
- Date
- 30 October 2008
- Source
- RPGFan
Atlantica Online
- Step
- Nexon takes over North American publishing
- Date
- 22 March 2011
- Source
- Engadget, 9 March 2011
Atlantica Online
- Step
- Nexon Europe announces handover to VALOFE (announcement, not the takeover date)
- Date
- 16 July 2016
- Source
- Mein-MMO
Karos Online
- Step
- Launch on ijji.com
- Date
- 20 April 2010
- Source
- Gaming Nexus
Karos Online
- Step
- Global servers close
- Date
- 13 April 2012
- Source
- Engadget, 6 April 2012
SevenCore
- Step
- gPotato closed beta
- Date
- 9 August 2012
- Source
- Ten Ton Hammer
SevenCore
- Step
- gPotato open beta
- Date
- 6 September 2012
- Source
- MMOBomb
The dates are those the reports give. The SevenCore beta dates come from Ten Ton Hammer (closed beta) and MMOBomb (open beta).
A reading order for the Korean archive games
Start where the record is strongest.
- Read Atlantica Online regional versions first, since it has the most named developer and publisher steps.
- Read SevenCore next for the only other game with a developer named in Korea.
- Read Karos Online and its shutdown page for a developer named without a location.
- Treat DarkEden, WonderKing, Rosh Online and WindSlayer 2 as publisher records.
The wider field on Steam
Steam store pages of games outside the archive
MapleStory
- Company named on the store page
- NEXON Korea Corporation (developer), Nexon America Inc. (publisher)
- Release date on the store page
- 9 August 2012
- What the page adds
- Free to play, more than 40 classes
La Tale
- Company named on the store page
- Actoz Soft and Papaya Play
- Release date on the store page
- 17 November 2017
- What the page adds
- Ten classes, third-party account required
Elsword Free-to-Play
- Company named on the store page
- KOG Co. Ltd. and Gameforge 4D GmbH
- Release date on the store page
- 14 June 2018
- What the page adds
- Fifteen characters, stays free to play
Lost Ark
- Company named on the store page
- Smilegate RPG and Amazon Game Studios
- Release date on the store page
- 11 February 2022
- What the page adds
- Free to play with in-game purchases
Dark Eden Origin
- Company named on the store page
- SOFTON ENTERTAINMENT
- Release date on the store page
- 17 August 2017
- What the page adds
- Korean account required
Karos
- Company named on the store page
- Galaxy Gate and GameXP.com
- Release date on the store page
- 24 December 2014
- What the page adds
- Free to play, nine paid DLC items
Source for every row: the game's Steam store page, read on 30 October 2026. A company's country is given only where the page or a report states it.
Publisher exits and account walls
Two things shape how a Korean MMORPG reaches a Western player today. The first is the publisher. Shacknews reported on 12 August 2026 that Amazon will end its live service for Lost Ark in the West in early 2027 and that Smilegate will take it over, and that the game itself is not shutting down. The second is the account. La Tale's and Dark Eden Origin's Steam pages both say a third-party account is required, so a Steam purchase screen does not always mean a one-click start.
For the games you can start today, with the account and cost details, use Korean MMORPGs worth playing now. For picks by play style, see games like Atlantica Online and WonderKing.
More on Korean games
For titles you can start today, see Korean MMORPGs worth playing now. The 2D MMORPGs hub sorts the same games by layout, and the old MMORPGs hub sorts them by age.
Questions about Korean MMORPGs
What is a Korean MMORPG?
It is an online role-playing game developed by a studio in South Korea, usually brought to the West by a separate publisher.
Which archive games have a Korean developer?
Atlantica Online (NDOORS) and SevenCore (Noria, Seoul) have a developer named with a Korean location. Karos Online and DarkEden name companies without a confirmed Korean location.
Did Ignited Games develop any of these games?
No. Ignited Games is listed as publisher or operator of versions.
Is MapleStory a Korean MMORPG?
Its Steam store page lists NEXON Korea Corporation as developer.
Do I need a Korean account to play?
For Dark Eden Origin on Steam, yes: the store page requires a third-party Korean account as of 30 October 2026.
Who published Atlantica Online in the West?
NDOORS ran it from 30 October 2008, Nexon took over North American publishing on 22 March 2011, and VALOFE took over the German version after Nexon Europe's 2016 handover announcement.