[NC]K-Games Take Over the Home of Subculture... Win Over Japanese Fans with IP Expansion

Netmarble and Smilegate Join Forces with Japanese Mega IPs
Nexon and NC Compete with Original Subculture Titles

K-game companies brought subculture genres to Japan and successfully captivated local fans. At the 'Tokyo Game Show (TGS) 2026,' which celebrated its 30th anniversary this year, they showcased a slew of subculture-based new releases, demonstrating both development prowess and localization capabilities. In particular, their strategy to expand intellectual property (IP) through integration with Japan's renowned manga and anime ecosystem was especially prominent.

Netmarble 'Tokyo Game Show (TGS) 2026' main image. Provided by Netmarble

According to the game industry on September 19, Netmarble put 'Shangri-La Frontier: Seven Supreme Species,' a mega-hit Japanese manga and anime with over 1 billion global cumulative views, front and center. Currently in development by Netmarble Nexus, this title is a tag-battle collectible role-playing game (RPG) available on both mobile and PC. The mobile version supports one-handed controls and vertical screen orientation.

Netmarble thoroughly adapted the original voice actors, unique character speech patterns, and even combat system names to meet the expectations of local fans. By placing the battle with 'Gravekeeper Wezaemon'—the climax of the first season of the original anime—at the very beginning, the on-site demo received high praise for its immersive experience, likened to stepping straight into the anime itself.

Smilegate, which has set up a dedicated booth for the second consecutive year in its push to capture the Japanese market, featured the demo for the team roguelite RPG 'Dead Account: Two Blue Flames,' based on a popular manga from Kodansha. The game showed such close collaboration that original manga artist Shizumu Watanabe personally visited the booth. Over 90% of demo participants expressed their intention to play upon release, indicating a very positive reaction. To further target the Japanese market, Smilegate plans to increase its proportion of animation-based games in its entire lineup to more than half within the next 2 to 3 years.

A view of NC's "Astraea Oratio" booth at "Tokyo Game Show (TGS) 2026." Provided by NC.

Returning to TGS for the first time in eight years, NHN actively leveraged popular local IPs through its Japanese subsidiary NHN PlayArt. Well-known titles such as the puzzle game 'Touken Ranbu Pazugiri' and the nurturing game 'The Fantasia World Petipoyong' were introduced. NHN announced a 'Korea-Japan joint development system,' combining Japan's distinctive depth of planning with Korea's rapid development speed, signaling a smooth landing in the local market.

During TGS, Com2uS also drew attention at Microsoft's Xbox Showcase by unexpectedly revealing a new large-scale title utilizing a popular anime IP. The finalized title, 'Gachiakuta: Breakout,' is a survival action RPG characterized by its gritty, distinctive cartoon-style graphics and art direction that stay true to the original work.

Nexon and NC showcased the strength of their original subculture IPs. The booth for the new magical RPG 'Astraea Oratio,' developed by Dynamis One and published by NC, drew large crowds. The game is set in a fictional 1989 Tokyo and recreates the art and direction of Japanese retro anime sensibilities. NC captured local fans' attention by installing Samsung Electronics' glasses-free 3D monitor 'Spatial Signage' at the front of the booth, allowing for visually immersive, 3D-rendered anime girl characters reaching beyond the screen. After TGS, NC plans to allow users to directly experience the game's play and universe through a global closed beta test (CBT).

'Paraidollia' Rock-Paper-Scissors Game to Enjoy at Nexon Booth at Tokyo Game Show (TGS) 2026. Provided by Nexon

Nexon Games unveiled the first build of its upcoming title 'Paredolia,' poised to succeed the global hit 'Blue Archive.' The game is structured so that daily life, battles, and returning home form a continuous cycle. Players decide which characters to interact with and what to do, determining how their time is spent. At the booth, an AI-powered interaction system was demonstrated, allowing visitors to play rock-paper-scissors in real-time with characters who responded to spoken commands via microphone. The booth's immense popularity was reflected in wait times exceeding an hour.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.