INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Tencent, a Chinese technology and holding company with a global footprint, is reportedly exploring the possibility of acquiring game
developer and publisher Nexon.Representatives from the tech company contacted the family of Nexon founder Kim Jung-ju to explore a potential
deal, but no concrete terms have been reached and a deal is not guaranteed, according to Bloomberg.Nexon is the South Korean video game
developer behind the MapleStory series, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) that first gained popularity in the early
2000s as a traditional PC game.Web3 gaming continues to be a closely watched use case for blockchain technology as the ability to give
players ownership over in-game assets could create an entirely new asset class and create tens of billions of dollars in capital.MapleStory
Source: MapleStoryThe company integrated blockchain technology in two different installments of the series, MapleStory N and MapleStory
Universe, in May 2025, allowing users to collect in-game items and rewards in the form of non-fungible tokens (NFTS).Related: MapleStory
revives Avalanche, tops 1M daily transactions twice in a weekAccording to a February 2025 report from DappRadar, blockchain gaming activity
surged by roughly 368% year-over-year in January 2025, driven by games like Off The Grid and the then-upcoming MapleStory N.Off The Grid is
a AAA shooter, published by Gunzilla Games, that features console-level graphics and gameplay similar to that of traditional video game
blockbusters produced by major game studios.This represented a significant departure from traditional Web3 games that typically feature
simple gameplay mechanics, cartoonish graphics, and a focus on player rewards rather than robust gameplay.Despite the initial spike in
player interest that started in late 2024, Web3 gaming activity declined by 10%, reflected by a drop in daily unique active wallets,
according to DappRadar.While the crypto gaming sector remains healthy and titles such as MapleStory and Off The Grid reflect a shift to
higher-quality games focused on player experience, Web3 gaming still faces several headwinds.Chief among these impediments to widespread
Web3 gaming adoption are the technical barrier to entry of setting up a blockchain wallet and the traditional gaming community's aversion to
Maplestory cheaters: Web3 Gamer
