The Korea Times close
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Entertainment
& Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
Sports
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
Video
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
Mon, August 15, 2022 | 06:58
'Unethical' game closure
Posted : 2012-12-04 21:14
Updated : 2012-12-04 21:14
Print Preview
Font Size Up
Font Size Down
City of Heroes by NCsoft
City of Heroes by NCsoft

US novelist slams NCsoft for shutting City of Heroes


By Cho Mu-hyun
City of Heroes by NCsoft

Mercedes Lackey
U.S. fantasy novelist

A noted United States fantasy novelist and fan of NCsoft's City of Heroes (CoH) called the publisher's decision to end servicing the popular title "unethical" and requested that it be saved.

Mercedes Lackey, who has over 80 published books under her belt, some inspired from playing the game, lamented the abrupt and seemingly unreasonable termination of CoH.

"I think game companies owe it to their stockholders as well as their players to continue to support the game as long as it provides a profit," she responded in an email interview with The Korea Times.

"I think canceling a game that is making a profit, along with destroying jobs and an online community, is entirely unethical. And I believe that companies that do that are going to get exactly what they deserve, as customers revolt over greed killing cool."

The Korean company announced in August that it plans to permanently shutdown servicing the 8-year-old game and terminated its Paragon Studios development team, despite the title continuing to bring in steady revenue.

The author and her supporters want NCsoft to "sell the IP, game code, the server code, and the customer account information at a reasonable price to one of several interested parties that came forward in the first month after the announcement."

She added, "It only seemed reasonable" to retain customer and character account information given all the "time, money and effort people poured into those characters."

NCsoft's Seoul-based spokesman Kim Yo-han said that terminating the service was a "strategic decision," adding that "nothing had been decided on selling the game or other action afterwards."

According to local industry analysts, the game has been bringing in 3 billion won ($2.76 million) every quarter. "It is hard to comprehend what NCsoft means when they said they closed it for strategic reasons," one analyst said.

NCsoft CEO Kim Taek-jin recently stated that he was planning a global acquisition in his bid to expand the company overseas. However, at first-glance the closure of CoH doesn't seem in line with his plans.

"From a revenue stand point, the game contributed something below 3 percent. Still, it seems an unnecessary closure. It won't help its image," the analyst added.

NCsoft's image in Internet communities in the West is very negative. Some magazines writers have asked for boycotts, including Starburst Magazine which has 250,000 subscribers (the same as the firm's Blade & Soul's peak number). Other protests have spawned online.

Lackey, along with the online community for CoH, has shown a strong attachment to the game.

"I truly think that in City of Heroes we were witness to the blossoming of a real, functioning online community," she said. "The City of Heroes community evolved over time to become one in which sharing was the norm, helping was second-nature, and cooperation was commonplace.

"This is not so much a game as a huge town of 100,000 people who have intersecting interests and neighborhoods, and who play together and care deeply about their town," she added.

CoH is a community, in every sense of the word and not just online. According to Lackey, players have raised tens of thousands of dollars for charity over the course of eight years. It also keeps loved-ones connected.

"Families can play together with their young children or their grandparents. My husband and I regularly play with his father (a retired Special Forces sergeant-major), who lives 1500 miles away from us, and has a very ill wife who needs constant care, limiting his options for recreation," she said.

It has also helped her on a personal level: "When you write alone, everything goes just as you planned it. Your characters do what you tell them to."

But when she interacted with the stories that other CoH players created for their in-game characters, it was a "surprise, you have to react to it, and I would say that in most cases, it makes the combined story much, much better.

"As a writer, I can say that I have become a superior writer because of this. My dialogue has become much better, and more realistic. My plotting is better," said Lackey.

The community is determined to save the game and plans to find a new parent for it, looking to companies including Disney or Google and Lackey and some of her colleagues have put together pitch packages. "We literally do not intend to stop until we have exhausted all potential owners."

Meanwhile, NCsoft's stock price continues to remain around 160,000 won, having more than halved from earlier in the year.

Emailimpale@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
LG
  • Korean blockchain operators urged to enhance vigilance against accidents
  • City goes into festival mode during Seoul Festa
  • Yoon set to unveil 'audacious plan' for North Korea's denuclearization
  • Traveling on the Han River in the 19th Century: Part 2
  • Fears of lengthy COVID-19 resurgence loom large
  • More tourists opt to visit Jeju Island by ferry
  • Ex-USFK commander rejects China's claims over THAAD
  • Seoul E-Prix thrills racing fans in Korea
  • Will Samsung heir be promoted to chairman?
  • KOICA seeks support for Busan's bid to host World Expo
  • Interactive News
  • With tough love,
  • 'Santa dogs' help rebuild burnt forests in Andong
  • 'Santa dogs' help rebuild burnt forests in Andong
  • A tale of natural wine
    • Death of young webtoon artist sparks controversy over harsh working conditions Death of young webtoon artist sparks controversy over harsh working conditions
    • Reality shows go abroad again amid eased COVID-19 travel restrictions Reality shows go abroad again amid eased COVID-19 travel restrictions
    • Late Samsung chairman's collection highlights painter Lee Jung-seop as family man Late Samsung chairman's collection highlights painter Lee Jung-seop as family man
    • From P1Harmony to Zico, K-pop hotshots to perform in Abu Dhabi next month From P1Harmony to Zico, K-pop hotshots to perform in Abu Dhabi next month
    • [INTERVIEW] Actor Ko Kyoung-pyo explains why he doesn't obsess over lead roles [INTERVIEW] Actor Ko Kyoung-pyo explains why he doesn't obsess over lead roles
    DARKROOM
    • Ice is melting, land is burning

      Ice is melting, land is burning

    • Tottenham 6-3 Team K League

      Tottenham 6-3 Team K League

    • Afghanistan earthquake killed more than 1,000

      Afghanistan earthquake killed more than 1,000

    • Divided America reacts to overturn of Roe vs. Wade

      Divided America reacts to overturn of Roe vs. Wade

    • Namaste: Yogis to celebrate International Yoga Day

      Namaste: Yogis to celebrate International Yoga Day

    The Korea Times
    CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
    Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
    Tel : 02-724-2114
    Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
    Date of registration : 2020.02.05
    Masthead : The Korea Times
    Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
    • About Us
    • Introduction
    • History
    • Location
    • Media Kit
    • Contact Us
    • Products & Service
    • Subscribe
    • E-paper
    • Mobile Service
    • RSS Service
    • Content Sales
    • Policy
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
    • 고충처리인
    • Youth Protection Policy
    • Code of Ethics
    • Copyright Policy
    • Family Site
    • Hankook Ilbo
    • Dongwha Group