Nexon's DnF Mobile obtains Chinese game service license

South Korean online game developer Nexon Korea Corp.'s "Dungeon & Fighter Mobile" has obtained a banhao (game service license) from the Chinese government.

According to the gaming industry on Friday, the Chinese National Press and Publication Administration issued foreign game licenses for 32 overseas titles on that day.

The Chinese government issues domestic game licenses, called neizi, for games developed by local game companies, and foreign game licenses, called waizi, for games developed by overseas game companies, following the evaluation process.

This is believed to be a new license separate from the one Nexon received for "Dungeon & Fighter Mobile" in 2017, as it is listed with the same platform, "mobile."

Nexon had in 2020 planned to release the mobile game title in the Chinese market in collaboration with Tencent, and even conducted pre-reservations, but suddenly canceled the service. It was reported that more than 60 million pre-reservations were made at that time. "Dungeon & Fighter Mobile" was subsequently released in the domestic market in 2022.

Neowiz's idle mobile game "Cats & Soup" also obtained a Chinese foreign game license. "Cats & Soup" is a game developed by Hidea, a domestic game company acquired by Neowiz in 2021.

Neowiz signed last year a publishing agreement with "Kingsoft Shiyou," a game company under China's Kingsoft Group.

In addition, it has been reported that Netmarble's "The King of Fighters All Star," developed based on SNK's IP, has also received a license this time.

Write to Seung-Woo Lee at leeswoo@hankyung.com