Webzen expands Western MMO offerings

Korean MMO developer Webzen will be showcasing three titles at E3 in May, significantly boosting its portfolio as its US subsidiary attempts to gain a firmer foothold on the Western market.

The Seoul-based firm is committed to introducing Western gamers to some of its most popular Asian MMO titles such as MU Online, as well as introducing new games on PC and next-generation consoles including the Xbox 360 and PS3.

Webzen America, the firm's dedicated US subsidiary, recently announced the appointment of former SOE exec Cindy Armstrong in the role of CEO, in a determined move to rapidly grow its presence in the North American and Western regions.

The key title expected to be on display at the forthcoming games industry event is PC and Xbox 360 title Huxley, which will support up to 5,000 players in the same game and promises a blend of FPS and MMO gameplay, set to a post-apocalyptic backdrop where two different races of human battle for natural resources.

Huxley will be joined by a more traditional fantasy-based PC MMO title, Soul of the Ultimate Nation, which features more familiar RPG characters and storylines such as monsters, magicians and emperors, and will offer a more typical MMORPG experience to contrast Huxley's blending of genres.

The third PC game, Project Wiki, has been described by Webzen as "whimsical and charming", offering "intense levels of cooperative interaction" and is focused more on the social aspects of online gaming, Webzen broadening the appeal of its games to attract a wider, more diverse online audience.