Editing NCSoft (section)

==History==
NCSoft was founded in March 1997 by Kim Taek Jin. In September 1998, NCSoft launched its first game ''[[Lineage (video game)|Lineage]]''. In April 2001 the company created a US subsidiary under the name NC Interactive (based in [[Austin, Texas]], and would later become NCSoft West) after acquiring  [[Destination Games]], headed by [[Richard Garriott]] and [[Robert Garriott]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://kr.ncsoft.com/korean/board/view.aspx?BID=mc_press&BC=&SYear=&SType=&SWord=&PNo=103&BNo=209|title=NCSoft|website=NCSoft|language=ko|access-date=2018-04-09|archive-date=2018-04-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409171744/http://kr.ncsoft.com/korean/board/view.aspx?BID=mc_press&BC=&SYear=&SType=&SWord=&PNo=103&BNo=209|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2004, NCSoft launched two MMORPGs, ''Lineage II'' and ''City of Heroes''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-04-28-three-ncsoft-mmo-anniversaries-today|title=Seven years of City of Heroes statistics|publisher=eurogamer.net|access-date=26 April 2015|date=2011-04-28|archive-date=2015-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150709091907/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-04-28-three-ncsoft-mmo-anniversaries-today|url-status=live}}</ref>.In December 2023, NCsoft released the MMPRPG ‘Throne and Liberty’.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20231207125800017/|title=Throne and Liberty released  |date=2024|website=Yonhap News }}</ref>

The company formed NCSoft Europe in July 2004 as a wholly owned subsidiary with its main office in [[Brighton]], England. They brought ''[[City of Heroes]]'' to several European countries on February 4, 2005, and have since established European service for ''WildStar'' and ''Blade & Soul'' as well.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=David |date=2005-01-12 |title=City of Heroes Takes Europe |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2005/01/12/city-of-heroes-takes-europe |access-date=5 March 2024|website=IGN |language=en}}</ref>

On April 26, 2005, NCSoft published Arenanet's first MMO Guild Wars Prophecies as well as Arenanet's follow up campaigns Factions and Nightfall and the expansion Eye of the North. NCSoft also published Guild Wars 2 but stopped being the publisher for Guild Wars 2 in 2015 with the release of Heart of Thorns.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Everett |first=Larry |date=2015-09-01 |title=PAX Prime 2015: Guild Wars 2's free-to-play model and publishing takeover {{!}} Massively Overpowered |url=https://massivelyop.com/2015/09/01/pax-prime-2015-president-mike-obrien-addresses-rumors-about-business-model-and-the-arenanet-base-on-the-moon/ |access-date=5 March 2024 |language=en-US}}</ref>

On September 10, 2008, NCSoft announced the formation of NCSoft West, a subsidiary which manages NCSoft's other western organizations, and established its headquarters for that subsidiary in Seattle, Washington.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://kr.ncsoft.com/korean/aboutus/milestone.aspx|title=엔씨소프트의 역사|website=NCSoft|language=ko|trans-title=History of NCsoft|access-date=2018-05-23|archive-date=24 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180524003902/http://kr.ncsoft.com/korean/aboutus/milestone.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> On July 28, 2021, NCSoft announced that it was adding the talents of long-time video game industry veteran [[Jeffrey Anderson (game designer)]] to its executive leadership team as the new CEO of NCSoft West, overseeing its games business in the [[Americas]], [[Europe, the Middle East and Africa|EMEA]], and [[Oceana County, Michigan|Oceana]] regions.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/games-industry-veteran-jeffrey-anderson-joins-ncsoft-west-as-new-ceo-301343342.html|title=Games Industry Veteran Jeffrey Anderson Joins NCSOFT West as New CEO|publisher=PR Newswire|date=July 28, 2021|access-date=July 28, 2021|archive-date=July 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728155026/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/games-industry-veteran-jeffrey-anderson-joins-ncsoft-west-as-new-ceo-301343342.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

On July 8, 2011, NCSoft started talks with [[SK Telecom]] to acquire Ntreev Soft Co., Ltd.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2011-07-08-ncsoft-in-talks-to-acquire-ntreev-soft-article|title=NCSoft in talks to acquire Ntreev Software|last=Weber|first=Rachel|publisher=Gamesindustry International|date=July 8, 2011|access-date=July 8, 2011|archive-date=July 11, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711051031/http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2011-07-08-ncsoft-in-talks-to-acquire-ntreev-soft-article|url-status=live}}</ref> The talks were expected to last less than a month, but it took seven for NCSoft to complete the acquisition; purchasing 76% of Ntreev's stock for {{KRW|108&nbsp;billion}} ({{US$|96.7&nbsp;million}}) on February 15, 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/-em-league-of-legends-em-and-ncsoft-s-ntreev-acquisition-this-week-in-korean-news|title=League of Legends and NCsoft's Ntreev acquisition, this week in Korean news|last=Caoili|first=Eric|website=Game Developer|date=February 17, 2012|access-date=May 1, 2022|archive-date=May 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521120031/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/-em-league-of-legends-em-and-ncsoft-s-ntreev-acquisition-this-week-in-korean-news|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2011, NCSoft purchased Hotdog Studio, a mobile game studio based in [[Seoul]] that produces phone and smartphone titles such as ''[[Origin of Symmetry|Dark Shrine]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/ncsoft-purchases-seoul-based-mobile-dev-hotdog-studio|title=NCSoft Purchases Seoul-Based Mobile Dev Hotdog Studio|last=Caoili|first=Eric|website=Game Developer|date=July 27, 2011|access-date=May 1, 2022|archive-date=January 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121052348/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/36127/NCSoft_Purchases_SeoulBased_Mobile_Dev_Hotdog_Studio.php|url-status=live}}</ref>

In June 2012, NCSoft launched ''[[Blade & Soul]]'', their first [[Massively multiplayer online role-playing game|MMORPG]] since ''[[Aion (video game)|Aion]]'' launched in 2008.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shea |first=Cam |date=2009-05-21 |title=AU: Aion Is Coming |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/05/21/au-aion-is-coming |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref>

In 2012 [[Nexon Co. Ltd.|Nexon]] acquired a 14.7 percent interest in NCSoft for $688 million.<ref name="vb">{{cite news|url=https://venturebeat.com/2012/06/08/korean-game-togetherness-nexon-acquires-14-7-percent-of-ncsoft-for-688m/|newspaper=VentureBeat|title=Korean game togetherness: Nexon acquires 14.7 percent of NCsoft for $688M|first=Dean|last=Takahashi|access-date=2017-09-05|archive-date=2017-07-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170727175249/https://venturebeat.com/2012/06/08/korean-game-togetherness-nexon-acquires-14-7-percent-of-ncsoft-for-688m/|url-status=live}}</ref> Nexon sold all of its shares of NCSoft in October 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pearson |first=Dan |date=2015-10-19 |title=Nexon sells shares in NCSoft, ending takeover bid |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/nexon-sells-shares-in-ncsoft-ending-takeover-bid |access-date=2024-03-05 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |language=en}}</ref>

On November 19, 2015, NCSoft West announced the formation of Iron Tiger studios, a developer based in San Mateo, California focused on adapting Korean-made mobile titles for the West, as well as developing their own mobile games.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://us.ncsoft.com/uk/about-us/#ncsoft_west_unveils_iron_tiger_studios|title=About Us|website=us.ncsoft.com|access-date=2017-05-30|archive-date=2017-06-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170605102623/http://us.ncsoft.com/uk/about-us/#ncsoft_west_unveils_iron_tiger_studios|url-status=live}}</ref>

On August 21, 2020, NCSoft entered the Korean entertainment industry by launching a new subsidiary called "Klap Co., Ltd."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Byung-wook |first=Kim |date=2020-08-21 |title=NCSoft launches entertainment subsidiary Klap |url=https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20200821000568 |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=The Korea Herald |language=en}}</ref> Klap and NCSoft launched the entertainment platform [[Universe (platform)|UNIVERSE]] on January 28, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bandwagon.asia/articles/universe-launches-4-million-users-ncsoft-ateez-kang-daniel-monstax-astro-new-fan-community-platform-2021|title=UNIVERSE launches with over 4 million users, here's a guide to the new fan community platform|date=28 January 2021|work=Bandwagon|access-date=9 August 2021|archive-date=9 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210809093128/https://www.bandwagon.asia/articles/universe-launches-4-million-users-ncsoft-ateez-kang-daniel-monstax-astro-new-fan-community-platform-2021|url-status=live}}</ref>

In March 2022, the [[Public Investment Fund|Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia]] acquired a 9.26 percent stake in NCSoft, becoming the company's second largest shareholder after Kim Taek Jin.<ref name="PIF Investment" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=March 13, 2022 |title=Saudi wealth fund buys stakes in Korea game makers |url=https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/saudi-wealth-fund-buys-stakes-korea-game-makers |work=phnompenhpost.com}}</ref>

In November 2023, NCSoft announced that it had signed a strategic partnership with [[Sony Interactive Entertainment]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Makuch|first=Eddie|title=PlayStation Makes Deal With Huge Company To Expand Beyond Console|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-makes-deal-with-huge-company-to-expand-beyond-console/1100-6519521/|website=[[GameSpot]]|date=November 28, 2023|access-date=November 29, 2023}}</ref> On January 18, 2024, NCSoft wound down and laid off all 70 employees of its [[Ntreev Soft]] subsidiary.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-18 |title=Game publishers cancel titles, cut employees as economy struggles |url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-01-18/business/industry/Game-publishers-cancel-titles-cut-employees-as-economy-struggles/1961701 |access-date=2024-03-05 |website=[[Korea JoongAng Daily]] |language=en}}</ref>

NCsoft received the [[Government of China|Chinese government]]’s approval for their online games on October 25, 2024.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-10-28/business/industry/China-approves-NCsoft-Shift-Up-games/2165030 |title=China approves NCsoft games |date=2024|website=Korea JoongAng }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=MSN |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/technology/china-approves-ncsoft-shift-up-games/ar-AA1t3wiq |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=www.msn.com}}</ref>