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NCsoft, which operates'Lineage', the number one game sales in Korea, faced a collective backlash from game users.
Loyal customers turned their backs due to complaints about the internal policy of the game, and it is
an atmosphere of
boycott as well as
protests.
This is Kim Ki-tae.
<Reporter>
Last year, NCsoft's first ever annual sales reached KRW 2 trillion. The number one contributor is Mobile Lineage, which accounts for 70% of total sales.
It was based on loyal users referred to as'Linger', a compound word of'Lineage' and'Uncle'.
The mobile game'Lineage M'was updated at the end of January, and this was a big hit.
It drastically lowered the cost of acquiring the in-game item, but the complaints of users who already possessed the item exploded.
As dissatisfaction increased mainly among high-value users, NC withdrew this decision after three days and returned the game environment to the pre-update.
Users who spent three days on this item were refunded in the form of'game money', which caused another problem.
When a user requested a refund by paying 160 million won, it raised controversy as users claimed that they only gave 50 million won worth of game money.
[Lee Young-rok/Lineage User: If you do not return the amount you paid, you have to give a clear and justifiable reason for it, but since it is not at all, you feel that you are being scammed.]
Users are planning a boycott as well as a truck demonstration in front of the headquarters and the National Assembly.
Due to this controversy, NCsoft's stock price from over 1 million won at the beginning of last month has dropped to 800,000 won.
NCsoft said, "We are sorry for the inconvenience, and we will actively review the areas to be improved."
As for NCsoft, 80% of its sales are concentrated in the domestic market, especially Lineage, and if such user backlash spreads, it is expected to hit its performance.