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Tag: South Korea
Astellia Online Already Shutting Down In Korea
Astellia Online is shutting down in its native home of Korea. The southern one.
Nexon has announced the sunset of Astellia Online in Korea with servers set to shut down on Thursday January 16, 2020. The website is a little tough to read given Google’s automatic translation tools but it looks like limited refunds will be available to customers going back sometime through this year. Astellia Online launched about a year ago in Korea and was published by Nexon. The western launch was self-published by the game’s developer Barunson.
The news has the western Astellia audience concerned about an impending sunset in our territory, as player estimates show that the western population isn’t doing so well either. People have also raised questions about the impending Russian launch as pre-order packages have gone on sale.
Source: Astellia
IPE Update: Paid Account Boosting Now Illegal In South Korea
A South Korean law passed last year has gone into effect, and it threatens to throw paid account boosters in prison.
Last year the Korean government passed a new law banning the use and advertising of powerleveling services. The provisions of the law, below in their original Korean, were translated by Reddit user Evenstar6132 and notes that prosecution is based on whether or not the developer allows such practice, whether there was payment, and the frequency of the act. The law is not retroactive and of course people who don’t live in South Korea are not under its jurisdiction.
It is worth noting that the prison sentence is apparently a “suspended sentence” of two years and a fine of up to $18,000. A suspended prison sentence for those unaware would not actually put the defendant in jail but acts as a type of probation. If the person does not commit a crime during that period, the jail sentence is dismissed.
Source: Reddit
It’s Official, PUBG Corp Is Suing Epic Games
It’s official, PUBG Corp has filed a copyright lawsuit against Epic Games according to Korea Times. After previously mulling further action for a genre that it did not create and does not own, at least not in the legal view of the United States or Europe, PUBG has officially filed a complaint against Epic Games. In Korea. The firm has filed an injunction and alleging copyright infringement in the Seoul Central District Courts.
PUBG Corp already has an active lawsuit going against NetEase, one that includes claims of ownership over concepts like frying pans as a weapon. While very concerned with the idea of others stealing concepts that they claim ownership of, PUBG has had run ins itself with theft, including plagiarizing a community ad for its game as well as several employees from Bluehole Studios being sentenced to prison for stealing from NCSoft.
(Source: Korea Times)
Korea Halts Facebook Microtransactions
Way back in 2011, I talked about the Games Rating Board in South Korea, and how the government organization was investigating certain video games to determine whether or not the virtual lotteries were in violation of the country’s strict anti-gambling laws. Fast forward to 2014, and South Korean gamers woke up to find that many of their Facebook games are currently unplayable. The Games Rating and Administration Committee has placed a blanket ban on all Facebook game payments, pending individual approvals by the board. Developers will have to submit their games and pay a fee to have them approved by a panel. Games found in violation of South Korea’s anti-gambling laws will presumably be rejected and banned in the country.
(Source: Latis Global)
Blizzard Being Investigated In Korea Over Diablo III Refund Refusals
Gaming return policies are a double edged sword. You can’t return games because, on one hand the policy stops people from burning the games to a disk and simply returning them. On the other hand, and this goes equally for digital downloads, if the game is broken or unplayable at a fundamental (the game on the disc, not the disc itself) level, the customer has no recourse other than to hope one day that the company patches out the problems. In other words, once the company has your money, they have your money. Unless, of course, you’re willing to go the chargeback route.
South Korea has taken issue with Blizzard’s policy of “no refunds,” raiding the Blizzard offices this afternoon to gather evidence in an investigation as to whether or not the company violated South Korean law by refusing refunds. Dissatisfied Diablo III players, unable to log in to the game, were denied refunds under Blizzard’s terms of service. South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission, who conducted the raid, did not comment on the matter further than admitting that there have been numerous complaints filed.
Blizzard apparently believes they are in the right, as the company has not changed its mind on refunds.
(Source: Korea Times)
Nexon, Hanbitsoft, NCsoft Block Korean Probe Into Gambling
You’ve most likely heard of “jackpot items,” even if you aren’t entirely familiar with the term itself. These items cost real money and only offer the chance at a high level piece of equipment, usually a very slim chance at that. I’ve been rather critical of jackpot items in the past, I’ve referred to them as taking advantage of people with gambling problems, and criticized a certain company on using it in conjunction with abusing the name of charity to gain funds.
But the question remains as to whether or not such an item constitutes gambling. While you or I might say yes, the Games Rating Board of South Korea asked ten publishers to hand over information relating to their jackpot items. The companies reportedly revealed names, costs, and currencies involved, but refused to hand over details of payout percentages. When pressed, the GRB was met with statements that the data constituted confidential company information, and was not under the jurisdiction of the GRB.
The Games Rating Board is now accusing these companies of obstructing an investigation. It is unclear at this time what, if any, ramifications these companies could face.
Bots? In My Asian MMO?
Asian MMOs live and die like rats. They appear quickly, populate an area with many of their clone offspring, and several years down the line it becomes difficult, nay impossible, to get one of the major gaming publications to even take a passing glance at that carcass in the streets, other than to pinch their nose and complain about the smell. Mmosite.com may be a sensationalist, almost tabloid-esque, news source whose community will gather like a lynch mob whenever a new game carries the title “subscription based,” but I do use regularly browse their news and forums to get a glimpse at the current happenings in Korea/Japan/China. They also give a lot of space for Asian MMO developers, offering them blogs and server space to get their game out. In a way, they are the nega-MMO Fallout.
Did I mention MMOSite was sensationalist? Now, of course I won’t knock on the site for desiring a controversial topic to write about, but it feels like every few months MMOSITE runs an article about the latest big-name MMO from China/Korea being overrun by cheaters. In this case, the game is TERA, and they point out that bots are getting by quite easily in this action-based MMO due to the presence of areas filled with mobs that have low health, low attack, and spawn frequently. Due to the number of bots clogging training areas, allegedly “many” legitimate players are quitting the game out of frustration.
MMOSite has a point, however. I’ve yet to see a substantial number of free to play games in Asia die solely because of the level of botters, but TERA is not a free to play MMO. TERA launched with a subscription, meaning players are far less likely to just ignore the large number of cheaters, and the game’s life expectancy will take a hit if cheaters are not addressed.
TERA launched last month in South Korea, and is set for a North America/European launch sometime later this year.
MMO Fallout 