Last year CJ Internet, Korean online game publisher and developer, launched a new style of MMORPG, “PRIUS Online“, with its catchphrase of “It’s the first emotional fantasy MMORPG in my life.” Five months after it was open to the public its export contract volumes are now reaching to tens of millions of dollars, which are seen quite impressive.

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“PRIUS Online” is a MMORPG that distinguishes itself from other MMORPGs by its emphasis on fantasy and emotional factors within a play. Seeking to find ways to embed the factors in the game CJGS, CJ Internet Game studio, created 3C(Character) system where a gamer has his/her own character, a little girl “Anima” who is a soulmate as well as an assistance, and a large Gigas summoner.

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.Among the characters “Anima” plays the biggest role in making the game reflected in its concept of emotional fantasy. She is not just a pet gamers used to have when playing other MMORPGs. “Anima” has lots of potential abilities gamers should harness in order to win the game, but whether gamers can use it or not depends on their treatments on her. It’s because the degree of intimacy gamers exchange with her will decide the types of her abilities. In doing so the character “Anima” has gamers feel like playing a upbringing simulation game such as “Princess Maker” while actually playing a MMORPG.

I think it is obvious that CJ Internet’s “PRIUS Online” has come to market with a fairly fresh concept, and it has been making a success especially in exporting. But, gamers’ responses to the game varies considerably. So, it might be better for you to try the game before judging whether the game is well made or not.

Bluehole Studio is a Korean MMORPG developer founded in March 2007 by former members of NCsoft’s Lineage II development team. Last week Bluehole officially unveiled its blockbuster MMORPG “TERA” at “Hangame Invitational 2009“, which has been planned to launch its closed beta test in the first half of 2009 in South Korea.

“TERA” has been planned and developed over almost three years, and nearly 32 billion won(roughly 27 millon dollars), including 8.5 billion won funded from Silicon Valley VCs, has been invested in it. According to Bluehole, “TERA” is differentiated from World of Warcraft or Lineage II by

“i.  Dynamic battle system                                                                                       ii.  Next generation graphics                                                                                    iii. Enhanced commodity experience”

“TERA”’s most distinguished feature from other MMORPGs is Non-Targeting battle mode. Gamers are usually pointing their mouse into a monster to hit, slash, and kill. “TERA”’s non-targeting mode, however, allows gamers to directly attack monsters without having to select monsters, which gives gamers more realistic battle environments. Some gamers say, on the other hand, the feature may cause adverse effects, saying that gamers are not familiar with the non-targeting mode so it may be too early to say “TERA” is the next flagship MMORPG. The answer to the question will be clear after the commercial launch of “TERA” in 2010.

As I posted before, Korean online game is really advanced. There are 3 major companies in Korean online game market, NHN, Nexon, and NCsoft.

Among them, especially NCsoft has their edge at MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game). NCsoft’s Lineage seriese is a legendary in Korean online game industry, NCsoft launched Lineage 1 in 1998 and Lineage 2 in 2003 and both were very successfully in Korean market, also they are earning money from Europe and other Asia too. Recently NCsoft launched their new MMORPG named AION and it seems to be preety success so far. Following is AION’s official trailer.

AION was released as OBT (Open Beta Test) on November 11th, and it started to charge a fee for playing game from November 25th. However, it still keeps its online game ranking as #1 as follow.

With AION effect, visitors for NCsoft’s game portal, PlayNC(www.plaync.co.kr), are also increasing, and it is ranked as #5 among game portal in Korea. Actually, NCsoft hasn’t made the masterpiece again since its first big success, Lineage 1.  AION’s launching is very successful so far, and AION might be the the next step for NCsoft.