Nexon and Blizzard Entertainment announced Wednesday that they have signed a publishing agreement for PC Overwatch in Korea, with the service set to launch later this year.
Overwatch is one of Blizzard's flagship franchises, beloved by players worldwide since its 2016 launch for its distinctive heroes and fast-paced, strategic gameplay. In February, Blizzard unveiled a new era for Overwatch through the Overwatch Spotlight showcase, revealing a year-long epic storyline and five new heroes, with plans to introduce an additional five new heroes within the year.
Under the partnership, Nexon will handle domestic publishing for PC Overwatch, operating live services and business management tailored to the Korean market within the year. Blizzard will provide the Overwatch intellectual property and oversee game development. The two companies plan to deliver hyper-localized content customized for the Korean market and expand the PC bang (internet café) ecosystem to further strengthen the domestic Overwatch service through close collaboration. Both Nexon and Blizzard will recruit additional local talent to realize their shared vision, with specific details regarding the publishing transition to be announced at a later date.
"By combining Blizzard Entertainment's outstanding development capabilities with Nexon's live service expertise, we will deliver optimized Overwatch content and an enhanced service experience to domestic users," Kang Dae-hyun, CEO of Nexon Korea, said.
Johanna Faries, president of Blizzard Entertainment, said, "Korean players have long been an important part of the global Blizzard community, and their passion has been instrumental in shaping Overwatch in meaningful ways." She added, "We look forward to partnering with Nexon, widely recognized for its deep understanding of the Korean market and outstanding live operations expertise, to continue delivering exciting and dynamic experiences to players."