Vortex Gaming

The Korea Game Awards, marking its 30th anniversary this year, will be held on November 12th, and Nexon's 'Mabinogi Mobile' has been nominated for the grand prize, drawing attention from the industry.

'Mabinogi Mobile' is the mobile version of the PC MMORPG 'Mabinogi,' which has been popular for over 20 years since 2004. It was first revealed at a Mabinogi user event in 2017 and was released on March 27th after eight years of development. Since then, it has consistently received positive responses from users for more than six months.

■ Perfectly Implemented Original Sensibilities on Mobile

Since its release on March 27th, Mabinogi Mobile has surpassed 300 billion KRW in cumulative sales in just seven months. In particular, it maintained a high ranking in sales upon release and achieved first place in Google Play sales within half a year of its launch, thanks to the first season 'Paladin' update, maintaining strong performance. The cumulative number of downloads has reached 3.64 million, with a Day 1 retention rate of 61.2%, which is considered the highest level of Day 1 retention among Nexon games.

The driving force behind this steady performance is the approach of 'Mabinogi Mobile,' which has been rare in mobile MMORPGs. Many mobile MMORPGs have been designed with a focus on large-scale content such as flashy graphics, siege warfare, and server battles. However, 'Mabinogi Mobile' has inherited the original philosophy of capturing a fantasy life, stepping away from the grammar of combat and competition and focusing on shared experiences and small romances. In fact, from the early stages of its release, scenes commonly seen in the original, such as sitting together to play music or watching fireworks, have continued.

Great effort was also put into capturing this romance on mobile. Auto-battle and simple controls, the separation of life-skill and combat skills, and support for horizontal and vertical interfaces allow players to continue playing without discomfort on mobile. At the same time, the fun of combat and strategy, such as overcoming various patterns in raids, was not overlooked. In addition, details such as customization, dyeing, and costumes have been actively updated, showing an attempt to capture the fun of customizing characters from the original game for mobile.

Before its release, there was more talk about the development costs of Mabinogi Mobile than the game itself. However, 'Mabinogi Mobile' overturned this public opinion with a game design that fully captured the sensibilities of the original. In addition to sales, it is also noteworthy that it has secured a user base in age groups that have been passive in mobile MMORPGs.

Typically, mobile MMORPGs have a high proportion of users in their 30s and 40s or older, but Mabinogi Mobile has 150,000 MAU in their teens and 330,000 MAU in their 20s, with teens and 20s accounting for 70% of the user base. While many IP-based mobile MMORPGs target users who already know the original, Mabinogi Mobile is showing results by attracting new age groups in addition to users who know the original. With the support of this broad age range, 'Mabinogi Mobile' is considered a strong candidate for the Korea Game Awards.

■ Will Mabinogi Soothe the Disappointment of the 2004 Excellence Award with the 2025 Mobile Grand Prize?

Another reason why 'Mabinogi Mobile' is attracting attention at this year's Game Awards is that the original 'Mabinogi' is challenging again with 'Mabinogi Mobile' after 20 years since it challenged the 2004 Korea Game Awards. At the time, 'Mabinogi' also received favorable reviews from users and critics for its cute and emotional fantasy life, and was considered a strong candidate. However, unfortunately, 'Kingdom Under Fire: Crusader,' which was considered a new attempt at a domestic console game by fusing strategy simulation and unit action, won the grand prize, leaving Mabinogi with the Excellence Award and the Technical/Creative Award.

Among the many competitive games participating in this year's Game Awards, 'Mabinogi Mobile' is considered a strong candidate. Its achievements in Korea are certain, exceeding sales and user numbers. It has proven its game quality and popularity by winning numerous awards, including 'Game of the Month' in the first half of this year, as well as being featured on Google Play and the App Store.

Meanwhile, 'Lies of P: The Prequel' is considered the most likely candidate to compete with 'Mabinogi Mobile' for the Game Awards. 'Lies of P: The Prequel' is a DLC of 'Lies of P,' which won the 2023 Korea Game Awards, and has been well-received by users as much as the main game. It has also been nominated for the Best Expansion Award at the Golden Joystick Awards 2025, proving the status of Korean console games.

However, since DLCs have never been nominated for the Game Awards before, it is uncertain what kind of results 'Lies of P: The Prequel,' the first case, will achieve. It remains to be seen whether 'Mabinogi Mobile,' which has presented a new direction for mobile MMORPGs, will be able to soothe the disappointment of the original game 20 years ago and win the honor of the Korea Game Awards.

웹진 인벤윤서호 기자
2025-10-27