During the recent Game Developers Conference 2026 in San Francisco, we had the opportunity to meet with NC America CEO Jeonghee “JJ” Jin. The executive was happy to discuss the growth of this NCSoft subsidiary (which handles the parent company’s portfolio, initiatives and game services across the Americas, Europe, Australia and New Zealand), the most anticipated games in the lineup (Aion 2, Cinder City, and Horizon Steel Frontiers), and the broader industry environment.
This interview was conducted on-site by our CEO, Abdullah Saad, which is why he is cited as a co-author.
In this interview:
NC America Growth
You’ve been in this role for roughly a year and a half. How have you settled in? Are there any notable differences at NC America compared to companies you’ve worked for in the past?
Jeonghee “JJ” Jin: The last year and a half has passed incredibly quickly. I feel like I closed my eyes and suddenly eighteen months had gone by. I’m much more settled now. We’ve done a lot: launching new games and working to revive our legacy titles like Lineage 2, Aion, and Blade & Soul. A lot of things went well, though, of course, not everything is always a success in this industry. Overall, I’m happy with what we achieved and where we stand right now.
I feel settled largely because I’m now much more familiar with how things are planned, executed, and communicated at NCSoft. Every company is different, and NCSoft is no exception. It’s unique in how it’s structured and how it works internally and with partners. But to me, NCSoft is still iconic: one of the most iconic Korean game companies, a pioneer that led the first generation of online gaming in Korea in the mid to late ’90s, built an entire business from scratch around the MMORPG genre, and created multiple successful global franchises. At the same time, people are aware that we’ve been working to find our next step as a true global publisher. That’s really my job, to build a stronger, more successful business in the Western regions. With clear goals, a growing team, and growing capabilities, I’m confident we can achieve that.
How big is NC America now compared to when you joined, and do you have further plans to grow?
Jeonghee “JJ” Jin: NC America was actually established in 2023, and I came on board in 2024, just one year after it was set up. It was essentially a spinoff from the previous NC West publishing organization, and it was significantly smaller than it is today. In the past year and a half, I’d say we’ve nearly doubled in size. But we have multiple projects running, and I definitely feel we need more people, more functions, and more capabilities.
My philosophy, though, is to build strong but lean. Speed matters enormously in this industry, and larger teams inevitably add communication layers and bureaucracy that slow things down. I want a team that’s agile, makes fast decisions, and can react quickly to community feedback — because things change incredibly fast. Trends can shift overnight, especially among younger players. So the goal is a strong, sizable but not bloated publishing organization. We’re growing, but deliberately.
Switching to your lineup, you recently announced the hiring of Mervin Lee Kwai at NC America. Why him, and is he going to focus primarily on Aion 2’s global launch?
Jeonghee “JJ” Jin: Merv and I had known of each other for years without ever actually meeting. We had a lot of overlapping connections, partly because I previously worked at Trion Worlds. He joined Trion after I left, and he became the Executive Producer for ArcheAge there, a Korean-developed MMORPG that I had done the original publishing deal for. So even before I spoke to him for the first time, I’d heard a lot of great things about him: about how strong he is with MMORPGs, and particularly with Korean MMORPGs.
When I was looking to expand the team for Aion 2 and other projects, he was naturally one of the first people I wanted to talk to. We had a very casual conversation initially, and found that we shared a lot of the same beliefs, as people who love games and have deep experience in the MMORPG space. Given how important Aion 2 is for NC America this year, I really wanted someone of his calibre running that project. And I think his experience extends well beyond Aion 2; he has a lot to contribute across multiple titles. But we’re starting there.
The main NC lineup: Aion 2, Cinder City, Horizon Steel Frontiers
Speaking of Aion 2, what are your plans to make the game more palatable for Western audiences? And given how important consoles are in the West, is there any possibility of a console version?
Jeonghee “JJ” Jin: Great question, and there’s a lot to talk about — just not today, unfortunately. We’re actively working on a global build, and there are a lot of discussions happening around adjustments and changes to make the game feel more friendly to a global audience. Those discussions are definitely underway. We haven’t finalized everything yet, but I think we’ll be able to share details soon. What I can say is that we’re not simply going to take the current Korean or Taiwanese build and ship it as-is.
As for console, that’s something I genuinely want to talk about, but I can’t yet. Personally, I believe that if you have a great game, you should bring it to every platform where players are. Console is absolutely one of those platforms, and I believe Aion 2 belongs there. I just can’t say anything beyond that right now.
Is Cinder City still targeting a 2026 global launch? Can we expect beta test events soon?
Jeonghee “JJ” Jin: Yes, we’re planning a closed beta test in the near future. We should be able to share that news soon. On the launch window, we’re still looking at 2026, but we haven’t narrowed down a specific date yet. Like a lot of developers right now, we want to make sure the product is genuinely ready. The closed beta test will be a key moment: once we’ve run it and assessed the reaction, we’ll have a much clearer picture of where we stand on timing.
What’s the current state of Horizon Steel Frontiers, and can you give us an update on whether a PS5 version is in the works?
Jeonghee “JJ” Jin: Development is going very well. The team is working closely with Guerrilla Games and Sony Interactive Entertainment, and the game is looking genuinely amazing: a beautiful, stunning world where humanity, nature, and technology all collide. The developers have built something that I think will be a great MMO experience.
As for platforms beyond what’s already been announced, the game was announced as a mobile and PC cross-play title, and that’s all I can confirm right now. Who knows, there may be more to come. I know the PS5 question came up at G-Star, and the developer’s response there was essentially “that would be really cool, we’d need to talk to Sony.” The original scope was mobile and PC cross-play, but I absolutely think there’s a possibility of more. I’ll leave it at that.
Other NC games: Time Takers, Limit Break Zero, and DEFECT
What are your expectations for Time Takers and Limit Zero Breakers?
Jeonghee “JJ” Jin: Both projects are strong, and both are quite unique. The studios behind them are newer development teams, but they come with proven track records, and I think both titles have a real chance to do well globally.
We haven’t done our closed betas yet, so we’re still in that stage of real-world validation. Time Takers is running its first closed beta this weekend, and I’m genuinely excited to see how players respond to the current build. We’ve done a lot of internal testing and some external focus group sessions, but there’s always a gap between that and putting a game in front of a large audience. For Limit Zero Breakers, we’re making good progress and we should be ready to announce a first closed beta date very soon.
I have high expectations for both, but I’m also realistic. You always think your own project is exceptional, and then the real-world reaction can be humbling. That said, I also want the criticism. Negative feedback is exactly what helps us make the product better before launch.
You recently signed a publishing deal for the cyberpunk shooter DEFECT. How did you get in touch with the team at emptyvessel and where does this game fit into the wider NC America pipeline?
Jeonghee “JJ” Jin: When I first began work at NC America in the summer of 2024, I started looking at investment opportunities, especially focusing on Western studios. Little did I know, the Korean business team already had their eye on emptyvessel and DEFECT. The Korean team spotted their first trailer, and they were really interested in knowing more about the studio. Once I saw the game, I also thought this is a really good project.
So, along with the Korean team, we pushed together. I was there, but I was not there on day one when we found them. I was a big part of the whole discussion from the beginning of the review and, you know, all the investments we made. I really wanted to invest in this team. The reason I like this game is because they have a very strong direction for their game. I think we needed a diverse style shooter in our growing portfolio. The shooter market is very big and competitive, and the studio already started building a very strong core audience with great focus and a clear idea of what they wanted. Not all developers are like that. I also really like the team. They are very experienced game development veterans who know what they are doing.
The state of the MMO genre and the impact of AI
How do you see the current state of the Western MMO market? A lot of genre fans are discouraged: after years of cancellations and studio closures, the most viable experiences left are titles that are 10, 15, or even 20 years old. Is betting on a new Western-made MMO still viable, or is it a shot in the dark?
Jeonghee “JJ” Jin: It’s definitely not a shot in the dark. There is a genuine chance. What we’ve been seeing is a cyclical pattern, and I believe we’re at the bottom of the cycle. Growth in the games industry is never linear. There are good periods and difficult ones, and the wave of layoffs, studio closures, and cancelled projects we’ve witnessed is largely connected to the post-pandemic correction. It was a period where there was enormous investment, a lot of experimentation, and not enough of it produced the right results. That doesn’t mean the industry is broken; it means the cycle reset.
I’m an optimistic person by nature, and when I saw all that difficult news over the past couple of years, my instinct was always that more good news was coming. I think we’re heading into an upward cycle now. At NC America, we’re working on more projects and actively looking to sign more publishing deals.
And look at the data: a huge number of players are still spending significant time in games that are 10 or 15 years old. That tells you there’s room. There’s an audience that’s loyal, that forms genuine communities, that makes games a part of their lives. That’s exactly the audience MMORPGs speak to. People say it’s an old genre, niche, built for an older generation. Maybe. But trends in any creative industry come back around. Younger players are growing up in Roblox and Minecraft, already understanding what it means to belong to an in-game world and community. I think that bodes well for MMORPGs in the long run.
Last question. AI use is a big topic in games right now. Some players hate it, others are fine with it. What’s NCSoft’s official position?
Jeonghee “JJ” Jin: NCSoft has been one of the game companies with the largest investment in AI research. We had a significant AI research group at headquarters that we recently spun off as a separate company, NCAI, and there have been many AI-driven projects looking at how to leverage the technology across game development, game services, and business operations generally.
My personal view is that there’s no reason to be reflexively negative about it, though I understand the sentiment. Players want their games to feel authentically human-crafted, and there’s a legitimate concern about creativity being displaced. But ultimately, these technologies are tools, and tools that make people more efficient. We’re already applying AI to localization and customer service, and those applications are delivering real improvements.
For game development specifically, I think the debate is still evolving, and I don’t think AI should replace human creativity. That’s not what I advocate for. But used to improve process efficiency, to speed things up, to handle the more mechanical aspects of production? That’s where it genuinely helps. The goal is leveraging AI in a way that enhances rather than diminishes what developers create.
Thank you for your time.
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