Nexon follows up Blue Archive with new subculture title Azur Promilia

Nexon has kicked off full-scale fandom-based marketing for its new subculture game Azur Promilia. Even before launch, the company is putting subculture-style community culture at the center of its marketing by taking part in large offline events and meeting users face to face.
According to industry sources on the 17th, Nexon promoted the fantasy world RPG Azur Promilia, currently in development at Manjuu Games, as the main sponsor of Comic World 330 Ilsan. The event was held at the Korea International Exhibition Center (KINTEX) in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, for two days starting on the 14th. Comic World is one of Korea’s leading subculture events where animation and game fandoms gather, and this is the first time a game company has served as the main sponsor.
At the venue, Nexon expanded its contact points with users by operating an experiential booth that recreated the game’s universe. The company engaged with fans through a variety of programs, including a live drawing session by popular illustrator Reva, a cosplay show, and a mini-game experience zone. Over the two days, about 70,000 subculture fans visited the event.
This move aligns with the typical marketing strategy of subculture games, which focus on building a fandom even before launch. Because Comic World is a fandom event centered on derivative fan works, Nexon’s participation is seen as an attempt to form a community around the game’s IP and encourage user participation. Based on the on-site response, Nexon has also begun preparations for a domestic closed beta test (CBT). Participants for the CBT will be recruited through the official website until April 24.
Azur Promilia is a fantasy world RPG for PC and mobile multi-platforms being developed by Manjuu Games, the studio behind Azur Lane, and is expected to launch as early as the end of this year. Players will explore a fantasy continent, bond with mysterious creatures called Kibo, and enjoy a variety of content including adventure, combat, and construction.
For Nexon, Azur Promilia is also significant as the company’s next major title in the subculture genre. Nexon previously achieved global success in this space with the subculture game Blue Archive. Released in 2021, Blue Archive has maintained a top-tier sales ranking in the Japanese market for an extended period and became a hit. As of February last year, its cumulative global revenue surpassed 650 million dollars (about 970 billion won). The game has built a strong fandom that extends into animation and merchandise, establishing itself as a flagship subculture IP.
The subculture game market itself continues to show steady growth. Although there are no separate unified statistics for subculture games as a single category, the industry gauges their growth potential based on the size of the Animation, Comics, Games and Light Novels (ACGN) content market. Industry observers estimate that the ACGN content market, which includes anime, comics, games, and light novels, is expanding to a scale of tens of trillions of won.
However, as the market grows rapidly, competition is intensifying. Chinese and Japanese game companies are releasing major subculture titles one after another and securing an early lead in the global market, while Korean game companies are also increasingly treating the subculture genre as a key strategic pillar. Nexon’s push to strengthen fandom-based marketing with Azur Promilia is seen as a strategy in line with this broader market trend.


yjjoe@fnnews.com Yoonju Cho Reporter