LINE is known to most users as a mobile chat app which took digital stickers to the next level. While it has published some mobile games, there was no official games department under LINE. Recently, the formation of LINE Games was confirmed, with the headquarters based in South Korea. LINE Games will be led by Min-kyu Kim, a director from Korean games developer NextFloor.
Along with the announcement of LINE Games, LINE also revealed a majority investment in NextFloor by acquiring 51% of the developer’s shares. LINE Games is aiming to capitalize on the chat app’s popularity in Asian countries such as South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand by working on self-developed intellectual properties (IP). There will be a focus on mid-core games.
NextFloor has only 2 hit mobile games thus far in Dragon Flight and Destiny Child, though both are quite popular in South Korea. Destiny Child, in particular, had the participation of former Blade & Soul art director, Kim Hyung Tae, and several popular artists. LINE Games and NextFloor did not mention when they will launch the first mobile game under the new subsidiary.
