MapleStory’s 20-Year Success Demanded a Web3 Makeover, NEXPACE CEO Sun Young Hwang

• MapleStory N is now available after its launch, which was delayed for a few hours due to technical issues.
• MapleStory N is built on the Avalanche blockchain.
• The ecosystem’s economy promotes “Contribute-to-Earn” instead of P2E.
• The game was made by NEXPACE, a subsidiary of MapleStory’s parent company, NEXON.

For nearly two decades, MapleStory has captivated millions with its charming 2D side-scrolling world and enduring community.

Since its debut in 2003, the game has become a cornerstone of the MMORPG genre, a legacy few titles achieve.

It has now spawned a Web3 ecosystem of its own, with its highly anticipated flagship title, MapleStory N, launching today.

To understand the vision behind this ambitious project, CCN spoke with Sun Young Hwang, CEO of NEXPACE and head of the MapleStory Universe, who shared insights on how the team is reimagining the future of gaming in a decentralized world.

A Long-Term Vision

One of the gaming industry’s longest-running MMORPGs is making its return—this time with a Web3-powered twist. And according to Nexpace’s leadership, this evolution has been years in the making.

“We’ve been successfully operating MapleStory for over 20 years, with consistent year-over-year growth and a vibrant community at its core. But throughout that journey, we’ve always asked ourselves a critical question: Will the live service strategy that carried us through the past two decades continue to be effective for the next twenty?” says Hwang.

After two decades of success, MapleStory had become a giant in the genre. However, for Hwang, the game’s infinite item issuance and traditional business model, common across most MMORPGs, were beginning to reveal deep flaws that threatened its future.

“These weren’t surface-level issues that could be fixed through major content updates. They were deeply rooted in the game’s foundational design. That’s why we made the bold decision to rethink everything from the ground up, and through that process, we found genuine potential in Web3 as a framework for structural innovation,” Hwang notes.

Despite its age, MapleStory continues to draw hundreds of thousands of daily players. Hwang’s vision now is to build a future where those players aren’t just consuming content—they’re actively contributing to and growing the broader MapleStory Universe.

“We began exploring how blockchain technology could be integrated into MapleStory three years ago by establishing a dedicated research and development team. That marked the formal kickoff of the MapleStory Universe project. Around that time, discussions around MapleStory N also began to take shape,” he explains.

That early R&D effort expanded into something much larger: a metaverse-style ecosystem enabled by Avalanche, NFTs, and crypto, all designed to give players more control and involvement.

“Over 100 developers have been actively involved in bringing this vision to life,” Hwang adds.

MapleStory N

MapleStory N builds directly on the foundation of the original MapleStory, making it instantly familiar to longtime fans.

However, with the addition of Web3 mechanics, the game introduces a new layer of gameplay depth for both veteran players and newcomers.

This time around, players can mint their characters, gear, and rare items as NFTs—fully tradable within the game’s ecosystem.

“While building MapleStory N, we were dedicated to prioritizing our players and their gameplay experience. The Genesis Phase playtests, which saw 31.5 million on-chain activities and transactions and over 76% of circulating in-game tokens actively spent, hit new ceilings in user base and user activity metrics,” Hwang expressed.

Unlike the original, all in-game assets in MapleStory N are limited-supply NFTs.

That shift means there’s no longer a predictable path to acquiring the best items.

Players must now adapt, strategize, and respond to the behaviors of others in real time.

“This adds a new layer of difficulty—but more importantly, it amplifies the sense of reward when players successfully earn valuable items. That heightened reward experience is a defining element of MapleStory N’s unique appeal,” Hwang added.

The NFTs themselves serve different functions: some are purely cosmetic, letting players show off their in-game achievements, while others provide gameplay advantages, such as stat boosts or access to unique abilities.

The MSU

The MSU extends beyond just play-to-earn mechanics.

MapleStory Worlds, for example, is a user-generated content sandbox where players can build their own monetizable custom worlds and quests using MapleStory’s visual and gameplay assets.

In parallel, developers are encouraged to explore the MapleStory N software development kit (SDK) to create third-party applications that integrate directly into the broader ecosystem.

“While the blockchain industry has gone through volatile cycles and sector-specific booms and busts, we’ve remained steady in our direction. From the beginning, we approached this project with a clear sense of purpose: to reimagine how game IPs can achieve sustainable, long-term growth,” says Hwang.

That clarity enabled Hwang’s team to treat blockchain not as a passing trend but as a core architectural element. The MSU is being developed as a foundational layer to host a range of decentralized applications rooted in the MapleStory IP.

“In essence, MapleStory Universe is a dedicated mainnet where multiple experiences can coexist and interoperate, all anchored in blockchain-based ownership and contribution,” Hwang explains.

The ecosystem also includes Synergy apps, which Hwang says are designed to extend the value of NFTs beyond the core game. These apps give fans and builders the ability to develop new content and dApps, effectively redefining how in-game assets are used, shared, and experienced across the MSU.

MapleStory Economics

MapleStory Universe’s economic design is centered around a player-driven ecosystem, where in-game item values are determined organically by user activity and demand, not predefined by developers.

At the heart of this system is the NEXPACE (NXPC) token, which, according to Hwang, plays a crucial role in regulating the ecosystem’s two main mechanics: Fission and Fusion.

“Instead of endlessly minting tokens and leading to inflation within the ecosystem, the Fission / Fusion mechanics will help ensure the MapleStory economy remains responsive to player-driven demand,” says Hwang.

Through Fission, players can redeem NXPC tokens in exchange for a set of NFTs. Each NFT corresponds to an item in the game’s Item Pool, with each item limited to a fixed percentage of its maximum supply. When NXPC is used for Fission, it is removed from circulation, helping reduce inflationary pressure.

NXPC can only re-enter the ecosystem through Fusion, which allows players to trade in a collection or “basket” of NFTs for newly minted NXPC tokens. These baskets contain every item type from the Item Pool, regardless of their current availability or scarcity.

“This helps to balance supply when demand increases. This mechanism has helped prevent the devaluation and maintains long-term economic sustainability by promoting active participation rather than passive accumulation,” Hwang explains.

Importantly, MapleStory Universe doesn’t follow the typical play-to-earn (P2E) model. Instead, the economy is designed to reward players for contributing to the broader ecosystem, whether that’s through gameplay, content creation, dApp development, or other forms of engagement.

“If we were to give it a name, this model could best be described as ‘Contribute-to-Earn’, a system where value is generated and shared through meaningful engagement across a decentralized, IP-driven universe,” says Hwang.

This model feeds directly into the economic loop, giving users more opportunities to mint NFTs, create new digital assets, and stay engaged within a constantly evolving player-owned world.

Community Response to MapleStory

NFTs have been a fixture in Web3 gaming for years, but not always for the right reasons. After cycles of overhype, failed launches, and blatant cash grabs, the “Web3” label carries a weight of skepticism, particularly among traditional gamers.

However, a new wave of projects is working to shift that narrative. Titles like Ragnarok Landverse: Genesis and Might & Magic: Fates are reimagining beloved IPs for the blockchain era, aiming to restore trust by focusing on quality and community.

MapleStory Universe is no exception. According to Hwang, the team has been keenly aware of how protective long-time fans are of the original IP and how wary they might be of any blockchain integration.

“We have seen remarkable excitement from the MSU community following the announcement of MapleStory N and the NXPC token. We’re aware that there is palpable skepticism around blockchain and Web3 in the traditional gaming space, and we were prepared to face some hesitation from members of our community who are particularly protective of MSU’s classic IP,” says Hwang.

Still, the early signs have been promising. Hwang says the Genesis Phase playtests attracted over half a million players, with a strong retention rate of 45–47%, demonstrating that the game’s hybrid gameplay and token mechanics resonated with users. The team used this feedback loop to fine-tune core systems and gameplay experience.

That momentum carried over to the OpenSea Primary Drop Campaign held from May 6 to May 12, 2025, where the community minted over 300,000 MSU Scroll NFTs within 12 hours, and more than 1 million in just one week.

“The campaign was built on a custom L1 chain using Avalanche, powered by AvaCloud, and drove Avalanche Network to record the highest number of Unique Active Wallets in its history,” Hwang adds.

The scale and enthusiasm of the response not only validated the team’s design choices but also strengthened their long-term commitment to expanding the MSU ecosystem and pushing Web3 gaming beyond its checkered past.

Web3 Goes Mainstream

With a wave of high-quality titles slated for release, 2025 is shaping up to be a turning point for Web3 gaming.

As Hwang puts it, the industry is evolving, moving past experimental demos and concept projects and entering a new phase where player agency and ecosystem sustainability take center stage.

“To truly break into the mainstream, the industry needs to focus on fun gameplay, seamless user experience, and sustainable game economies, refining the image of Web3 gaming from small-scale tech demonstrations to fully-fledged, immersive gaming experiences,” says Hwang.

With Ragnarok Genesis: Landverse and EVE Frontiers also leading the trend of Web3 IP revivals, Hwang is excited for the industry.

“These cases highlight a paradigm shift where legacy IPs are no longer just updating graphics or gameplay but fundamentally rethinking player interaction and value retention.”

He adds:

“What makes this trend important is the shared realization that, unlike Web2, Web3 introduces finite digital assets, allowing us to tackle long-standing issues like inflation and misaligned incentives.”

Interestingly, Hwang revealed that the MSU and EVE Online teams have a “good relationship” and have been “exchanging insights as we build toward similar goals.”

It’s about enhancing, not disrupting, he explains. When done right, Web3 can bring new depth to IPs “while respecting what made them iconic.”

User-generated content and entertainment played key roles in the original MapleStory Universe, and now the team wants to amplify player efforts and creativity.

“Ultimately, the industry should strive to balance innovation and accessibility while putting user experience first. By focusing on creating fun, rewarding experiences that offer real ownership without compromising on gameplay quality, Web3 gaming can make its mark on mainstream gaming audiences, ” notes Hwang.

Supporting this will be Synergy Apps, which will enable user-generated dApps and experiences to flourish around the MapleStory IP. Hwang notes these are key to fostering to user-driven and self-sustaining ecosystem its envisioned.

The Road Ahead

Leaning on the legacy of the MapleStory IP doesn’t guarantee success, especially when blockchain elements still face skepticism from segments of the gaming community.

As MSU enters its next phase, the team is well aware of the risk that Web3 integrations might alienate or discourage players.

So, how do they plan to retain engagement over the long haul, in the same way the original MapleStory has done for more than two decades?

“In short, our approach to building the future of MSU through the release of MapleStory N focuses on leveraging the true essence of the MS IP — its items, characters and the grind — to create deeper connections within the community,” says Hwang.

With longevity and sustainability in mind, the launch of MapleStory N is just the beginning.

The roadmap ahead includes rolling out expanded creator tools and collaborative events designed to spark innovation and deepen community involvement.

“Looking ahead, we see tremendous potential to broaden our user base by bridging the gap between traditional gamers and Web3 enthusiasts. Our goal is to build an inclusive, creative community where anyone can participate, play, and create within the MapleStory Universe,” Hwang explains.

But the vision doesn’t stop at MapleStory. The broader ambition is to develop Nexpace—a fully connected digital universe that spans multiple IPs and is powered by blockchain infrastructure.

“This vision is not just about evolving a single title. It is about redefining how intellectual property, ownership, and community participation come together in a decentralized digital future,” says Hwang.

The future of MapleStory Universe lies not only in its technology, but in its ability to empower players as creators, collaborators, and stakeholders in the worlds they love.