Nexon says Arc Raiders’ success has more Western studios knocking

Nexon says it’s looking to do more deals with Western developers after the breakout performance of Embark Studios’ extraction shooter, Arc Raiders. In an interview with the Game File interview, Nexon CEO Junghun Lee said the company has seen more interest from teams in Europe and North America following the game’s launch.

Arc Raiders released in October and has sold over 12.4 million copies overall, with more than 2.4 million of those sold since the start of 2026. Nexon has also described it as the company’s most successful global launch to date.

Lee framed the moment as a chance to build on that momentum, saying Nexon has more “awareness in the western community now” and that other developers are curious about how Nexon and Embark work together. He added that he’s willing to work with more Western studios, particularly teams he sees as innovative.

He also acknowledged why some big Asian publishers have pulled back after investing in Western development. Lee pointed to higher labor and development costs compared to Asia, and said the approach needs to be selective, focusing on fewer teams with deeper support rather than spreading investments across too many projects at once.

Separately, Lee addressed the ongoing AI debate around Arc Raiders, which includes some AI-generated voices. He reiterated his view that AI can improve development efficiency, especially for repetitive tasks, but said it shouldn’t remove the human element from making games. Lee also said he understands the community pushback around AI and that studios need to listen to player feedback.