Nitro Studio, a subsidiary of Nexon that announced the termination of service for 'Kartrider: Drift', has begun a winding-down process after five years of establishment. Nexon informed all employees about the option for voluntary retirement, and those who remain will be reassigned to the parent company, Nexon Korea.
According to the gaming industry on the 5th, Nexon began accepting applications for voluntary retirement from all employees of Nitro Studio earlier this month. If employees choose to retire, they will receive severance pay equivalent to 1 to 2 years of salary based on their length of service, while remaining personnel will be moved under Nexon Korea. Nexon stated, "We have decided to ensure the employment succession of all members" and noted that it will actively support new project placements.
Nitro Studio is a joint venture established in 2020 by Nexon and former Neople CEO Heo Min, with a 50:50 investment. This studio released 'Kartrider: Drift,' a remake of 'Crazy Racing Kartrider,' in 2023, but it faced user departure due to underwhelming results. Despite attempts to revamp the game system and reduce platforms, the studio failed to rebound, leading to the official announcement of service termination in June.
In 2024, Nexon acquired all the equity of Nitro Studio held by Wonder Holdings, integrating it as a wholly-owned subsidiary, but there was no improvement in performance. Consequently, Nexon is preparing a sequel based on the original titled 'Kartrider Classic,' with development and operations handled by the internal organization of Nexon Korea.