Webtoon Entertainment, the parent company of Naver Webtoon, will invest in game developer ARAIGAMES Holdings to expand webtoon intellectual property (IP) into games. It plans to roll out several new titles based on popular webtoons with global fandoms, including "Temppal" and "Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint."
Webtoon Entertainment said on the 10th (local time) that it signed a final agreement for a strategic investment in ARAIGAMES Holdings. The investment amounts to about $100 million (about 142 billion won), and upon closing, it will secure 60% equity in ARAIGAMES Holdings.
ARAI Games Holdings was founded in 2022 by Han Tae-il, founder of Redice Studio, which produced "Solo Leveling" and "Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint." It oversees two game development studios, including Gray Games and Offbeat.
The company said developers who took part in hit titles such as "MapleStory M," "Tower of God: New World," "The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross," and "Lineage W" have joined and are developing games aimed at the global market.
Webtoon Entertainment plans to develop and release several new games using popular webtoon IP with ARAIGAMES Holdings over the next four years. Major hits including "Temppal," "Warrior Reborn Chronicle," and "Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint" are included in the release lineup.
First, an action massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) based on "Temppal" is slated for release. Developed by Gray Games and published by Nexon, it is expected to launch globally this year.
Kim Jun-koo, founder and CEO of Naver Webtoon and Webtoon Entertainment, said, "Games are one of the ways to deliver powerful immersion to fans, and adapting stories that fans already love into games is a powerful way to reach new users around the world. Through this, we will further cement Webtoon's achievements in turning the originals into successful global franchises that now extend beyond animation, TV, film, and publishing to games."
Han Tae-il, founder of ARAIGAMES Holdings, said, "We are excited to embark on a new journey of growth with Webtoon Entertainment," and added, "Based on a deep understanding of and passion for webtoon IP, we will deliver highly immersive game experiences, further expand the fandom, and present games that broaden the base of the IP."