Korean Global Developer Nexon Shuts Down Dota 2 Servers In South Korea; Valve Takes Over Distribution And Marketing Of MOBA Games Through Steam

Korean videogame company Nexon has been handling the Dota 2 servers in South Korea after the company partnered with Valve Corporation in 2012. Reports have revealed that the partnership aims to promote Dota 2 in Asian countries.

"We are very excited about working with Valve to publish Dota 2 and build on the worldwide momentum of the highly successful franchise," Nexon CEO Min Seo says, as noted by Gosu Gamers Nov. 8, 2012.

On the other hand, Valve Corporation President Gabe Newell said they have made the right decision of choosing Nexon as their partner to promote and distribute online games in Asia.

"Nexon, a company with whom we have a long and strong relationship, was clearly the right choice as a publisher to successfully deliver Dota 2 into the Korean and Japanese market," Newell says.

A couple of years after handling Dota 2 servers in South Korea, Nexon recently announced they are shutting down the servers. A rough translation of the announcement posted on their website states that the transfer of service operations has started on Thursdayand will last until December 10.

Kotaku forecasted Wednesday that Valve will be in-charge of the distribution and marketing of multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games through game platform Steam.

The announcement of Nexon also said that Dota 2 users in South Korea will still be allowed to play the game through the software created by Valve.

Nexon was established in 1994 in Seoul, South Korea by Kim Jung Ju and Jake Song. The Korean game developer launched its first title "Nexus: The Kingdom of the Winds" two years after the company was established.

After that, many titles followed including "Dark Ages: Online Roleplaying," "Elemental Saga," "QuizQuiz," "KartRider," "Elancia" and "Shattered Galaxy."

Nexon developed "MapleStory" in South Korea that became a hit and has been in the service over a decade.