Mabinogi Shakes Up Leadership for Long-Term Survival as Unreal Engine Remake Gains Momentum

21-year-old MMORPG announces director changes and major content updates at anniversary showcase

Nexon restructured Mabinogi's development team at the game's 21st anniversary event on June 21, signaling a strategic shift toward ensuring the veteran MMORPG's long-term viability through both immediate improvements and an ambitious engine overhaul.

The most significant change saw Min Kyung-hoon step back from day-to-day operations to oversee the broader "perpetual service" strategy, including the high-profile Eternity Project that's converting the game to Unreal Engine 5. Content leader Choi Dong-min was promoted to director, taking charge of current game operations.

"I still have many shortcomings, but I will do my best to satisfy the Milletians," Choi said during the showcase, which drew 13,000 concurrent online viewers.

This leadership restructuring reflects Nexon's commitment to what officials call "perpetual service" - essentially promising the 21-year-old game will continue indefinitely through technological upgrades and fresh content.

Choi unveiled two Arcana classes launching August 7:

Forbidden Alchemist combines battle alchemy with pharmaceutical research, marking the first Arcana to include a life skill as a sub-talent. Players mix alchemy crystals and herbs to trigger different skill effects.

Variable Gunner merges shooting with transmutation alchemy, letting players reshape dual guns into sniper rifles or machine guns mid-combat while charging special energy rounds.

The summer update streamlines several core systems that have accumulated complexity over two decades:

Equipment grades will be simplified to five tiers (Normal through Master), with a new inheritance system letting players transfer enhancements between weapons. The dungeon progression gets reorganized for smoother advancement, and unnecessary character growth elements like weapon symbols and reputation systems are being removed.

The changes extend to quality-of-life improvements, including better outfit customization tools and a revamped "Fever Season" that lets new players reach level 20,000 and unlock Arcana abilities within an hour.

The showcase's centerpiece was live gameplay footage from the Eternity Project, Nexon's effort to rebuild Mabinogi in Unreal Engine 5. Min Kyung-hoon, now serving as overall director, demonstrated updated graphics for early game areas while maintaining the original's cartoon aesthetic.

The project operates under the slogan "Classic but Classy," aiming to preserve Mabinogi's unique "fantasy life" gameplay while modernizing its 2004-era technology. Currently in prototyping, the conversion requires recreating all content, redesigning server architecture, and updating thousands of assets.

In a moment that proved the demonstration was live, the presenter died while fighting a bear, drawing laughs from the audience.

Mabinogi's anniversary celebration represents more than nostalgia. At 21 years old, the game faces the challenge of remaining relevant while preserving what made it special. The leadership changes and Eternity Project suggest Nexon is betting on a comprehensive modernization rather than letting the game gradually fade.

The strong turnout and positive community response indicate there's still appetite for Mabinogi's unique blend of social gameplay, creative freedom, and Celtic-inspired fantasy. Whether the technical gamble of rebuilding a live game in a new engine pays off remains to be seen, but Nexon appears committed to finding out.

Both directors promised continued content reveals as development progresses, with Choi handling immediate updates while Min focuses on the long-term vision that could give Mabinogi another two decades of life.