Nexon subsidiary Neople has moved a large portion of the development team behind The First Berserker: Khazan to other internal projects following disappointing commercial performance.
The action RPG launched globally in March 2024 with a $60 price tag and peaked at nearly 30,000 concurrent players on Steam. Sales dropped off sharply afterward and failed to hit the company’s targets.
The First Berserker: Khazan is a spinoff set in the Dungeon Fighter universe. The game follows Khazan, a legendary warrior from the long-running Dungeon Fighter Online franchise that Neople has operated for years.
Reports indicate the team reassignment affects most developers who worked on the title. This isn’t confirmed as layoffs but rather staff being shifted to other Nexon projects. Some developers may remain to handle basic updates and patches.
The move signals that planned DLC and sequel content are likely canceled or indefinitely shelved. Neople had previously teased continued story developments in anniversary messaging, suggesting post-launch content was in the pipeline before sales figures came in.
What went wrong
Timing hurt the release. The game launched without a Chinese version due to regulatory delays, cutting off a major market. It also released near several high-profile competitors that dominated gaming conversations.
Marketing visibility was also a challenge. While Nexon invested in promotional materials including cinematic trailers, many potential buyers reported barely knowing the game existed before launch.
