This Week In Korean Online Gaming News: From Sudden Attack To New Bills

[Gamasutra rounds up the week's biggest reports on South Korea's booming online games market from This Is Game, the leading English-language site about the country's game industry.] In our latest round-up of news from South Korea's free-to-play space, we look at a settling of the publishing dispute between Nexon and Netmarble over MMO first-person shooter Sudden Attack, and new proposed legislation for online games. Nexon, Netmarble Co-Publishing Sudden Attack Nexon and Netmarble have agreed to co-publish Sudden Attack, one of Korea's popular free-to-play MMOFPSes, despite Nexon's recent acquisition of the game's developer and conflicts with original publisher Netmarble. Netmarble initially suggested co-publishing the game, but Nexon refused at first and urged players to move their data to its servers, running a "Move Quickly" promotion that rewarded them with virtual currency. The two, however, have agreed to "cooperate smoothly" and avoid possible legal and logistical issues that could have resulted had Nexon decided to take over Sudden Attack's publishing. New Bill Proposes Parental Restrictions For Children Playing Online Games Korea's Ministry of Gender Equality and Family has submitted a bill that, if passed, would require children aged 15 and younger to receive approval from their parents before playing online games. One official from the government body said, "It will help parents to understand what games their children play, and promote self-education within families." This restriction would add onto current regulations for classifying all games into appropriate age ranges by Korea's Game Rating Board. 1% Tax Levy Sought For Online Games Reportedly looking to supplement its diminishing budget, Korea's Ministry of Gender Equality and Family is proposing a bill that would impose a 1 percent sales tax on local online game providers. Several issues could stymie the bill, though, including the MGEF not having specified who will organize the new bill's tax or how. The initiative is also being compared to similar levies imposed on the gambling industry. [This story was written with the permission of, and using material from ThisIsGame Global, the leading English-language site about the South Korean game industry.]