Lineage developer and Guild Wars publisher NCSoft has established a new mobile division to deliver “global portfolio diversification.”
The South Korean company said the new Mobile Casual Division will be overseen by Tripledot Studios former VP of monetization, Anel Ceman.
Ceman, who has worked in the mobile industry for over a decade, will serve as SVP of mobile casual games.
“This move marks NCSoft’s commitment to diversifying its global games portfolio and reinforcing its competitive advantage by leveraging its industry-leading AI and data technologies,” reads a press release.
“NCSoft will extend its proven AI and data capabilities into the mobile casual gaming space, while actively pursuing global investment opportunities to boost corporate value and secure long-term market leadership.”
The company said it will continue to expand its global portfolio by “advancing new IP development and strengthening its publishing operations.” It also remains committed to scaling its large-scale MMO development capabilities.
As noted in NCSoft’s financial report for the first quarter of the current fiscal year, mobile game sales totaled KRW 206.3 billion ($148.1 million) during Q1—accounting for 57 percent of total sales.
That number, however, represented a small 4 percent decline year-on-year. Mobile titles such as Lineage M, Lineage 2M, Lineage W, and Blade & Soul 2 were responsible for pulling in those sales.
Game Developer has reached out to NCSoft for more information on the nature of its AI initiatives.