KartRider: Drift (Image courtesy of Nexon)
SEOUL, August 5 (Korea Bizwire) — Nexon, one of South Korea’s leading game developers, is dismantling its subsidiary Nitro Studio after announcing the shutdown of KartRider: Drift just two years after launch. The move marks the end of a high-profile effort to modernize one of the company’s most iconic franchises.
According to industry sources on Tuesday, Nexon has begun accepting voluntary resignation applications from all Nitro Studio employees. Staff who opt to leave will receive severance packages equivalent to one to two years’ salary based on tenure, while those who remain will be absorbed into the parent company, Nexon Korea.
Nexon emphasized that the restructuring is aimed at ensuring employment stability. “We’ve decided to transfer all Nitro Studio employees to Nexon Korea and will do our utmost to place them quickly on new projects,” the company said in a statement.
Founded in 2020 as a joint venture between Nexon and Huh Min’s Wonder Holdings, Nitro Studio was created to revive the legacy of Crazyracing KartRider, a smash-hit racing title first released in 2004. In 2023, the studio launched KartRider: Drift, a modernized version of the original with updated graphics and gameplay, intended to serve as its successor.
However, despite shutting down the original KartRider to focus entirely on the new title, Drift failed to retain users and suffered from declining engagement. Attempts to overhaul the game’s systems and consolidate its presence on PC—after abandoning mobile and console support—were ultimately unsuccessful.
In 2024, Nexon acquired full ownership of Nitro Studio by purchasing Wonder Holdings’ stake. But with user numbers continuing to drop, the company officially announced the termination of KartRider: Drift in June.
In its place, Nexon plans to launch KartRider Classic, a new project rooted in the original game’s design and nostalgia-driven appeal. Development and operations will now be handled internally at Nexon Korea.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
