Patrick Söderlund, founder and CEO of Embark Studios, has been named executive chairman at Nexon to guide its global strategy and growth. He will work closely with CEO Junghun Lee to set the company's direction. This move comes amid Nexon's push into live-service gaming following recent successes.
Patrick Söderlund, who founded and leads Embark Studios—the developer behind Arc Raiders—has taken on the role of executive chairman at Nexon. The appointment aims to accelerate the company's global strategy, transform its creative direction, and lead the next phase of growth. Söderlund will collaborate closely with Nexon CEO Junghun Lee and the executive leadership team, focusing on setting the strategic direction for Lee to implement.
Details on whether this position supplements or replaces Söderlund's duties at Embark, a Nexon-owned studio, remain unclear, though it seems to be in addition. In a press statement, Söderlund commented: "Nexon has all the assets to unleash dramatic growth – incredibly talented people, iconic franchises, large and committed player communities, and best-in-class live service capabilities. This is an enormous opportunity, but one that will require deep focus and discipline. Junghun and I are aligned on what needs to happen, and I'm ready to get to work."
Nexon has long succeeded with mobile titles such as MapleStory but has struggled in the live-service sector. Recent progress includes subsidiary Mintrocket's release of Dave the Diver in 2023, Embark's The Finals in the same year, and the 2024 launch of The First Descendant. Meanwhile, Arc Raiders has gained traction, approaching 1 million concurrent players on PC. The game continues with planned events and updates through April, while developers address a recent duplication glitch through a completed investigation into exploits and offender handling.
