Nexon Korea and Valve Corporation have reteamed for a new free-to-play Counter-Strike Online 2. The two game makers partnered in 2007 to co-develop Counter-Strike Online, an online version of the first-person multiplayer game Counter-Strike. Tailored for gaming audiences in Asia, Counter-Strike Online is an online phenomenon, reaching 500,000, 70,000 and 50,000 concurrent users in China, Taiwan and Korea, respectively.

Counter-Strike Online 2 will offer enhanced graphics, more realistic gameplay and powerful impact sensations powered by an enhanced version of the Source engine. The game will also feature various game modes enhancing its original game experience with new and improved environments, weapons, equipment customization and more.

Under the terms of the agreement, Nexon Korea will develop and be the exclusive publisher of Counter-Strike Online 2 in Japan, Korea, China and other areas in Southeast Asia. Nexon Korea intends to continue to leverage its proven development expertise and deep understanding of local markets to make Counter-Strike Online 2 one of the leading first-person shooter titles in the region.

About the Author

John Gaudiosi

Editor-in-Chief

John Gaudiosi has been covering videogames for the past 20 years for outlets like The Washington Post, CNET, Wired Magazine and CBS.com. He has focused on the convergence of entertainment and videogames for outlets like Video Business, Home Media Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. He currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of Gamerlive.TV and is also a freelance game columnist for Reuters and writes for outlets like Forbes.com, NVISION, Official PlayStation Magazine, EGM Now, Geek Monthly, PrimaGames.com, and Yahoo! Games. John also serves as the video game expert for NBC in Washington D.C. and has produced videogame documentaries for The History Channel and Starz Entertainment. John was named one of the Top 50 Game Journalists in the world by Next-Gen.biz in 2007. He is the co-author of Scholastic Books' How to Get into Videogames, Prima Publishing's Madden: Twenty Years of Videogame Football and Electronic Arts: The Official History.