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NC's Q1 Operating Profit Soars Over 20x Thanks to 'AION2' and 'Lineage Classic' Performance

TL;DR (2-3 Sentence Summary)
NCSoft announced its Q1 2026 consolidated earnings on the 13th, showing a significant performance increase driven by 'AION2' and 'Lineage Classic'. The company reported Q1 2026 revenue of 557.4 billion KRW, a 55% increase year-over-year, and operating profit surged 2,070% to 113.3 billion KRW, with net profit reaching 152.4 billion KRW.
엔씨 사옥 (사진제공: 엔씨)

NCSoft's headquarters. (Photo courtesy of NCSoft)


Well, look at this then. NCSoft has just dropped its Q1 2026 consolidated earnings report, and it seems the success of Aion 2 and the enduring appeal of the Lineage classics have propelled them to some rather impressive gains. It's a bit of a turnaround, wouldn't you say?

Revenue for the first quarter of 2026 clocked in at 557.4 billion KRW, a staggering 55% jump year-on-year. But the real showstopper? Operating profit rocketed by a frankly astonishing 2,070% to reach 113.3 billion KRW. Net profit wasn't too shabby either, hitting 152.4 billion KRW.


NCSoft Q1 2026 Earnings. (Source: NCSoft IR Page)


Breaking it down by region, Korea still holds the lion's share at 58%, with Asia following at 27%. The international markets, including North America and Europe, made up the remaining 15%. What's particularly interesting, though, is the international revenue share, which has steadily climbed from 35% in the same period last year to 42%. They're clearly making inroads.

PC game revenue achieved a new quarterly high, reaching 318.4 billion KRW. This surge is thanks to the full-quarter impact of Aion 2, which launched in November last year, and the continued popularity of the Lineage classics. We're talking a 210% year-on-year growth here. Specifically, Aion 2 contributed 136.8 billion KRW, while the Lineage classics brought in 83.5 billion KRW. Speaking of Lineage classics, they've raked in a cool 192.4 billion KRW in their first 90 days post-launch (February 11th to May 11th).

On the mobile front, however, things are a bit more subdued, with revenue dipping 15% year-on-year to 182.8 billion KRW. While Lineage 2M held steady with 37.4 billion KRW, both LineageM (112.8 billion KRW) and LineageW (32.4 billion KRW) saw declines of 8% and 39% respectively. On a brighter note, mobile casual games from NCSoft's investments, such as Rifhu and SpringComms, have now been consolidated into the earnings, adding 35.5 billion KRW to the pot this quarter.

엔씨 2026년 1분기 부문별 매출 (자료출처: 엔씨 IR 페이지)

NCSoft Q1 2026 Revenue by Segment and Region. (Source: NCSoft IR Page)


엔씨 2026년 1분기 게임별 매출 (자료출처: 엔씨 IR 페이지)

NCSoft Q1 2026 Revenue by Game. (Source: NCSoft IR Page)


Looking ahead, NCSoft has big plans for a global rollout of Aion 2 in the second half of 2026, targeting North America, South America, Europe, and Japan. They're also gearing up to launch new IPs like Cinder City, Limit Zero Breakers, and Time Takers, following global tests. It certainly sounds like they're not resting on their laurels. Adieu.
This news was translated by AI.