Seoul, Korea - 12th January, 2016 - WEBZEN, a global developer and publisher of free-to-play games, announced today that the first Closed Beta for its mobile MMORPG MU: Origin will start on Google Play on the Android mobile platform on the 25th of January.
MU: Origin is an upcoming mobile MMORPG, successfully transferred Full 3D PC MMORPG MU ONLINE's enormous amount of contents and applied the latest mobile game trends: the game system and user interface which are optimized to mobile devices, and the splendid graphics. MU: Origin allows players to experience a full 3D PC quality real-time MMORPG on their mobile device.
MU: Origin is a mobile game developed through WEBZEN’s IP franchising business - WEBZEN grants the franchisee the right to use a developed concept, including graphics, trademarks, character and even publishing technologies to create a new game. Along with MU: Origin’s IP franchising alliance, a Chinese partner company launched the game in Chinese market, and WEBZEN lead to its game service in Korea as well as giving them its guidance and support for the entire game development phase.
While mobile game markets have grown rapidly, this business model started from the idea that it would be able to lead even more global gamers to a mobile game by taking advantage of high brand awareness of PC online game MU ONLINE. In fact, the strong performance of IP Franchising was primarily due to mobile game MU: Origin based on the well-known PC online game MU ONLINE.
Since MU: Origin officially launched in Korea, April 2015, the game was ranked on the top 1 game of Korean top-grossing charts in both Google Play and App Store. Furthermore, MU: Origin was ranked on the top 1 game of App Store's top-grossing charts in China, and the game was ranked in the top 5 games of Google Play’s worldwide top-grossing charts in May 2015.
MU: Origin still has a significant number of registered players, with more than 120 million accounts in China, and 20 million downloads on Google Play Store only in Korea. Amongst many mobile games in the markets, the game has been in the top-tier position in both two countries.
Additionally, WEBZEN has already secured an influential channel ‘WEBZEN.com’ to bring its games to the global market with 60 million players from all over the world. To promote the game in the West, the WEBZEN team is planning to organize cross-promotions with other PC games on it’s the global game portal ‘WEBZEN.com’.
From 12th January through to 31st January, 2016 (PST), any Android phone or tablet user who can access to Google Play and a compatible device in Europe, North and South America can sign-up for early access to try the game during Closed Beta phase on the official MU: Origin website at: http://muorigin.webzen.com/
Just a few thousand players will be selected to take part in the first round of closed beta testing, and participants who receive an invitation letter by e-mail will be able to download the game fully localized into English for free. The Closed Beta will be running from 25th January until 31st January, 2016 (PST).
Full release of the game is currently scheduled for spring 2016, as well as expansion into other platforms including iOS.
Interested players are invited to check out the game’s official forums found at http://forum.webzen.com/forum/en/mu-origin-english more information, and MU: Origin’s news and updates will be available on its official Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/MUOriginWEBZEN/
