Neople has reassigned a significant portion of the development team behind The First Berserker: Khazan following reports of underwhelming sales performance. The move was communicated internally on April 8 during a company briefing, according to industry sources.
The action-adventure title launched globally last March and initially drew close to 30,000 concurrent players on PC. Despite that early traction, sales reportedly declined soon after release, falling short of expectations. The situation was further complicated by delays in launching the game in China due to issues securing a required publishing license.
As part of the restructuring, much of the Khazan development team, previously estimated at around 100 members, has been reassigned to Team R, an internal unit focused on organizational realignment. Neople has stated that this does not amount to a full disbandment of the team, though the shift has cast doubt over previously anticipated plans such as regular DLC releases and potential ports to additional platforms.
A Nexon official addressed the decision, stating, “As the roadmap for the large-scale Khazan Project has entered its final stages, we decided to separate the personnel who will complete the remaining tasks from those who will be assigned to other projects requiring concentrated organizational and human resources.” The official added, “We plan to actively support the personnel who have demonstrated the expertise to lead the completion of a global AAA title through the Khazan Project so that they can be assigned to projects where they can leverage their respective experience and capabilities.”
The restructuring comes amid broader changes within Nexon’s operations. Earlier this month, Neople CEO Yoon Myung-jin was appointed to also lead the Dungeon and Fighter Mobile division, while the game’s Chinese publishing rights were transferred to Tencent. These decisions followed internal assessments that pointed to structural performance concerns within the company’s portfolio.
The First Berserker: Khazan, released on March 27, 2025, is a hardcore action RPG set in the Dungeon and Fighter universe. While Neople recently celebrated the game’s first anniversary with new content and updates, the latest developments suggest a more uncertain path forward for the title’s long-term support.
