Nexon and NEXPACE have announced that MapleStory Universe (MSU) has surpassed 150 million cumulative on-chain transactions during its first year of live operations, marking a major milestone for the blockchain-powered extension of the long-running MapleStory franchise.
The announcement arrives ahead of the first anniversary of MapleStory N, which officially launched on May 15, 2025. According to the company, the ecosystem has also exceeded 3.82 million registered accounts during its first year.
Alongside the anniversary milestone, NEXPACE revealed plans for MSU 2.0, a broader initiative focused on expanding the platform beyond a single game and into what the company describes as an interconnected ecosystem for user-generated content, IP development, and on-chain commerce.
MapleStory Universe Continues Growth After Launch
MapleStory Universe debuted in May 2025 as part of Nexon’s push into web3 gaming. Prior to launch, the platform’s Scroll NFT campaign reportedly minted around 1.7 million scrolls, which NEXPACE says became the largest NFT mint in the history of the Avalanche network.
The company also stated that weekly active addresses tied to MapleStory Universe activity on Avalanche increased by 549% during launch week, reflecting strong early interest in the ecosystem.
According to NEXPACE, marketplace activity has remained active throughout the year, with an average of more than 446,000 daily buyers and sellers participating in transactions. The company added that MSU accounted for 23.3% of overall activity on the Avalanche network during the period.
MSU’s NXPC token also launched across several major exchanges, including Binance, Bybit, Upbit, and Bithumb.
Sunyoung Hwang, CEO of NEXPACE, said the project has evolved beyond its original launch scope over the past year.
“What began as one of the largest launches in web3 gaming has developed into a platform built for long-term participation,” Hwang said. “MSU has evolved beyond a single game into infrastructure for creation, commerce, and participation.”
MSU 2.0 Focuses on AI Tools and On-Chain IP Development
The next stage of the platform, titled MSU 2.0, is scheduled to roll out gradually between 2026 and 2027.
According to NEXPACE, the update is designed to expand how creators and developers interact with intellectual property within the MapleStory Universe ecosystem. The company described the initiative as a move toward programmable, on-chain IP systems supported by blockchain infrastructure and AI-assisted development tools.
At the center of the expansion is a new framework called VIBE IP. The system is built around two primary pillars.
The first involves opening access to gameplay and behavioral data from MapleStory N through dedicated APIs, allowing creators to build projects and services tied to the game’s ecosystem while remaining compliant with privacy regulations.
The second pillar introduces an on-chain builder economy operating on the Henesys chain, an Avalanche L1 blockchain. NEXPACE said this infrastructure is intended to simplify licensing, payments, and revenue distribution for creators building within the ecosystem.
The company also confirmed that AI-powered “vibe coding” tools will become part of the platform, allowing users to develop and launch IP-based content with fewer technical barriers.
NEXPACE stated that the long-term goal is to support additional Nexon IPs over time, creating what it describes as an AI-powered and on-chained IP multiverse.
MapleStory N Anniversary Updates Detailed
As part of the anniversary announcement, NEXPACE also outlined several updates planned for MapleStory N during its second year of operation.
The company reported that the game’s winter update brought in more than 130,000 users, with roughly 75% identified as new players. NEXPACE also said player spending during the update period reached its highest point since launch.
According to the company, MapleStory N has continued to reduce onboarding friction for mainstream MMORPG players by minimizing the visibility of blockchain systems during regular gameplay. NEXPACE said the goal is to allow casual players to engage with the title similarly to a traditional online RPG experience while still integrating web3 features where relevant.
Additional content updates are planned throughout the year, including the introduction of the Black Mage update and other large-scale gameplay additions.
The development team is also preparing a new MVP system aimed at rewarding long-term player engagement. NEXPACE said the feature will expand over time with additional criteria and rewards intended to recognize a wider range of player activity.
MapleStory Universe’s second year will likely serve as a key test for whether large-scale gaming IPs can maintain sustained engagement within blockchain-powered ecosystems while continuing to appeal to mainstream MMORPG audiences.
