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Crazyracing Kartrider

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Crazyracing KartRider (Korean: 크레이지레이싱 카트라이더) is an online multiplayer kart racing game developed by Nexon. It is part of the Crazy Arcade franchise. It earns revenue by selling virtual items within the in-game shop, including different types of vehicles and spraypaints. KartRider features fictitious fantasy vehicles and branded game models based on real-life cars, developed in collaboration with companies such as BMW Korea. The service was shut down in 2023 in South Korea but continues to operate in China.

Crazyracing KartRider
Developer(s)Nexon
Publisher(s)Nexon (South Korea)
Tiancity (China)
Gamania (Taiwan)
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
Release
  • KOR: June 1, 2004
  • CHN: October 1, 2006
  • TW: December 19, 2006
Genre(s)Kart racing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Gameplay

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The game offers a variety of game modes, primarily based around collecting items or requiring the player to drift to gain boost items.[1]

Development and release

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The initial South Korean service started on June 1, 2004. Localized releases launched in Mainland China as PopKart (Chinese: 跑跑卡丁车) on March 18, 2006, and Taiwan (Chinese: 跑跑卡丁車) on January 4, 2007.

A closed beta for an English release of KartRider began in America on May 1, 2007, and ended on May 31.[2] The open beta began on October 2 and ended on March 19, 2008.[3] All references to the game were subsequently removed from Nexon America's website without further statement.

Later localizations, which are no longer serviced, were released in Thailand, Vietnam (as BoomSpeed), Russia, Indonesia, and Japan.

The Taiwan release was shut down on January 31, 2023,[4][5] followed by the South Korean service on March 31, despite noticeable backlash of players.[6][7] This leaves the Chinese localization the only in operation.[8]

Other versions

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Nexon America released a mobile version of KartRider for the Apple App Store under the name KartRider Rush on March 11, 2011.[9][10][11] This version closed later on as well. A KartRider client released for Facebook called KartRider Dash was shut down in April 2014.

In May 2020, KartRider Rush+ was released on Google Play and the iOS App Store, the latter already having provided a Chinese version the year before in 2019.[12][13][14]

Reception

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KartRider is widely recognized as a game inspired by the Mario Kart series.[15] Although it was initially criticized for being a rip-off of Mario Kart, Nintendo stated that they want to maintain a constructive relationship with Nexon, just like with other game development companies in Korea.[16][17]

By 2007, about 25% of South Koreans had played the game at least once.[18] As of 2020, the game has reached a total of over 380 million registered users worldwide on the PC platform, including over half of the Korean population and over 45% of the Taiwanese population.[19]

The mobile version KartRider Rush+ surpassed 10 million downloads globally after its first two weeks of release.[20][21][22] It has also topped the Google Play ranking of South Korea.

By 2020, the franchise had grossed over $700 million worldwide in lifetime revenue.[23] As of 2021, it had grossed over $1 billion worldwide.[24]

KartRider: Drift

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KartRider: Drift
 
Developer(s)Nitro Studio
Publisher(s)Nexon
EngineUnreal Engine 4
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
Android
iOS
ReleaseWindows, Android, iOS
  • WW: January 11, 2023
PlayStation 4, Xbox One
  • WW: March 8, 2023
Genre(s)Kart racing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Nexon released an updated cross-platform version under the name KartRider: Drift.[25][26]

Two closed beta tests were held on December 6-9, 2019 and June 4-10, 2020 for the Windows and Xbox One platforms.[27][28] The third closed beta test was held between December 9 and 15, 2021, adding PlayStation 4 support.[29] The open beta test (referred to as "Global Racing Test") began on September 1, 2022 and ended on September 6, adding Android and iOS support.[30]

The game was released on January 11, 2023 on Windows, Android, and iOS,[31] and later for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on March 8.[32]

On July 31, 2024, after repeated changes of direction and not meeting player expectations, it was announced that the game will shut down in late February 2025, except for the PC platform in Korea and Taiwan.[33][34][35]

References

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  1. ^ "KartRider Game Modes Guide". Archived from the original on March 9, 2008. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  2. ^ "Nexon Preparing KartRider For North America". Game Developer. 2007-05-01. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  3. ^ "Kart Rider open beta (finally) begins in North America". Engadget. 2007-10-04. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  4. ^ "跑跑卡丁車結束營運公告". 跑跑卡丁車 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 2022-11-01. Archived from the original on 2022-11-18. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  5. ^ "跑跑卡丁車伺服器關閉公告". 跑跑卡丁車 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 2023-01-31. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  6. ^ "카트라이더 서비스 종료 안내". 크레이지레이싱 카트라이더 (in Korean). 2023-01-05. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  7. ^ "카트라이더 서비스 종료에 트럭 시위…넥슨, 후속작 징크스 깰까 - 연합뉴스". Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). 2022-12-22. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
  8. ^ "关于国服保持长期运营告玩家书". 跑跑卡丁车官方网站 (in Chinese (China)). 2022-12-11. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  9. ^ "Nexon's KartRider Rush Races to iOS" (Press release). 2011-05-11.
  10. ^ "App Store - KartRider Rush". iTunes. Archived from the original on October 7, 2011. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  11. ^ "NEXON MOBILE, KartRiderRush". Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  12. ^ VGR (2020-05-30). "KartRider Rush+ Review and Giveaway Announcement". VGR. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
  13. ^ "KartRider Rush+ Is Live With Multiple Modes & 45+ Tracks". Android Headlines. 2020-05-12. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
  14. ^ "KartRider Rush+: A SuperParent First Look". SuperParent. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
  15. ^ "[조영준의 게임히스토리] 마리오 왕국의 선봉장 '마리오카트'". The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). 2014-06-23. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  16. ^ "국산 온라인게임 표절 '도 넘었다'". OhmyNews (in Korean). 2004-05-28. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  17. ^ "인터뷰-닌텐도 코리아 코다 미네오 대표이사 - 스마트PC사랑". 스마트PC사랑 (in Korean). 2008-10-23. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  18. ^ Kbs Global Archived 2007-04-19 at the Wayback Machine
  19. ^ "Investor Presentation Q1 2020" (PDF). Nexon. 2020-05-13. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  20. ^ "KartRider Rush+ Races Past 10 Million Global Downloads". Android Headlines. 2020-05-29. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
  21. ^ "KartRider Rush+ Downloaded Over 10 Million Times In Just Two Weeks". TheGamer. 2020-06-02. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
  22. ^ "Nexon's 'KartRider Rush+' gets a massive 10 Million download in two weeks". Micky. 2020-06-03. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
  23. ^ "Investor Presentation Q2 2020" (PDF). Nexon. 2020-08-06. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  24. ^ Mahoney, Owen; Uemura, Shiro (2021-11-09). "Investor Presentation Q3 2021" (PDF). Nexon. p. 37. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  25. ^ "Grab the Wheel in the Newest Online Cross-Platform Kart Racing Game, KartRider: Drift!". www.businesswire.com. 2019-11-14. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
  26. ^ "X019: The Legendary PC Racing Game, KartRider: Drift, Coming Soon to Xbox One". Xbox Wire. 2019-11-15. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
  27. ^ "KartRider: Drift's Closed Beta, X019 And More! | Official KartRider: Drift Website". Official KartRider: Drift Website. Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
  28. ^ "Sign Up For Closed Beta 2! | Official KartRider: Drift Website". Official KartRider: Drift Website. Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
  29. ^ "Sign Up For Closed Beta 3! | Official KartRider: Drift Website". Official KartRider: Drift Website. Archived from the original on December 9, 2021. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
  30. ^ "Join the August 31st Global Racing Test!". KartRider: Drift Website. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
  31. ^ "Dev Blog - Preseason revs up Jan. 11, 2023 (PT)!". KartRider: Drift Website. Retrieved 2022-12-09.
  32. ^ "Season 1 Patch Notes". KartRider: Drift website. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
  33. ^ "Message from Director Jaeyun Cho". KartRider: Drift website. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  34. ^ "Message from Director Jaeyun Cho #2". KartRider: Drift website. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
  35. ^ "Upcoming Service Termination". KartRider: Drift website. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
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