Nexon Appoints Patrick Söderlund as Executive Chairman to Accelerate Global Strategy, Transform Creative Direction and Lead the Next Phase of Growth

Industry Leader, Founder and CEO of Embark Studios, Creator of ARC Raiders^®

TOKYO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–NEXON Co., Ltd (Nexon) (3659.TO), a global leader in online games, today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Patrick Söderlund as Executive Chairman of the company. The appointment is effective immediately.

Throughout his career, Söderlund has demonstrated the type of hands-on strategic and creative leadership that is needed to transform Nexon. In this newly created role, he takes on broad authority over the company’s long-term strategy, creative direction, and how Nexon develops games globally. He will work closely with CEO Junghun Lee and the executive leadership team as the company enters its next phase of growth. In this scenario, Söderlund sets the strategic direction and Lee implements the plans.

Söderlund remains CEO of Embark Studios, the Nexon subsidiary behind ARC Raiders^®.

“Nexon has all the assets to unleash dramatic growth – incredibly talented people, iconic franchises, large and committed player communities, and best-in-class live service capabilities,” said Patrick Söderlund. “This is an enormous opportunity, but one that will require deep focus and discipline. Junghun and I are aligned on what needs to happen and I’m ready to get to work.”

Söderlund has spent more than two decades in the games industry. He built Embark Studios from scratch and led the team to the successful release of ARC Raiders^®. He joined Nexon’s Board following the company’s investment in Embark in 2018. Prior to founding Embark, he led Electronic Arts’ (EA) global game development organization as Executive Vice President of Worldwide Studios. Earlier, Söderlund served as the CEO of Digital Illusions CE (DICE), the studio behind the Battlefield and Mirror’s Edge franchises before being acquired by EA in 2006.

“Patrick and I are fully aligned on transforming Nexon,” said Junghun Lee, President and CEO of Nexon. “He’s built studios, attracted the industry’s best people to work with him, and shipped massive global hits. That’s exactly what Nexon needs right now.”

Söderlund and Lee will share more on Nexon’s strategic priorities at the Capital Markets Briefing on March 31, 2026.

About NEXON Co., Ltd. https://www.nexon.co.jp/en/

Founded in 1994, NEXON Co., Ltd. (Nexon) (3659.TO) is a global leader in the production, development and operation of online games. First listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in December 2011, Nexon has since been listed on JPX400, Nikkei Stock Index 300, and Nikkei 225. Nexon currently has more than 40 games operating in more than 190 countries on PC, console, and mobile. Major game franchises include MapleStory, Mabinogi, and Dungeon&Fighter. In 2024, the company set a multi-year IP Growth Initiative that details vertical growth with new experiences in existing major franchises and horizontal growth with the creation of new pillars in the company’s IP portfolio.

Contacts

NEXON Co., Ltd. Corporate Communications
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