| Crazyracing KartRider | |
| Developer: | Nexon |
| Publisher: | Nexon (South Korea) Tiancity (China) Gamania (Taiwan) |
| Genre: | Kart racing |
| Platforms: | Microsoft Windows |
| Modes: | Single-player, multiplayer |
Crazyracing KartRider 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 game offers a variety of game modes, primarily based around collecting items or requiring the player to drift to gain boost items.[1]
The initial South Korean service started on June 1, 2004. Localized releases launched in Mainland China as PopKart on March 18, 2006, and Taiwan 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 South Korean service ending on March 31, despite noticeable backlash of players.[6] [7] This leaves the Chinese localization the only in operation.[8]
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 on April 15, 2014.
On May 12, 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]
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 worldwide in lifetime revenue.[23] As of 2021, it had grossed over worldwide.[24]
| KartRider: Drift | |
| Developer: | Nitro Studio |
| Publisher: | Nexon |
| Engine: | Unreal Engine 4 |
| Released: | Windows, Android, iOSPlayStation 4, Xbox One |
| Genre: | Kart racing |
| Platforms: | Microsoft Windows PlayStation 4 Xbox One Android iOS |
| Modes: | 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 early 2025, except for the PC platform in Korea and Taiwan.[33] [34]