Nexon Taps Söderlund as Chairman to Drive Global Creative Overhaul

TOKYO, Japan – February 20, 2026

Global gaming giant NEXON Co., Ltd. today announced a significant leadership shake-up, appointing Western industry veteran Patrick Söderlund to the newly created role of Executive Chairman. The move, effective immediately, signals a decisive pivot in the company's global strategy, aiming to transform its creative direction and accelerate growth beyond its traditional Asian markets.

Söderlund, who will retain his position as CEO of the highly successful Nexon subsidiary Embark Studios, has been granted broad authority over the company’s long-term strategy and game development. He will work in tandem with Nexon President and CEO Junghun Lee, who will be responsible for implementing the new strategic vision. This appointment comes on the heels of a record-breaking year for Nexon, fueled in large part by the monumental success of Söderlund’s own studio.

A Western Architect for a Global Blueprint

The appointment of Söderlund, a figure synonymous with blockbuster Western franchises, is a clear statement of intent from the Tokyo-based publisher. With a career spanning over two decades, Söderlund's resume includes leading Electronic Arts’ (EA) global game development organization as Executive Vice President of Worldwide Studios and serving as CEO of Digital Illusions CE (DICE), the acclaimed studio behind the Battlefield and Mirror’s Edge series.

His experience in building and managing studios that produce massive global hits is precisely what Nexon appears to be seeking as it executes its multi-year "IP Growth Initiative." Launched in 2024, this strategy aims to both expand existing franchises like MapleStory and Dungeon&Fighter while aggressively pursuing "horizontal growth" through the creation of entirely new intellectual properties.

Nexon's recent financial performance underscores the potential of this global push. The company recently reported record-breaking full-year revenue of ¥475.1 billion (approx. $3.1 billion) for 2025. A key driver of this success was a staggering 364% year-over-year surge in Q4 sales in North America and Europe—a surge directly attributable to a title developed under Söderlund's leadership.

The Embark Effect: From Subsidiary Success to Corporate Strategy

The catalyst for Söderlund’s elevation is inextricably linked to the phenomenal success of Embark Studios. Söderlund founded the Stockholm-based studio in 2018 after his departure from EA, with Nexon joining as an early strategic investor before completing a full acquisition in 2021. While Embark was allowed to operate with a high degree of autonomy, its mission was aligned with Nexon's desire to tap into Western development talent and cutting-edge technology.

That bet paid off spectacularly with the October 2025 launch of ARC Raiders. The PvPvE extraction shooter became the most successful global release in Nexon's history, selling over 14 million copies worldwide and achieving a peak of 960,000 concurrent players. The title’s success single-handedly transformed Nexon’s presence in the West, proving that the company could compete and win on a global stage with new, premium IP.

In his new role, Söderlund is now positioned to replicate the "Embark model" across the wider Nexon organization. His hands-on experience in building a studio from the ground up and delivering a bona fide blockbuster provides a powerful blueprint for Nexon’s future projects. By retaining his CEO title at Embark, Söderlund remains directly connected to the creative and technological engine that has so profoundly impacted Nexon's trajectory.

A New Creative and Strategic Mandate

Söderlund’s appointment signals more than just a geographic expansion; it represents a fundamental re-evaluation of Nexon's creative philosophy. While the company has perfected the live service model for sustaining games over decades, Söderlund’s background is in creating new, genre-defining experiences. At Embark, he fostered a culture of innovation, encouraging his teams to leverage new technologies like advanced AI and systems-driven development to create dynamic online worlds.

This creative mandate is now being applied at the highest level of Nexon. The new leadership structure—with Söderlund setting strategy and Lee leading implementation—is designed to inject this innovative DNA into the entire company.

“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,” Söderlund stated in the official announcement. “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.”

This sentiment was echoed by CEO Junghun Lee, who emphasized Söderlund’s track record as a perfect match for the company’s current needs. “Patrick and I are fully aligned on transforming Nexon,” Lee said. “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.”

Dual Roles and a Path Forward

The dual-hatted leadership of Söderlund—as both Executive Chairman of the parent company and CEO of its star subsidiary—is an unconventional but strategic move. It ensures that the vision and execution that led to Embark's success are not just observed from afar but are actively integrated into Nexon's core strategy. This structure aims to create a powerful synergy, leveraging Embark’s agility and technological prowess across Nexon’s broader portfolio of studios and IP.

The company's confidence in this new direction is further reflected in its financial decisions. Buoyed by strong results, Nexon recently announced it would double its year-end dividend for fiscal year 2025 and has already forecast a further increase for fiscal year 2026, signaling a robust outlook to investors. With a market capitalization that has doubled in under two years to over 3.3 trillion JPY, Nexon is positioning itself as a peer to Western giants like Electronic Arts and Activision Blizzard.

The industry and investors will be watching closely for the first concrete details of this new era. Söderlund and Lee are scheduled to share more on Nexon’s strategic priorities at a Capital Markets Briefing on March 31, 2026. The presentation is expected to provide a roadmap for new IP development, further global market expansion, and how the company plans to harness its creative and technological assets to secure its next phase of growth.