Full-Time
Senior Manager of Corporate Strategy & Innovation
NC America
1,001-5,000 employees
Publishes and operates MMOs worldwide
Compensation Overview
$120k - $170k/yr
Irvine, CA, USA
In Person
 Business & Strategy (1) |
|---|
Get referred to NC America
See people who can refer or advise you
- 8–15+ years in corporate strategy, management consulting, venture/innovation, or gaming strategy
- Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills with the ability to build systems, frameworks, and repeatable processes
- Experience working with global organizations or HQ–regional structures
- Ability to synthesize complex data into executive-level insights
- Bilingual proficiency in English and Korean, with the ability to communicate effectively with HQ and regional stakeholders
- Exceptional communication skills; able to influence senior stakeholders
- Act as a strategic partner to HQ, providing insights, recommendations, and structured analysis on global business opportunities
- Build frameworks and systems that enable HQ to make informed decisions based on U.S. and global market data
- Facilitate alignment between NC America and HQ on long-term strategy, innovation priorities, and new business directions
- Identify, evaluate, and validate new game genres, business models, and partnership opportunities
- Conduct competitive analysis, market sizing, and opportunity assessments across global gaming markets
- Partner with internal teams to explore incubation ideas and emerging categories
- Build and maintain a robust market intelligence engine using diverse data sources (industry reports, platforms, consumer insights, AI tools)
- Deliver executive-ready insights on trends, competitors, technology shifts, and player behavior
- Develop dashboards, systems, and repeatable processes for ongoing intelligence
- Lead cross-functional innovation programs, including AI-driven workflow improvements, automation, and new product concepts
- Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend adoption strategies
- Partner with engineering, publishing, and operations teams to pilot innovation initiatives
- Drive high-impact, confidential, and time-sensitive projects directly from the CEO’s office
- Structure ambiguous problems, build business cases, and deliver clear recommendations
- Manage cross-functional execution and ensure alignment across stakeholders
- Background in AI strategy, innovation labs, or emerging tech evaluation
- Experience in the game industry or a deep understanding of gaming markets, player behavior, and business models
- Experience building dashboards or intelligence systems
NC America serves as the North American arm of NCSOFT, a global game publisher known for large-scale massively multiplayer online games (MMOs). The company develops, publishes, and operates online games that let many players interact in shared virtual worlds. Its revenue comes from game sales, in-game purchases, and subscriptions, with additional income from partnerships. NC America coordinates the company's activities across the Americas, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, supporting a broad base of gamers from casual to hardcore. Unlike many peers, NCSOFT has a long history (founded in 1997) and maintains a globally distributed portfolio of MMOs, offering ongoing live services and monetized content. The goal is to provide and grow engaging online experiences at scale for a worldwide audience while expanding revenue through multiple streams and regional publishing efforts.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Seoul, South Korea
Founded
1997
Get referred to NC America
See people who can refer or advise you
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- NC reported Q1 2026 revenue of KRW 557.4 billion and 55% year-over-year growth.
- AION 2 launches globally in September 2026 across North America, Europe, and Asia.
- NC approved an ₩120.7 billion ArenaNet loan for Guild Wars 3 development.
What critics are saying
- ArenaNet posted ₩56.4 billion net loss in 2025 and negative equity.
- Guild Wars 3 targets 2027 beta and 2028 funding, extending execution risk.
- If AION 2 and Guild Wars 3 disappoint, NC America becomes a capital sink.
What makes NC America unique
- NC America controls ArenaNet, the Western studio behind Guild Wars and Guild Wars 3.
- It ships globally across PC, Steam, PS5, and Purple across regions.
- NC combines Korean capital with Western development and publishing for MMO franchises.
Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?
Benefits
Health Insurance
401(k) Retirement Plan
Remote Work Options
Company News
NC is providing a loan facility of up to ₩120.7 billion ($85 million) to its North American subsidiary Arenanet for development and marketing of Guild Wars 3. The loan runs from 31 January to 31 May 2028, with funds distributed in instalments based on development progress. Arenanet's finances are under pressure. The company recorded ₩87.7 billion in revenue and a ₩56.4 billion net loss last year. Revenue has fallen 34.2% over two years, whilst net losses grew from ₩4.6 billion in 2023 to ₩56.4 billion in 2025. Total equity stands at -₩77.3 billion. Guild Wars 3, unveiled at Summer Game Fest 2026, launches on PC, Steam, and PlayStation 5. A beta test is scheduled for the second half of 2027.
Westwood Global Investments has acquired a 5.09% stake in South Korean game developer NCSoft, according to a regulatory filing. The US-based asset manager holds 1,096,876 shares as of 2 June. Westwood had previously accumulated a 4.99% stake by 1 June before purchasing an additional 20,354 shares through on-market transactions the following day, pushing its ownership above the 5% disclosure threshold. The firm stated the investment was made for pure investment purposes.
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] U.S.-based asset manager Westwood Global Investments has acquired a
NCSoft Corp. announced investments in Korea's Mistil Games and Poland's Virtual Alchemy to diversify its IP portfolio beyond the Lineage franchise. The company acquired global publishing rights for Mistil's "Time Takers" and Virtual Alchemy's "Band of Crusaders," aiming to expand its presence in Eastern Europe. This move is part of NCSoft's strategy to secure new growth engines, with ongoing merger and acquisition efforts highlighted in its third-quarter conference call.
Independent game studio emptyvessel has closed a Series A funding round led by NCSOFT, raising a total of $11 million, including a previous seed round. The funds will support the development of their game DEFECT, enabling single-player support and console expansion. The investment will also enhance the studio's remote work infrastructure. DEFECT is a cyberpunk, squad-based shooter set in a dystopian world, currently available for wishlisting on Steam and Epic Games Store.