Nexon has acquired a 49% equity stake in Thai games publisher I Digital Connect Co (iDCC).

The free-to-play gaming giant will also purchase the remaining 51% of the company once the deal has been approved by the Thai government.

The cost of the acquisition was not disclosed.

Taking on Southeast Asia

Nexon has already worked with iDCC to provide operational support in Southeast Asia for its mobile games such as the recently released HIT.

Nexon said the deal allows it to provide enhanced user support and increase its marketing activities in the region, as well as let it expand further into the Thailand mobile games sector.

Thailand represents a fifth of the entire Southeast Asia game market, which Nexon said is forecast to be worth more than $2.2 billion in 2017.

“Partnering with iDCC, which brings significant expertise in servicing games in Thailand, will enable Nexon to provide enhanced local user support for delivering our various mobile games to users in Thailand,” said Nexon Korea Representative Director and President Jiwon Park.

“With Thailand as our foundation, Nexon will continue to pursue business opportunities in the rapidly growing Southeast Asian mobile game market.”