Extraction to be playable at PAX this week!

We’re excited to reveal that Splash Damage is partnering with Nexon America to operate our free-to-play multiplayer shooter Extraction in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Known as Dirty Bomb during our limited Closed Alpha, Extraction is set in London, now abandoned after a mysterious radiological attack. Groups of mercenaries now fight to extract (ah ha!) the secrets left behind. Read on to find out about our new partnership with Nexon, what’s changing (hint: nothing much), and Extraction’s debut at PAX this month.

Why Nexon?

Unlike our previous games, Extraction is going to be an on-going service, with regular game updates, new features and functionality, and new content well after release. We want to make sure that you’re able to get the best possible quality of service near you, and we’re partnering with operators around the world to make this happen. Enter Nexon.

Nexon ranks among the biggest free-to-play forces in the world, having successfully operated a variety of popular online games. They’ve got a staggering amount of experience designing, developing, running, and supporting free-to-pay games, and they possess the vast infrastructure required for an undertaking of Extraction’s scope. Best of all, they’re massively excited about Extraction and want to do whatever they can to help make the game a success.

Here’s what our CEO Paul Wedgwood had to say about the partnership:

We spent a long time finding the right partner for us on Extraction. Nexon America’s vast experience and the fact that they’re a true trailblazer in the F2P PC game arena ultimately made the decision super easy for us. Extraction is a title we love making and playing, and hope that the collaborative nature of the game delivers a dynamic and fun experience for players.

No Pay-to-Win

It’s important to note that this partnership does not change our vision for the game, and Extraction will not be pay-to-win and Splash Damage will retain complete creative control. We’ve always believed that multiplayer battles should be won through superior skill, and not the amount of money spent. You need to always be able to understand why you won or lost, with a welcoming community helping you improve your game and become a better player. That’s what Extraction is for us, and Nexon is backing this vision all the way.

Speaking of which, here’s Min Kim, Nexon America’s CEO, on why his company partnered with Splash Damage:

We are inspired by the passion of the developers at Splash Damage and have immense respect for their expertise in multiplayer game development. Extraction’s refreshing blend of action and team-oriented strategy provides the depth PC shooter fans have been looking for. Through our partnership with Splash Damage, we hope to plant a massive win for online gamers.

What’s the difference between Dirty Bomb and Extraction?

In short, the game’s the same. Fun fact: Extraction was Dirty Bomb’s original name and the reason we didn’t stick with it for the Closed Alpha was that we weren’t sure if we could secure the worldwide trademark for it. We’re confident we can achieve this with Nexon’s help, so we’ve decided to go with the name we’ve always wanted for the game.

Extraction will be playable at PAX

If you’re looking to get some hands-on time with Extraction, the game will be playable at Nexon’s booth at PAX in Seattle later this month, and we’ll have plenty of Splash Damage staff on-hand to chat about the game too.

Until then, check out Nexon’s Extraction teaser site, follow Extraction on Twitter. Lastly, be sure to post any questions you have about the partnership in the comments and we’ll answer as many of them as we can.