Blueside
Blueside is a South Korean game developer (51-100 employees) that develops and publishes the Kingdom Under Fire 2 MMORPG. The company distributes globally through Steam and has expanded into Middle East and India markets via signed MOUs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersSeongnam, South Korea
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Blueside does
Blueside is a South Korean interactive entertainment software developer specializing in online multiplayer action games, best known for developing Kingdom Under Fire 2 (킹덤언더파이어2), a hybrid MMORPG that combines real-time strategy combat with large-scale multiplayer battles. Headquartered in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, with 51-100 employees, the company operates as both developer and publisher of its titles, maintaining a proprietary KUF2 game engine for its core product. The company's primary commercial product, Kingdom Under Fire 2, was released in North America and Europe via Steam in November 2019 and received reportedly positive reviews in Western markets.
The company distributes its games through a direct-to-consumer digital model, with Steam (Valve Corporation) serving as its core global distribution channel. Blueside has extended its geographic footprint beyond its home South Korean market and the initial Western release through MOUs signed in 2019 for market entry into the Middle East and India. Additional publisher and platform partnerships — including Phantagram, icoda, Leadhope (Taiwan), and Leadtek — provide multi-region distribution optionality across Asia-Pacific and other markets. The website is maintained in Korean, English, and Japanese, supporting internationalization.
Blueside's revenue model is built on one-time license sales of its games via digital platforms. No revenue, headcount trend, management team, or post-launch commercial performance data is publicly disclosed. The company conducted a 2018 funding round with KNet Investment Partners, and there is no evidence of additional venture capital, institutional investors, M&A activity, or public listing. The firm appears to be a founder-controlled private studio operating a single major live product with limited financial transparency.
Blueside firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Blueside
- Legal name
- Blueside Inc.
- Website
- https://blueside.co.kr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Blueside is a South Korean game developer (51-100 employees) that develops and publishes the Kingdom Under Fire 2 MMORPG. The company distributes globally through Steam and has expanded into Middle East and India markets via signed MOUs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Blueside industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Video Game Development (MMORPG/Action RPG)
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (513210)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Indie Game Studios (MPAFAAAC)
Keywords
Where Blueside is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seongnam
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Blueside business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Game Sales - Digital Distribution: Revenue generated through direct digital game sales via platforms such as Steam for global distribution of titles like Kingdom Underfire II
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels1 record
Blueside product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Blueside is a South Korean game development studio that develops and publishes online action RPG/MMORPG games, with its flagship title Kingdom Under Fire II featuring hybrid real-time strategy and massively multiplayer combat. The company uses a proprietary KUF2 game engine and distributes titles globally via Steam and other digital platforms.
Product overview
Blueside is a South Korean game development studio specializing in online multiplayer games. The company operates the Kingdom Under Fire franchise, with Kingdom Under Fire 2 serving as its primary product—a hybrid MMORPG that combines real-time strategy elements with massive multiplayer combat. The company also develops proprietary game engine technology for its titles.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Kingdom Under Fire II (킹덤언더파이어2) A massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Blueside, featuring real-time strategy combat elements and large-scale multiplayer battles, distributed globally to PC gamers via Steam.
Quantifiable outcome
- Kingdom Underfire II received positive reviews following North America and Europe release via Steam
Companies that use Blueside
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Blueside technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Blueside partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Steam (Valve Corporation)coreBlueside partnered with Steam (Valve Corporation) for digital distribution of Kingdom Underfire II in North America and Europe. The game received positive reviews following this Steam release.
- Middle East and India PartnerscoreBlueside signed MOUs (Memoranda of Understanding) for market entry into Middle East and India gaming markets, marking significant expansion of distribution reach into these regions.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Blueside competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pearl Abyss: Korean developer of Black Desert Online, a leading MMORPG with real-time combat. Highly comparable as a Korean studio competing in the global MMORPG market with a single dominant franchise.
- NCSoft: Major Korean MMORPG publisher behind Lineage, Aion, and Blade & Soul. Direct peer in Korean-developed MMORPGs targeting global PC audiences.
- Smilegate: Korean developer of CrossFire and Lost Ark, the latter being an MMORPG with ARPG combat. Comparable as a Korean studio operating globally distributed MMORPGs.
- Krafton: Korean studio known for TERA (action MMORPG) and PUBG. Comparable in Korean-developed online multiplayer gaming expertise and global PC distribution.
- Webzen: Korean developer and publisher of MU Online and other MMORPGs. Direct peer in long-running Korean MMORPG franchises targeting international markets.
Broad incumbents
- Nexon: Large Korean publisher with extensive MMORPG and online game portfolio (MapleStory, Dungeon Fighter Online). Broader incumbent operating multiple franchises globally.
- Blizzard Entertainment: Publisher of World of Warcraft, the dominant Western subscription MMORPG. Broad incumbent setting the live-service benchmark Blueside competes against in MMORPG category.
- Square Enix: Publisher of Final Fantasy XIV, a major subscription MMORPG. Broad incumbent in the global MMORPG market competing for the same PC gamer audience.
- Netmarble: Korean mobile and online game publisher (Lineage 2 Revolution). Comparable in Korean-developed MMORPG distribution though oriented more toward mobile.
Regional players
- Kakao Games: Korean publisher distributing PC and mobile MMORPGs. Comparable as a Korean publishing/distribution channel for online games.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Blueside social profiles
Digital presenceBlueside financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Blueside leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Blueside funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Blueside M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Blueside
What does Blueside do?
Blueside is a South Korean game development studio that develops and publishes online action RPG/MMORPG games, with its flagship title Kingdom Under Fire II featuring hybrid real-time strategy and massively multiplayer combat. The company uses a proprietary KUF2 game engine and distributes titles globally via Steam and other digital platforms.
Is Blueside a public or private company?
Blueside is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Blueside founded?
Blueside was founded in 2015. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Blueside based?
Blueside is headquartered in Seongnam, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does Blueside make money?
One revenue line is on record: game Sales - Digital Distribution.
Who are Blueside's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pearl Abyss, NCSoft, Smilegate, Krafton and Webzen. Broad incumbents are Nexon, Blizzard Entertainment, Square Enix and Netmarble. Kakao Games is listed as a regional player.
Does Blueside have an API?
No public API is recorded for Blueside.
What industry is Blueside in?
Blueside's product category is Video Game Development (MMORPG/Action RPG). Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAC, Indie Game Studios. Its NAICS code is 513210.