MapleStory Faces Major Refund Controversy in Korea After Cash System Issues Discovered
MapleStory Faces Major Refund Controversy in Korea After Cash System Issues Discovered
MapleStory Raising, currently available in South Korea, is facing a major controversy after players uncovered two critical issues within the game, both of which were directly related to paid systems. As a result, Nexon, the game’s publisher, officially announced that it will issue full refunds to all players who made in-game purchases between November 6, 2025 and January 28, 2026.
Two Major Issues Identified by Players
The first issue involves the Attack Speed system, which was found to be misleading. Although Combat Power values indicated increased damage output, the actual damage per second did not scale as shown. Due to the game’s 2D system architecture, real attack speed is governed by predefined frame thresholds rather than increasing in a one-to-one ratio.
For example, an Attack Speed increase of 42 percent results in approximately 31 attacks per second. To reach the next actual increase to 36 attacks per second, players must raise Attack Speed to around 67 percent. These internal thresholds were never clearly disclosed to players, leading to widespread dissatisfaction. Following the backlash, the development team acknowledged the issue and stated that adjustments are being made to better align displayed values with real performance.
The second issue concerns the Inner Ability system, where the highest-tier stat values were confirmed to be impossible to obtain through random rolls during the game’s first month of service. This discovery further intensified player frustration, as the system was tied directly to paid progression.
Nexon Response and Refund Policy
After the situation escalated, the CEO of Nexon Korea took swift action by dismissing the manager responsible for overseeing the affected systems. Nexon then confirmed that all eligible players would receive full refunds for their purchases during the affected period.
Refund processing is currently underway, with additional details to be announced later. Nexon also clarified that once a refund is successfully processed, the corresponding game account will be banned only from MapleStory Raising. This restriction does not affect the user’s main Nexon account, and players will still be able to access other Nexon titles normally.
Closing Notes
This incident marks another significant example of heightened scrutiny surrounding monetization transparency in modern games. Nexon’s decision to issue full refunds reflects the growing pressure on publishers to maintain trust and accountability, particularly when paid systems are involved.
Source: Chosun
