Lim Wei Zhen, a 26-year-old HR executive, has been playing MapleStory since he was five after watching his brother play the game. He started playing at an early age because he comes from a family of gamers.
“I started playing because the game was cute, catchy, and fun,” said Lim. “I could play with a lot of friends, and the music was very calming, which attracted me to play.”
Lim also added that while he hasn’t continuously played the game, he would still come back to it. He’s tried all versions, including the mobile one, and has also been spending for in-game items to the tune of about S$500 a month after COVID-19 happened.
“I stop playing, I go do something else, but I keep thinking about the game,” he added, as he showed off the huge bag of loot he had gotten from the pop-up event. He spent around S$600 on merchandise for himself.
Powered by millennial spending, MapleStory continues to have a fanbase that’s loyal, dedicated and willing to spend. It’s stood the test of time, but it will be interesting to see if the game will be able to have a 30th anniversary event in the future even as its core fans age.
