In a move that has sent shockwaves through the gaming industry and its loyal fanbase, Kang Won-gi, the celebrated director credited with reviving MapleStory, has officially left Nexon, the company he helped steer to new heights. Kang’s departure, confirmed on March 24, 2026, marks the culmination of a turbulent saga sparked by a high-profile controversy over manipulated probabilities in the mobile game MapleStory: Grow (also known as "메이플키우기").
Kang’s story at Nexon began in 2006, when he joined the MapleStory development team. Over nearly two decades, he became a household name among gamers, especially after he took the reins as the game’s seventh director in 2015. According to MTN, Kang’s leadership was marked by aggressive updates and a unique knack for communicating with players, driving user numbers from 300,000 to 500,000 and ushering in a new golden era for the franchise.
Yet, Kang’s rise was matched by a precipitous fall. In February 2026, a scandal erupted when users discovered that certain probability-based items in MapleStory: Grow had been manipulated, and that critical changes had been made to game mechanics without proper disclosure—a practice often referred to by users as a “stealth patch.” The backlash was swift and severe, with many players demanding accountability from the very top.
Faced with mounting criticism, Nexon acted decisively. As reported by Artive News and Yonhap, Kang was promptly removed from his operational role, receiving what the company called a “demotion from post.” For about a month, he remained at Nexon in an advisory capacity, stripped of formal responsibilities. It was a stark contrast to his earlier status as the face of the franchise.
The controversy didn’t end with Kang’s sidelining. Nexon’s leadership, led by CEO Lee Jung-heon of Nexon Japan, responded to the crisis by unveiling a sweeping reform plan. On March 24, Lee announced via an internal notice that he would take personal responsibility by cutting his own 2025 performance-based bonus by half. “This issue goes beyond a simple system error,” Lee wrote, “It has damaged the most fundamental principle between us and our users: trust.” (Artive News).
Perhaps most dramatically, Nexon decided to refund all user payments related to MapleStory: Grow from its launch in November 2025 through January 2026. The financial hit was staggering, with the company estimating the total refunds at between 130 billion and 200 billion won (approximately 140 billion yen), as confirmed by Yonhap and MTN. The move was unprecedented in the Korean gaming industry, signaling how seriously Nexon took the breach of user trust.
Internally, Nexon also completed disciplinary actions against other staff involved in the scandal. “The person responsible for managing the issue has taken full responsibility and left the company, and other related parties have also been disciplined according to internal regulations,” a Nexon spokesperson told GameMeca and Yonhap.
Kang’s personal journey since the scandal has been the subject of much speculation among the gaming community. Born in 1985 in Daegu and a graduate of KAIST with a degree in industrial and systems engineering, Kang had become one of Korea’s most recognizable game directors, often mentioned alongside other industry luminaries like Kim Kang-seon of Lost Ark. From October 2015 to August 2023, he served as MapleStory’s director before passing the baton to Kim Chang-seop and moving up to oversee all MapleStory group operations until January 2025. After the scandal, he was demoted and ultimately resigned.
Following his departure, Kang has not publicly disclosed his future plans. However, his personal YouTube channel became a hub for community reactions. Comments ranged from disappointment to support, with users writing, “It’s a shame to see him leave under such circumstances,” “I hope he’ll come on stream and share his side,” and “Wherever you go, we’ll support you.” Some fans even coined the phrase “Kang Again,” expressing hope for his return to the industry in some form (Artive News).
The impact of the MapleStory: Grow controversy has been far-reaching. The game itself, a collaborative effort with AbleGames and launched in November 2025, had quickly risen to the top of app store sales charts. But the revelation that the highest-value probabilities for paid items were set to zero—and that this was changed without notification—sparked outrage and led to the historic refund decision.
With Kang gone, Nexon has moved to stabilize the MapleStory division. Kang Dae-hyun, Nexon Korea’s co-CEO, is now doubling as the head of the MapleStory division, tasked with overhauling management processes from the ground up. According to GameMeca and MTN, Nexon has promised to make user trust the top priority and to fundamentally reform its organizational culture to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The scandal has also reignited discussions about transparency and fairness in the gaming industry, especially regarding probability-based items—a perennial flashpoint for both players and regulators. While Nexon’s sweeping response and Kang’s resignation may help to restore some user confidence, the episode stands as a cautionary tale for game companies everywhere: in the digital age, trust can evaporate overnight, and even industry icons are not immune from the consequences of mismanaged transparency.
As the dust settles, all eyes will be on Nexon and its new leadership to see if the promised reforms will stick—and whether the gaming giant can regain the trust of its passionate and vocal community.