NCSOFT, a popular game publisher in South Korea, has announced that its webtoon service Bufftoon is shutting down on December 17, 2025. The service initially opened in December 2013.
To prepare for the shut down, NCSOFT has suspended paid coin purchases and the distribution of free coins. Starting on June 30, users will no longer be able to use coins at all. By May 21, it will reveal details about how refunds work. They will be issued for unused paid coins as well as purchased webtoon, comic, and web novel titles. In a statement, the Bufftoon team said, “We will do our best to provide a stable service until the very end.”
Back in 2013, Bufftoon was NCSOFT’s first entry into the digital media market. It primarily focused on web novels and webtoons, some of which would go on to be adapted into live action. It also partnered with MBC, one of the biggest TV stations in South Korea. The reason why Bufftoon is shutting down is due to slow growth in the industry and NCSOFT’s commitment to its core gaming business.
Recently, according to South Korean website MTN News, NCSOFT canceled three gaming projects, including a new Horizon MMORPG. This Horizon MMORPG was designed at “Project H,” which was in development at one of NCSOFT’s three studios. The article didn’t reveal any more details about the three projects (H, J, and Pantera), but it’s been rumored that Project H was in development for some time as a new Horizon MMORPG. Developers tied to the project either left NCSOFT or were moved onto different projects at NCSOFT. Neither Sony or NCSOFT have stated why the game was cancelled.
