{{Short description|American video games producer and publisher}}
'''K2 Network, Inc.''' was an American producer and publisher of video games based in Irvine, California. It pioneered the use of the free-to-play (or "freemium") business model among North American and European MMO game publishers in 2004.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/major-mmorpg-knight-online-announces-official-us-launch-and-revolutionary-free2play-with-unlimited-playing-time-75684547.html |title=Revolutionary free2play with Unlimited Playing Time |publisher=K2 Network |date=December 6, 2004 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.trademarkia.com/free2play-78779650.html|title = FREE2PLAY Trademark of Reloaded Games, Inc. Serial Number: 78779650 :: Trademarkia Trademarks}}</ref>
On July 5, 2012, the company merged with Reloaded Games,<ref name="K2 Network mergers with Reloaded">{{cite news |url=https://venturebeat.com/2012/07/05/k2-network-merges-with-reloaded-games-exclusive-interview/ |title=Free-to-play pioneer K2 Network merges with Reloaded Games |author=Dan Crawley |date=July 5, 2012 |work=VentureBeat |access-date=September 2, 2017 |archive-date=September 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902150642/https://venturebeat.com/games/k2-network-merges-with-reloaded-games-exclusive-interview/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and the merged entity ceased its K2 Network branded operations.
==History== K2 Network was founded in 2001 on the belief that "the community experience of Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs) will become one of the most significant forms of entertainment in the 21st century."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gamersfirst.com/corporate/?area=company|title=Little Orbit – A worldwide video game publisher|access-date=2012-06-12|archive-date=2023-09-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902150536/https://www.littleorbit.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> The company initially licensed games created by Korean development studios, and localized and serviced those games in North America, South America and Europe via its portal GamersFirst.com. In 2007, the company raised $16m USD in a Series-B financing round led by Intel Capital.<ref name="K2 Network Investment">{{cite news |url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/k2-network-secures-16-million |title=K2 Network secures $16 million, led by Intel Capital |author=Mark Androvich |date=June 18, 2007 |work=GamesIndustry.Biz |access-date=July 6, 2012 |archive-date=September 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902150537/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/k2-network-secures-16-million |url-status=live }}</ref>
===Licensed MMOs=== K2 Network's licensed titles included ''Knight Online World'' for which it acquired the Western territory rights in 2003 and began publishing operations in 2004,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/285 |title=Knight Online | Ten Ton Hammer |access-date=2012-07-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121031053642/http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/285 |archive-date=2012-10-31 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ceasing operations in May 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.snoxd.net/index.php/topic/4677-k2-settled-an-agreement-outside-court-with-mgame/|title=Join the Snoxd Discord Server!|access-date=2012-07-06|archive-date=2012-07-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120718085225/http://www.snoxd.net/index.php/topic/4677-k2-settled-an-agreement-outside-court-with-mgame|url-status=live}}</ref> The game grew quickly to more than 40,000 concurrent players<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/knight-online-the-most-popular-mmorpg-on-downloadcom-55612657.html |title=Knight Online the Most Popular MMORPG on Download.com |publisher=K2 Network |date=October 27, 2005 }}</ref> and proved especially popular in Turkey where K2 Network monetized the game using its network of ESN code resellers.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.icopartners.com/blog/archives/1044 |title=Online games in Turkey |access-date=2012-07-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120621080408/http://www.icopartners.com/blog/archives/1044 |archive-date=2012-06-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref> K2 Network also licensed and published ''MU Online'',<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/webzen-establishes-publishing-license-agreement-with-us-based-company-k2-network-inc-for-mu-online-global-server-67488027.html |title=K2 Network and WebZen reach license agreement for MU ONLINE |publisher=WebZen |date=December 1, 2005 }}</ref> ''War Rock'' and ''Sword 2''.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rock-the-house-with-gamersfirst-at-the-e3-free2play-96308334.html |title=Rock the House with GamersFirst at E3 |publisher=K2 Network |date=June 14, 2010 }}</ref>
===Creation of Studio Subsidiary Reloaded Productions=== In November 2010, K2 Network's subsidiary Reloaded Productions purchased the rights to ''APB: All Points Bulletin'' from Realtime Worlds during the latter company's administration proceedings <ref name="Realtime World Closure">{{cite news |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/30492/Realtime_Worlds_Lays_Off_Final_Staff_In_Dundee_and_US_Offices.php |title=Realtime Worlds Lays Off Final Staff In Dundee and U.S. Offices |author=Tom Curtis |date=September 17, 2010 |work=Gamasutra |access-date=July 6, 2012 |archive-date=May 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511164459/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/30492/Realtime_Worlds_Lays_Off_Final_Staff_In_Dundee_and_US_Offices.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> for a fraction of the game's original 60 million GBP development cost,<ref name="APB Purchase Price">{{cite news |date=April 21, 2011 |title=60m GBP Video Game Sold Off for 780 000 GBP |url=http://www.scotsman.com/business/163-60m-video-game-sold-off-for-163-780-000-1-1596238 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902150539/https://www.scotsman.com/news/recognition-for-arctic-convoy-vet-1596238 |archive-date=September 2, 2023 |access-date=July 6, 2012 |work=Scotsman}}</ref> aiming to convert the game from a traditional subscription based business model as designed by Realtime Worlds, to a game called ''APB: Reloaded'' using the company's free-to-play model. In June 2011, Reloaded Productions acquired ''Fallen Earth'' from Icarus Studios planning to repeat the subscription-to-freemium business model conversion.<ref name="GamersFirst Acquires Fallen Earth">{{cite news |url=http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/15/gamersfirst-announces-acquisition-of-fallen-earth-with-new-f2p-b/ |title=GamersFirst announces acquisition of Fallen Earth with new F2P business model |author=Shawn Schuster |date=June 15, 2011 |work=Massively |access-date=July 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110618023632/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/15/gamersfirst-announces-acquisition-of-fallen-earth-with-new-f2p-b/ |archive-date=June 18, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
On March 16, 2015, Reloaded Productions purchased the rights to ''Hawken''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-03-16-people-behind-apb-reloaded-buy-hawken|title=People behind APB Reloaded buy Hawken|author=Wesley Yin-Poole|work=Eurogamer|date=2015-03-16|accessdate=2015-03-16|archive-date=2015-03-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150318031610/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-03-16-people-behind-apb-reloaded-buy-hawken|url-status=live}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:Defunct video game companies of the United States Category:Video game publishers Category:Companies based in Irvine, California