FinancialKakao Games
Kakao Games Q1 2025 Earnings Results
7 May 20257 pages~4 min full read
Kakao Games reported a Q1 2025 revenue of 122.9 billion KRW, a 31.1% year-over-year decline that resulted in an operating loss of 12.4 billion KRW and a net loss of 33.4 billion KRW.
See it on page 7The mobile gaming segment drove the downturn with a 41% year-over-year revenue drop to 96.1 billion KRW, attributed to a lack of new releases and the aging of existing titles.
See it on page 5PC gaming revenue grew 72% year-over-year to 26.8 billion KRW, bolstered by strong performance from Battlegrounds and deferred revenue recognition from Path of Exile.
See it on page 5Operating expenses remained high at 135.3 billion KRW, as a 52.3% year-over-year surge in marketing costs for upcoming global titles offset savings from lower mobile commissions.
See it on page 6The company's cash and cash equivalents decreased to 551.6 billion KRW out of 3.16 trillion KRW in total assets.
See it on page 9Despite the ongoing deficit, the net loss narrowed compared to Q4 2024, which had been negatively impacted by one-time intangible asset impairment losses.
See it on page 7Kakao Games reported a significant downturn in financial performance for the first quarter of 2025, driven primarily by a lack of new releases and the natural decline of long-term mobile titles. Total revenue fell to 122.9 billion KRW, representing a 31.1% decrease year-over-year and a 7.8% decline from the previous quarter. This revenue contraction led to an operating loss of 12.4 billion KRW and a net loss of 33.4 billion KRW, continuing a trend of deficit from the end of 2024.
The mobile segment experienced the sharpest decline, with revenue dropping 41% year-over-year to 96.1 billion KRW. In contrast, the PC gaming segment provided a strategic offset, growing 72% year-over-year to reach 26.8 billion KRW. This growth was fueled by robust traffic and updates for Battlegrounds, alongside deferred revenue recognition from Path of Exile. Despite the overall revenue drop, operating expenses remained relatively high at 135.3 billion KRW. While commission fees decreased in line with lower mobile sales, marketing expenses rose 52.3% year-over-year due to pre-release promotional activities for upcoming global titles, and labor costs increased slightly following investments in global personnel.
The financial position at the end of the quarter shows total assets of approximately 3.16 trillion KRW, with a notable decrease in cash and cash equivalents to 551.6 billion KRW. Although the company remains in a deficit, the net loss narrowed significantly compared to the fourth quarter of 2024, which had been impacted by one-time intangible asset impairment losses. Moving forward, the company appears focused on transitioning toward global market expansion and stabilizing its portfolio through its upcoming new release pipeline.
