2023 Korean Mobile Game Publisher Rankings

The 2023 Korean mobile game market analysis evaluates publisher performance through download and revenue rankings, highlighting a shifting competitive landscape between domestic and international firms. The findings are based on store intelligence data covering the 2023 calendar year, focusing on the Apple App Store and Google Play platforms in South Korea.

In terms of download volume, the market remains dominated by international hyper-casual game publishers, who occupied five of the top ten positions. However, domestic presence in the download rankings improved, with three Korean publishers—NEXON, Com2uS, and MOBIRIX—securing spots, up from only one in the previous year. NEXON’s significant rise to second place was driven largely by the sustained popularity of established titles and successful new releases.

Revenue rankings reveal a strong, albeit evolving, domestic lead. While Korean companies like NCSOFT, Kakao Games, and NEXON continue to hold top positions, the influence of international publishers is growing rapidly. Four international publishers—miHoYo, 37GAMES, Century Games, and Tencent—secured spots in the top ten revenue rankings. Notably, the share of total revenue generated by these top ten publishers that is attributable to international firms reached 20% in 2023, nearly doubling from 11% in 2022. This represents the highest level of international market penetration since 2019.

The analysis concludes that while domestic publishers maintain a firm grip on the revenue leaderboard through established MMORPG franchises and successful new titles, the increasing success of international publishers signifies a more competitive and diversified Korean mobile gaming ecosystem. Strategic focus on hybrid-casual titles and the high performance of specific global hits have been primary drivers for both domestic and international growth throughout the year.