Korean Mobile Games in Overseas Market

Korean mobile games have demonstrated significant growth and resilience in the global market throughout the first half of 2024. By analyzing data from 94 countries excluding South Korea, the findings indicate that Korean titles are increasingly influential, with their share of global mobile game revenue reaching 6.5% and their share of total downloads climbing to a multi-year high of 5.3%. This performance is driven by a combination of established long-term hits and the successful launch of new, high-impact titles.

Revenue growth in 2024 has been notably bolstered by the release of Dungeon & Fighter Mobile, which achieved massive success in the Chinese market under Tencent’s publishing. This title quickly surpassed long-standing leaders like Battlegrounds in revenue, contributing significantly to the 15% of Tencent’s total mobile revenue generated by Korean-developed or published games. Furthermore, the subculture genre continues to thrive, with titles like Goddess of Victory: Nikke and Blue Archive maintaining strong cumulative revenue, particularly within the Japanese market. Casino slot games, such as DoubleDown Casino Vegas Slots, also remain a cornerstone of Korean revenue abroad, favored by players for their visual quality and variety.

In terms of user acquisition, the landscape has shifted toward high-volume casual titles. Supercent has emerged as a key player, with its game Pizza Ready becoming the most downloaded Korean mobile game globally in the first half of 2024. The company successfully placed six games in the top 10 download rankings, utilizing effective paid advertising and localized marketing strategies. While casual games dominate the download charts, the Battlegrounds intellectual property remains a powerful force, maintaining a strong presence in the mid-core segment. Overall, the data reflects a diversified and maturing strategy that balances high-revenue core gaming with aggressive, data-driven expansion in the casual market.