2024 H2 South Korea Mobile Games Recap

The South Korean mobile gaming market demonstrated resilience throughout the second half of 2024, maintaining a stable revenue level of approximately $2.8 billion despite a slight year-over-year decline. While the market experienced a peak in late 2022 followed by a post-pandemic adjustment, current performance remains steady when accounting for currency fluctuations. A notable structural shift is occurring in platform distribution, as iOS continues to gain influence; the iOS share of both revenue and downloads increased by 12% compared to the previous year, while the Android share saw a corresponding decrease.

Market competition is increasingly defined by the success of foreign publishers and a few high-impact domestic titles. NCSOFT retained its position as the top publisher, supported by the enduring performance of the Lineage franchise. However, foreign publishers FirstFun and Century Games secured second and fourth places, respectively, marking the first time in four years that two international firms have ranked within the top five. Smilegate also achieved a significant milestone, re-entering the top ten publisher list for the first time in six years, driven by the successful launch of the MMORPG Lord Nine.

Methodologically, these insights are derived from aggregated revenue and download estimates across the Apple App Store and Google Play, excluding third-party Android marketplaces. The analysis highlights that while established titles like Lineage M and older foreign games such as Brawl Stars and Roblox maintain strong positions, new entrants like Lord Nine and Capybara Go! have successfully captured market share through aggressive marketing and strategic monetization. Furthermore, the data suggests that games combining unique gameplay mechanics with broad audience appeal, such as the hybrid casual-core title Unlucky Dog, are effectively navigating the evolving preferences of the Korean gaming demographic.