Korean game companies zero in on global market

Korean game companies are gearing up for a breakout year with a slate of highly anticipated new titles readying for release to woo gaming fans across the globe, as the companies look to expand markets beyond Korean borders.

Nexon and Krafton are poised to carry on positive momentum in fresh genres this year after clocking in another year of success thanks to hit titles such as side-scrolling action role playing game Dungeon & Fighter and battle royale shooter PUBG: Battlegrounds, respectively.

Coming off of its 30th anniversary last year and likely having logged its best annual sales of over 4 trillion won ($2.7 billion), Nexon will launch The First Berserker: Khazan, a hardcore action RPG based on Dungeon & Fighter, on March 28 globally.

The action-packed RPG will be released for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and personal computers, as the game developer aims to win the hearts of console gamers who make up a large chuck of Western markets. A demo version was released last weeks to build anticipation and keep fans engaged.

Krafton, which is expected to post record annual revenue and operating profit for 2024, is betting big on its upcoming life simulation game inZOI, as the game-maker recently announced a partnership with Nvidia, the global chip leader in high-end graphics processing units, at CES 2025 in Las Vegas earlier this month.

For inZOI, the two collaborated to introduce the concept of the “Co-Playable Character” ― nonplayer characters created with generative artificial intelligence ― highlighting that CPCs are capable of dynamic interactions with players, including real-time conversations, strategic cooperation and flexible responses tailored to in-game scenarios.

Krafton plans to offer early access to the life simulation game on March 28 for PC with a later release set for PlayStation and Xbox. On top of the ongoing success of its PUBG games, especially Battlegrounds Mobile India, Krafton is hoping to find the next megahit in InZOI.

Netmarble turned to net profit in the third quarter last year based on the strong performances of new games such as its award-winning webtoon-based title Solo Leveling: Arise, a mobile action RPG, and the massively multiplayer online RPG Raven 2, bringing an end to continued losses since 2022.

With several new games set to be released this year, Netmarble is looking to target Western gamers and diversify its mobile-heavy portfolio.

The company plans to launch Game of Thrones: Kingsroad, an action RPG based on the eponymous TV series that aired on HBO, in the first half of this year for PC and mobile, while it is expected to launch Seven Deadly Sins: Origin, an open-world adventure RPG featuring the characters of Nakaba Suzuki's famous fantasy anime, in the second half for console users.

NCSoft logged an operating loss in third-quarter earnings last year, a first in 12 years for Korea’s longtime leader in the gaming industry. In an attempt to streamline its business and seek a rebound, NCSoft decided to spin off four companies in line with restructuring plans and readjusting development systems.

With NCSoft’s top leadership calling upon the game developer’s employees to adopt a venturing mindset and go all out to secure a point of inflection for growth, NCSoft plans to roll out five new games this year. Among them, only Aion 2 is an MMORPG title, which NCSoft is well known for, especially its signature intellectual property of the Lineage series.

NCSoft is trying to expand its portfolio with various genres this year upon the launch of third-person shooters in LLL and Time Takers, real-time strategy Tactan: Knights of the Gods and subculture animation RPG Breakers: Unlock the World. The gaming giant has also vowed to continue expanding service regions for its existing games to reach more gamers across the globe.

Kakao Games, which is estimated to swing into a loss in its fourth-quarter earnings last year, is pinning hopes on this year to meet the goal of reaching gamers beyond Korea, as it plans to roll out nine new titles throughout the year.

Of the nine games slated to be released this year, seven are being developed for worldwide launches, reflecting Kakao Games’ firm will to expand its overseas presence with a variety of games, including rougelike RPG Valhalla Survival, roguelite action shooter Section 13 and zombie survival God Save Birmingham.

According to the Korea Creative Content Agency’s report on the analysis of the global game industry’s ecosystem, the size of the global game industry was estimated at $282.3 billion last year and is projected to reach $363.2 billion in 2027. The report noted that the global gaming industry will be bigger than those for books, film and music combined.