The game industry in Korea is growing to the amount about 86,798 billion won; it is increasing by 101.1% than last year. By developing the field of online-game and the adult game zone, the arcade game promotes the growth of domestic game market. In 2005, the sales of online game are $1,406M (14,397 billion won), the sales of arcade game are $943M (9,655 billion won), the sales of mobile game are $189M (1,939 billion won) and the video’s one are $213M (2,183 billion won).

While most games are mainly increasing, PC game is decreasing by 29.4%, so its sales are $213M (2,183 billion won). A current market is growing until 19,923 billion won with developing online game; arcade game is dramatically increased by 300% because of extension of adult game.

In online game market 2005, game portal has been steadily developed and successes in overseas. Within the game industry will be intensified as time goes on, new business put importance on differentiation of game contents and service. Also, they are trying to find niche market. A variety of genre games are appeared. For example, MMORPG (Massively Multi-player Online Role Playing Game), FPS (First Person Shooting), ‘Cartrider’ (the racing game) and sports game having target the world cup season. This extension of game genre will cover all consumers not only teenagers and 20th young people but also 30~40th people and female. The growth of game portal will last with casual game. Through developing beneficial model, diversifying charge system and increasing exportation to the abroad, the online game will grow continually.

In main big companies case, most companies are able to have the amount of sales over 100 billion and their market share are increasing in whole mobile game market. With decreasing the growth rate of mobile game, communication business launched high quality of 3D game phone, big capacity of 3D game, promoted activation of the network game and introduced service of monthly payment to secure market share. Big mobile businesses attract foreign investment to make their competitive power abroad. This effort will help extension of exportation and activation of mobile service.

Arcade game, which is 11.1% of whole game market (arcade game zone is 43.7%), is the biggest share in domestic game market share since great power of adult game zone.

The whole arcade market is composed two parts that arcade game zone is $3,708M (37,966billion won) and arcade game is $943M (9,655billion won).

Korea video game market continued to grow for 2years from 2002. However video game market was in difficult times because downsizing domestic consumption and increasing used market, illegal copy game and video game businesses that leaving the video game industry in 2004. But with marching the mobile game, the growth rate of 2005 is 17% than 2004.

PC package game is decreasing rapidly by 29.4% than last 2004 from 2003, so that market is $37M (377billion won). Since most PC game business changed to other platform and foreign PC game companies did not make clear success PC game market lasts downsizing.

Korean market share by Game Platform

Online game (PC based) is 31.9%, which is the biggest part in game platform. The next is the arcade game, which is 14.2%, mobile game is 12.1%, PC game and Video games are each 1.0%. The video game, the biggest market in the world, is still small part in domestic market. The arcade game is increasing over 10% than last year, and online game and mobile game are increasing each by 7% and 3%.

In the world market, Korea online game, which is the first, has 14,600 million dollar market. In the mobile game field, Japan has 44,900 million dollar and U.S has 25,200 million dollar. Korea is the third in mobile game market. The arcade game is the fifth, video and pc game is 15th of the world game market.

The current amount of exportation is 56,466 million dollar, which is two times than the amount of importation, which is 23,292million dollar. The amount of exportation is increased by 45.6% than 2004. Online game is composed 80% of whole exportation sales. Japan is the biggest part of exportation. In near future, exportation of the domestic game will be growing about 20% in every year, mainly in online game part. Also, the rate of importation will be increased about 15% by launching the portable game and brand new video game

Resources from Korea Game Industry “2006 Daehanminkook Game Baeksuh”