Resources

Table of Contents

Part 1: Overview of the Game Industry
Chapter 1: Status of the Game Industry in 2022
Chapter 2: Key Issues in the Domestic Game Industry in 2022
Part 2: Domestic Game Industry
Chapter 1: Key Status of the Domestic Game Industry
Chapter 2: Detailed Status of the Domestic Game Industry
Chapter 3: Domestic Esports Trends
Chapter 4: Outlook for the Domestic Game Industry
Chapter 5: Domestic Game Education Institutions
Part 3: Game Usage
Chapter 1: General Overview
Chapter 2: Usage and Characteristics by Game Platform
Chapter 3: Perception and Attitude Toward Games
Part 4: Overseas Game Industry
Chapter 1: Global Game Industry Trends
Chapter 2: Market Trends by Platform
Chapter 3: Comparison by Major Countries
Part 5: Appendix

Summary

 

· Overview of the Korean Game Industry in 2022
The 2023 Game Industry White Paper provides a detailed analysis of the trends, challenges, and opportunities in the Korean game industry. Despite the ongoing stabilization post-COVID-19, the gaming market in Korea has shown continued growth, albeit at a slower rate compared to the initial pandemic surge.

 

· Gaming Market Size and Performance
In 2022, the Korean gaming market was valued at USD 17.2 billion, reflecting a 5.8% increase from the previous year. The mobile gaming sector remained dominant, contributing 58.9% of total market revenues at USD 10.1 billion. PC games, while experiencing slower growth, still accounted for 26.1% of the market with USD 4.5 billion in revenues, marking a 3.0% increase. Console games saw a slight growth of 6.4%, reaching USD 867 million. Arcade games showed a modest increase of 8.9%, although they still represented a small portion of the market with USD 230 million in revenues.

 

· Global Position
Globally, Korea held 7.8% of the market share in the gaming industry in 2022. Mobile games continued to be Korea's strength on the international stage, with a 11.4% share of the global mobile game market. This places Korea as the third largest mobile gaming market globally, behind only the United States and China.

 

· Subculture Games and Indie Game Growth
2022 saw the rise of subculture games, with titles like Blue Archive and Goddess of Victory: Nikke gaining massive popularity domestically and internationally. The subculture game market, inspired by Japanese animation and visual aesthetics, has grown substantially, expanding its global footprint, especially in regions like Japan and the United States. Additionally, indie games have continued to garner interest. Major game companies delayed new releases, turning attention to the indie game sector. Indie titles like Skul and SANABI achieved significant success, boosting market diversity and revitalizing the industry.

 

· Legal and Cultural Recognition of Games
In a landmark development, the Culture and Arts Promotion Act was revised in 2022, recognizing games as part of cultural arts. This has elevated the status of gaming within Korean society and opened doors for policy development that promotes games as a comprehensive art form, blending various genres such as visual arts, music, and literature.

 

· Key Issues and Legislative Changes
The game shutdown law, which previously restricted gaming for minors during late hours, was abolished in favor of the game time selection system. This allows parents and guardians to have more autonomy in controlling their children's gaming time, marking a shift towards a more flexible regulatory environment for youth protection.

 

· Future Outlook
While growth rates are expected to stabilize further, innovations in mobile gaming, subculture games, and indie gaming are likely to drive continued market expansion. The recognition of games as cultural assets, along with government and industry support, positions the Korean game industry for sustained global influence.