South Korea generated KRW 23.85 trillion (around USD 16.3 billion) from the gaming industry, a 3.9% year-over-year increase. Games are the single largest category of Korean cultural exports, which make up around 60% of the country’s total content exports. In Korea, however, game participation dropped to 50.2% in 2025, down from 74.4% in 2022. While player participation dropped, the remaining players are more engaged and spend more.
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How gaming platforms are diversifying beyond mobile
Mobile games remain the largest segment by revenue. In 2024, mobile games made up 58% of the total market, which is around KRW 14 trillion. This is almost double compared to PC games, which are at 25.2%. This is followed by console games at only 5%.
The mobile adoption rate is very high. According to a 2024 survey by the Korea Information Society Development Institute (KISDI) of around 9,000 participants, 98.8% of respondents aged six and older own a mobile phone. The strong mobile internet infrastructure also makes mobile gaming more accessible and convenient. In the same survey, 59.2% of consumers used 5G, 27.8% used LTE-A, and the remaining used LTE or 3G. This makes mobile gaming suitable for Korea’s commuting culture and long working hours.
However, a 2025 Gamer User Survey conducted by KOCCA on 10,000 gamers aged 10 to 69 reveals that the percentage of gamers who use mobile platforms dropped 2.6% from the prior year. At the same time, PC game usage rose 4.3%. This is the highest it’s been in five years, and even console gaming grew 1.9%. Therefore, Korean developers are releasing more games that can be played on multiple platforms. For example, among the 2026 lineup of games planned to be published, Pearl Abyss’s Crimson Desert and Kakao Games’ ArcheAge Chronicles are launching on PC and console, while Netmarble’s The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin is being built for PC, console, and mobile with cross-play support.
Who Korea’s gamers are and what they spend on
The gaming culture is deeply embedded in everyday social and competitive life in South Korea. According to KOCCA’s 2025 Game User Survey, the game participation rate among Koreans aged 10 to 60 fell to 50.2% in 2025. This is a steep decline from 74.4% in 2022.
The primary reason people stated they stopped playing games was a lack of time, at about 44%. Interestingly, despite not playing the games themselves, around 86.3% of those who stopped said they replaced gaming with streaming or video content.
At first, this may seem to contradict the idea that gaming culture is strong, but what is left is a smaller yet more committed and higher-spending user base. Korean players tend to show the highest in-game spending behavior globally. This is because popular game types in South Korea, like Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games and mobile games, have pay-to-win monetization structures. This is when players are allowed to purchase competitive advantages in their games. But most of the player base is willing to pay for these and does not view it as a drawback because it is given in a competitive context.
The social importance of PC rooms and the gaming culture in Korea
PC bangs (PC방) are also a staple feature of the Korean gaming culture and popular within South Korea’s MZ Generation. These are 24/7 gaming cafes that offer high-performance PCs for just an hourly fee. These PC bangs have evolved throughout the years and are now not just a place to play video games. Many now offer restaurant-quality food, private or enclosed areas where groups can play together, streaming-friendly setups, and even exclusive in-game benefits for popular games. In 2025, PC bang game usage totalled 780 million hours, and PC bang revenue grew 12.8% as well, showing that a smaller number of more engaged players are willing to spend more for the experience of playing together in person among friends.
Even in a country where nearly every household already has a capable PC, people are still willing to pay for the shared experience that comes from PC rooms. This also highlights that the main draw is the social setting. This is also evident in the types of popular games that Koreans play on PC. The most popular PC genres are built around the concepts of competition and teamwork. According to Newzoo’s forecast report, FPS titles like Battlegrounds and Sudden Attack lead at 40%, followed by RPGs at 38% and multiplayer battle arena games like League of Legends at 30%. Sitting next to your friends in PC rooms that allow better communication and coordination helps with the gaming experience.
South Korean government’s support for the gaming industry
Government backing has been central to the development of South Korea’s gaming industry. The Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA), established in 2000 under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, officially regulates esports and supports professional leagues, with 11 affiliated corporations. The South Korean government was among the first to classify esports as an official sport. This has enabled many professional teams and players to receive state-level policy support, funding, and international representation at competitions such as the Asian Games.
In January 2026, Prime Minister Kim Min-Seok visited Nexon’s headquarters in Pangyo. He stated that both the government and the gaming industry should work together to make South Korea the world’s third-largest gaming powerhouse. He also stated that he wanted the gaming companies and the government to exchange information, promote upcoming titles, and engage with policymakers, showing the government’s continued interest in the gaming industry.
How heavy investment is powering one of Asia’s strongest gaming industries
- South Korea’s gaming industry generated KRW 23.85 trillion (USD 16.3 billion) in 2024.
- Mobile games were 58% of the total domestic market, which is around KRW 14 trillion in 2024. This is double that of PC games, which are at 25.2% (around KRW 6 trillion).
- Overall game participation dropped to 50.2% in 2025, down from 74.4% in 2022. However, the players who remain are more engaged and higher-spending.
- PC bang culture remains strong. PC bangs logged 780 million hours of usage in 2025, with revenue growing 12.8%.
- South Korea was among the first governments to classify esports as an official sport through KeSPA (est. 2000). Prime Minister Kim Min-seok set a national target to become the world’s third-largest gaming powerhouse, signalling continued state-level commitment to the industry.
Author: Sory Park, with additional research by Minki
