As the dust and swag bags settle in the aftermath of G-Star, developers, publishers, and industry veterans from across the globe are now heading home with a greater appreciation of the show and the Korean market.
PocketGamer.biz is no different. We learned quite a bit during our time in Busan.
For starters, like how it's impossible to hail a cab anywhere within three blocks of the BEXCO exhibition center.
However, for our more considered takeaways, we've compiled a list of the five most important lessons that were top of mind at G-Star 2013 - a handy guide for those who were unable to make the trip across to Korea.
And it's right here:
Korean tastes are changing
One thing we heard from developers large and small was that the tastes of mobile gamers in Korea are changing.
Games that act as 'simple timewasters' are no longer drawing players in the numbers they once did, and there's a noticeable move to hardcore (midcore) games like Puzzle & Dragons, Clash of Clans, and games with similar RPG elements.
This doesn't mean that simple one-touch games or physics puzzlers are going to fall by the wayside, but many expect that the next big thing in Korea - and by that, of course, we mean on KakaoTalk - will have a bit more substance behind it.
An opportunity for western developers to make their mark, then? We'd say so.
Know your audience
Trading card games, social RPGs, and social network games (SNGs) have all performed well in Korea over the past few years, but for the most part they've struggled to gain a foothold in the west.
If you're looking to launch big in Korea or any foreign market, for that matter - do your research and see what types of games appeal to local players.
One size rarely fits all, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the world of free-to-play games, where players are literally spoiled for choice.
With no barrier to entry, these players won't hold back from showing you exactly what games they do and don't like, so don't try to force a fit on a local demographic.
Video games are addicting
Back in May, a Korean politician Shin Eui-jin drummed up support from 14 other representatives to introduce a legislation that would allow the government to regulate online games in the same way that it keeps alcohol, narcotics, and gambling in check.
Shin's proposed law is currently floundering, however, as the Ministry of Culture and Tourism recently said it wouldn't back the bill and few expect it to pass into law.
Still, its effects were felt at G-Star, which was - by most counts - much smaller than its normal size due to boycotts from nervous sponsors.
Suffice it to say, Korean mobile gamers enjoy their time with online games.
Quality localisations are important
This is a truism that most should already be aware of, but wandering through the halls of G-Star it wasn't all uncommon to see a game's pitch translated into English to lure foreign press over.
The divide between quality translations and choppy ones was never more apparent, however, and it was easy to tell the difference between shops which spent money on their translations and ones that didn't.
Most consumers will be able to spot the difference between the two as well regardless of the market, so be absolutely sure that your translation and localisation holds up.
Luckily, we're here to help with all that.
East looks west, west looks east
Few developers and publishers are content with the market they have.
As studios in the west look at how best to break into eastern markets, and equal - or perhaps greater - number of studios in the east are trying to find purchase in the west.
While this might sound like a plug for PG Connects, it also means that localisation and translation companies will be doing banner business in the years ahead.
If you're planning to port your game to eastern markets, start doing your research now and try to find a local partner in the region who can help bring your game to market in the most efficient way possible.
