How Korea remains a strong challenger in the global games market

• An in-depth perspective from Com2uS Platform’s Byeongwoo Kim, one of the speakers at PG Connects Summit Korea, on what makes Korea a strong competitor in the global games industry.

Ranked a top five in the world, Korea’s games market has gone from a trailblazer in PC-based MMORPGs to a powerhouse in mobile games and esports. Today, the fourth biggest market globally, Korean games are a significant global export industry, paving the way in IP-expansion, monetisation, and innovation.

Ahead of Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Korea on October 31st, we checked in with Byeongwoo Kim, the Hive technical lead at Korean game tech provider Com2uS Platform, to learn more about what’s driving the country’s games industry growth, wider APAC market trends, and the increasing competition from China.

PocketGamer: Can you tell us briefly about your company and why the Korean games market matters to you?

Byeongwoo: Com2uS Platform is a group of experts with global game service technology. One of our core businesses is the game backend service ‘Hive Platform’. It provides essential functions such as authentication, billing, analytics, web store, and security through an SDK and an integrated admin page, enabling games companies to focus solely on developing core content. 

As a result, games companies can enhance the efficiency of their development and operations, which can lead to increased revenue. More than 250 games have adopted Hive Platform, and the cumulative number of users across games powered by Hive Platform has reached 900 million.

In addition, Com2uS Platform operates the NFT marketplace X-PLANET and provides associated technical support and system integration (SI) services. As a business that provides services to numerous games companies, it is important to understand global games trends, not just those in Korea.

What is the biggest trend in the APAC games industry in 2025?

The IP-based games trend is gaining popularity. Subculture genres are receiving significant attention. Character-driven narratives with diverse styles and stories maximise immersion. 

By leveraging IPs that have built dedicated fanbases, games companies can make additional revenue through merchandise and NFT sales. Furthermore, the potential for cross-collaborations with other content and expansion into different creative formats is driving increased preference.

Why do you think the Korean games industry has proved to be more resilient than other geographies over recent years?

In Korea, the market moves at a rapid pace. New trends constantly emerge across all sectors - fashion, food, content industries - and gaming is no exception. However, even as fads shift quickly, the standards for depth and high quality in content never waver.

Korean games consistently keep players engaged and loyal by offering not just fun, but also rich storytelling, compelling worlds, and high-quality graphics.

Moreover, the background enabling Korean content to achieve global success is a culture that has continuously challenged overseas markets rather than remaining in the domestic market. K-dramas, K-fashion, K-beauty, and K-food all began as small attempts, but by persistently knocking on the doors of the global market, they have achieved today’s success.

The games industry is no different. Korean games companies gained experience in global service operations early on, cultivating their market adaptability. Their superior international competitiveness is the result of fierce challenges. 

What do you think is the biggest challenge and the biggest opportunity in gaming at the moment?

The biggest challenge currently facing the Korean games industry is the rapid growth and technological advancement of Chinese games companies.

Leveraging their massive human resources and development speed, they are releasing high-quality games in succession and rapidly dominating the global market. As a result, Korean games companies are competing in a more intense environment than ever before.

However, I believe this competition can bring new opportunities to the Korean games industry. Given that K-content is already globally recognised across multiple fields, it is time for Korean games to demonstrate a stronger presence in the global market.

In particular, Korean games companies have long established service structures focused on overseas markets, accumulating expertise in global operations, data analysis, and technological infrastructure.

For example, the Com2uS Group built an integrated operations platform, Hive Platform, for global services over a decade ago and has developed a system capable of simultaneously operating games worldwide. This robust structure, combining content, technology, and experience, has become our competitive edge in providing sustainable services to users across the globe. 

The next step for the Korean games industry is expansion onto a bigger stage. And I believe the foundation for this has been firmly laid over a long period of time. The only thing left for us now is to leap forward.

What are your particular reasons to visit PG Connects Summit Korea?

PGC Summit Korea is a conference where leading global games companies gather. I believe this event is an opportunity to share the trends of the Korean games industry and the various technologies and knowledge necessary for game development.

Com2uS Platform is participating in the event to effectively introduce its game backend service, Hive Platform, to the global market.

We want to emphasise that our goal is to provide convenient services at the development and operation levels, enabling potential games companies worldwide, including those in Korea, to focus solely on developing game content.

Meet companies like Com2uS Platform and learn more about the Korean games market at Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Korea on October 31st. Book your ticket today.