Releases
TakeOne score major brand-power with the release of the BLACKPINK game
The high-value branding deal allows players to play as the manager of the hit Korean girl band
Data.ai Report
Japan and South Korea lead consumer spend by device in 2022
Data.ai’s State of Mobile Gaming 2023 report analyses the sector’s performance across markets and demographics
Regulations
Mobile game exclusivity triggers $32m fine for Google
Outdated exclusivity practices are cited as stifling competition
Forming A Partnership
WeMade partners with Nine66 to boost reach and develop talent in Saudi Arabia
The partnership represents a commitment to support gaming ecosystems
Racing And Riding
Nexon’s new KartRider game races onto mobile with a Premium Racing Pass for bonus challenges
KartRider: Drift launches simultaneously on PC and mobile
Stakes And Shares
Tencent becomes second-biggest shareholder in South Korean studio Shift Up
20 percent stake in Goddess of Victory: Nikke co-creator acquired
Updates
Netmarble's Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds sees seasonal holiday update
The mobile spin-off of the Miyazaki-inspired console games now sees a holiday-themed update for the winter period
A New Partnership
WEBZEN signs partners with Crimoons to publish mobile idle RPG ‘Project F’
Project F is an upcoming mobile game with character collection and idle RPG features
South Korea's Gamer Surplus
Newzoo finds three-quarters of South Koreans are gamers, and mobile is the most popular platform
59% of gamers in South Korea play on mobile
Racing To Success
Uma Musume Pretty Derby's South Korean release nets $2.3 million within 24 hours
June 20 release tops the charts on App Store and Google Play
Hand In The Cookie Jar
How Cookie Run: Kingdom's shift from endless runner to RPG led to Devsisters' greatest success
Devsisters' Kilhyeon Cho, Eunji Lee, and Danny Huh discuss the team's success with Cookie Run: Kingdom following its first English-language award
Boost The Blockchain
Wemade and YouAppi partner to market blockchain mobile games
Will begin "aggressive" onboarding campaigns
Building With Blockchain
Netmarble partners with Klaytn to accelerate blockchain ecosystem maturity
Using a Klaytn mainnet-based blockchain ecosystem
Cumulative Campaign
Crypto Golf Impact pre-release to reward almost $150,000 to users
Distribution to 7,000 random Neopin wallet holders ahead of March 25 launch
Smooth Like Butter
Garena to bring K-Pop band BTS to Free Fire in March 2022
Musical group will be part of "never-before-seen" event
Platform Boost
Wemade and RedFox Games partner to bring Kingdom Hunter to WEMIX blockchain platform
Targeting the play and earn mobile community in South America
Get Golfing
Playlinks launches Kitty Golf on Facebook Instant Games
Latest game from the South Korean developer to join the platform
Studio Shares
Krafton acquires Smash Legends dev 5minlab for $19.9 million
100 per cent of shares acquired
The Might Of Mobile
PUBG Mobile boosts Krafton’s 2021 revenues to record-highs of $1.57 billion
Release of Battlegrounds Mobile India and PUBG New State boosted Q4 sales
Equity Investments
Krafton invests $6.6 million to create and sell NFT avatars
Partnering with South Korea auction platform Seoul Auction Blue
Fallen Fiscally
Nexon mobile revenue falls 20% following a year of "building and investment"
Looking ahead at upcoming games pipeline in 2022 to boost revenue
Fighting On
Nexon to bring Dungeon & Fighter to mobile on March 24
Will feature iconic "arcade-style" RPG action
Oh Thank Heaven
Haegin brings 7-Eleven to casual mobile metaverse Play Together
Will bring 7-Eleven Korea mascots and products into the game
Acquiring Astrokings
Tilting Point acquires majority stake in AstroKings developer AN Games
Will scale the studio's games in both Eastern and Western markets
Marbleverse
Netmarble unveils upcoming Metaverse and NFT projects
70% of upcoming games with utilise blockchain tech
Apple Alterations
Apple to make third-party payments available in South Korea
In accordance with change in law
Electric Hypercar
Krafton partners with Bugatti Rimac to bring Rimac Nevera to New State
First big collaboration for Krafton's latest entry
Iron Acquisition
Stillfront acquires Netmarble’s Iron Throne: The Firstborn
Still subsidiary studio Kixeye will take charge
C2x Commences
Com2uS Holdings launches portal for C2X blockchain platform
Titles available will increase "exponentially" in coming months
Agglutination
Nexon to Merge subsidiaries Nat Games and Nexon GT
Will rebrand as Nexon Games
Double Bogey
Neowiz to bring Golf Impact and Brave Nine to the blockchain
Golf Impact set to receive a big makeover
P2e Mmorpg
Com2uS Holdings to add upcoming World of Zenonia to blockchain ecosystem
Scheduled for release in H2 2022
Blockchain Branding
Gamevil rebrands as Com2uS Holdings to focus on blockchain and NFT projects
Solidifies shift towards play-to-earn games
Following Suit
Gamevil acquires Zenaad to build out NFT business
Taking steps to solidifying blockchain presence
Staying Sanguine
Netmarble's Q3 FY21 revenue down 5.5% to $537 million
Overseas sales accounted for 70% of overall revenue
Rpg+nft
Com2uS is bringing Summoners War: Chronicles to blockchain
Working on its own ecosystem with Terra
Taking Over
PUBG: New State surpasses 20 million downloads in 5 days
Number one mobile game in over 160 countries
New Worlds
Classic MMORPG remake Ragnarok Origin now live
Gravity's got a new game
Lowered
Google Play Store tweaks payment terms in South Korea
Follows a new law passed in August
Heir Apparent
PUBG: New State will launch worldwide on November 11
Has surpassed 50 million pre-registrations
Already Growing
Ragnarok Origin reaches 400,000 pre-registrations
Adds Genshin Impact’s Lilypichu and ProZD as voice talent
Eagerly Awaiting
PUBG: New State surpasses 40 million pre-registrations
Recently made available for pre-registration in PUBG-crazy India
No Deal
Apple refuse Epic Games request to restore Fortnite in South Korea
The latest in the ongoing dispute
Cutting Out Commission
South Korea bans app marketplaces restricting third-party payments
The first country to implement such changes
Save The World
Netmarble's anticipated Marvel Future Revolution launches globally
It's been in soft launch since the start of July this year
Looking Ahead
Netmarble revenue falls by 16% as Marvel Future Revolution looms
"We’re optimistic the launch of Marvel Future Revolution will fortify Netmarble’s competitive edge..."
Quality Inbound
Nexon highlights new games as Q2 2021 sales decline 21% to $510 million
Waiting for new blood to emerge
Direct To Mobile
NCSoft reveals new Lineage entry, Lineage W
The game will come to mobile alongside the PC release
Krafton Crumbles
Krafton shares fall by 20% following IPO debut
The decline is the worst seen in South Korea since 2004
Quite The Gamble
Netmarble picks up social casino developer SpinX Games for $2.19 billion
"We expect to fortify our competitive edge…"