Online Games Market in Korea

This publication has been discontinued on August 17, 2011.

Below is the updated product.

Online Games Market in Korea

Published: August, 2011

Product code: 208511

Introduction

Abstract

Online Games Market in Korea Forecasted to Exceed $2 Billion in 2011, according to Pearl Research.

Leading market research and consulting firm Pearl Research is pleased to announce the release of its new “Online Games Market in Korea” study.

Highlights from Pearl Research' s new “Online Games Market in Korea” study:

• Three of the top five game operators in Korea grew their revenues more than 50% in 2009, a notable achievement.
• Korean game companies have prioritized establishing international operations with the United States, Europe, Japan and China as the leading target markets. Game operator Nexon announced for the first time, non-Korean contributions accounted for the majority of its global revenue of 703.6 billion won ($585 million) in 2009. NHN expanded its business in the United States in 2007 and its US revenues rose more than 50% in 2009. Neowiz' s overseas revenues, which consists of licensing and revenues from international, was the biggest growth segment for the company, with sales for that segment rising 526% to 62.1 billion KRW ($52 million).
• Companies are experimenting with new business models including micro-transactions in MMORPGs that already also charge a subscription fee. It remains to be seen if this hybrid model will be accepted by consumers and spread to other countries.
• The excitement and publicity from the World Cup series held in South Africa in July 2010, helped EA' s FIFA Online 2 temporarily capture the top online game ranking at Internet cafes. Other top online games include NCsoft' s Aion and Lineage series, CJ Internet' s Sudden Attack, Nexon' s Dungeon and Fighter and Blizzard' s World of Warcraft.
• South Korea has one of the highest Internet and personal computer (PC) usage rates worldwide at 80%, making it a robust market for PC-based games. In 2010 and beyond, Pearl Research believes the release of several high-profile titles including Starcraft II will contribute to an expansion of the games market in Korea. Both MMORPG and casual game forecasts are provided in the study.

While South Korea has a robust online games market, critical challenges include a glut of content on the market, increasing government scrutiny; and rising development costs.

The “Online Games Market in Korea” report provides an in-depth analysis of the Korean online games market and contains an executive summary; seven years of forecasts for the online games platforms; inhibitors and drivers to growth; deep marketplace analysis; discussion of key market players, and strategic conclusions.

Table of Contents

METHODOLOGY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

INTERNET USAGE

• Internet Usage
• Usage Patterns
• Reasons for using Internet
• Internet Shopping
• SNS Usage
• PC and Console Penetration

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

MARKET FORECASTS

DRIVERS TO GROWTH

INHIBITORS TO GROWTH

UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF ONLINE GAMES

TOP ONLINE GAMES

GAME PORTALS

KOREAN GAME OPERATORS

CJ INTERNET

NEOWIZ

NEXON

NCSOFT

NHN

GRAVITY

SOFTWARE PIRACY

BILLING AND PAYMENT METHODS

TABLE OF FIGURES

• Figure 1: Key Country Metrics
• Figure 2: Internet Usage Rate by Age (Rounded %)
• Figure 3: Internet Users by Age (in millions)
• Figure 4: Purposes of Using Internet (multiple responses, %)
• Figure 5: Internet Shopping Usage (ages 12 and over)
• Figure 6: Purchase Items by Internet Shopping (multiple responses)
• Figure 7: SNS Usage by Gender and Age, in Percentages
• Figure 8: SNS Usage Rate by Gender and Age (Rounded by %)
• Figure 9: Daily Average SNS Usage Time by Type (minutes)-SNS user by type
• Figure 10: Households with Information Devices (multiple responses)
• Figure 11: The Rate of Households with (Wired) Internet Access
• Figure 12: (Wired) Internet Access Type of Households (multiple responses)
• Figure 13: Online Games Market Forecast 2008-2014 Graph, KRW (billions)
• Figure 14: Online Games Market Forecast 2008-2014 Data Table, KRW (billions) and USD
• Figure 15: Top Online Games at Internet Cafes
• Figure 16: Top Internet Sites in Korea (Unique Visitors, Reach)
• Figure 17: Top Game Sites by Visitors
• Figure 18: Top Game Application by Unique Users
• Figure 19: Comparison of Korea' s Top Four Game Operators (KRW, billions)
• Figure 20: Revenues and Net Income of Top Korean Game Operators
• Figure 21: Netmarble Metrics: Unique Visitors, Paying Customers, ARPU
• Figure 22: Upcoming titles from CJ Internet
• Figure 23: Screenshot of Prius Online
• Figure 24: Slugger Website
• Figure 25: Neowiz Revenues By Segment, 2009
• Figure 26: Neowiz' s Revenues and Net Income 2001 to 2009 ($US)
• Figure 27: Pmang Metrics: Monthly Visitors, ARPU, Peak Concurrent Users
• Figure 28: Pmang Web site
• Figure 29: NCSoft Quarterly Revenues
• Figure 30: Revenues by Title
• Figure 31: NCsoft Q4 2008 Revenue Mix by Geography
• Figure 32: Screenshots from Lineage 3
• Figure 33: Search Engine Market Share Korea
• Figure 34: Screenshot of Hangame
• Figure 35: 2010 NHN Game Lineup
• Figure 36: NHN International Game Revenues
• Figure 37: Screenshot of new titles by NHN
• Figure 38: Screenshots from Ragnarok II Online
• Figure 39: Piracy Software Rates in South Korea
• Figure 40: Payment Methods for Internet Content, market share (%)

Press Release

Korean Online Games Market Projected to Surpass $2 Billion in 2011

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