(Korean) Mobile Game Market Enjoying a Boom
By Jang Ji-young & Ryu Hyun-jung
Friday, January 10, 2003
As mobile games emerge as major content of the mobile Internet market, major game developers, having focused on online PC games, are tapping into the market. Accordingly, companies are making massive investments in order to win the competition in the mobile game market.
According to mobile operators such as SK Telecom, KTF and LG Telecom on January 9, the number of mobile game content providers in Korea now reaches some 300, doubling the figure in January last year.
In addition, major game makers such as NC soft, Nexon and Softmax entered into the mobile game market last year, and recently, major online game providers like Webzen, Naco Interactive and Triglow Pictures also announced their plan to tap into the mobile game market.
Furthermore, Sonogong, the largest toy maker in Korea, launched its mobile game business in earnest by providing mobile game service based on a PC game. For its part, Koko Capcom, a console game title distributor, is set to provide 10 mobile games developed by Capcom Japan in Korea.
Accordingly, the Korean mobile game market is expected to enjoy a boom as the market expands and the marketing competition heats up after major game makers with massive capital enters the market. Another factor for the boom is that the market potential was proved by the emergence of popular mobile games with more than 100 to 300 million won in monthly sales last year and that the number of mobile game users increase sharply with the penetration of high-function handsets.
The number of game content providers to SK Telecom increased from 100 at the beginning of last year to 180 at present, while KTF and LG Telecom also saw the number of its game content providers increase 2 times to 150.
Yoon, Hyo-sung, president of Mobile Game Association, said, "The number of mobile game providers to 3 major mobile operators reaches 500, but excluding the overlapping figures, it is about 300 providers. If we add those providers which have yet to complete development of games, the figure will exceed 400."
As the mobile game market enters into the competition phase in earnest, they are placing TV ads and holding large-scale marketing events with a car as the no. 1 prize. In the mobile game TV ad placed by SK Telecom beginning from the end of last year, some 10 mobile game providers expressed their willingness to participate. In addition, Naska, a mobile game provider, plans to give away as prizes Samsung Motors' SM 3 and game consoles to the users of 'Korea Go-stop 2', a mobile game being provided by SK Telecom.
An official at SK Telecom said, "As the mobile game providers increased sharply in number and the mobile Internet multimedia service using EVDO phone will pick up this year, the number of mobile game users is expected to go up significantly. The mobile game market this year is forecast to record 200 billion won in sales, exceeding the figure for the PC game market for the first time."
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