South Korea's leading game developers are expanding investments in shooter games, action games, casual titles and productions for PC and consoles. The shift, reinforced by the financial results of the first half of 2026 and by the reorganization of the sector's major trade shows, seeks to reduce dependence on MMORPGs and expand the companies' presence in the international market.
The movement is already visible in revenue. According to a survey by the Seoul Economic Daily, Nexon, Krafton, Netmarble, NCSoft and Pearl Abyss together recorded 6.06 trillion won in international sales in the first half, a growth of nearly 60% compared with the same period in 2025. The average share of international revenue for these companies reached 74%.
PC and console games drive results
Pearl Abyss exemplifies the shift. Driven by Crimson Desert, the company recorded quarterly revenue of 192.6 billion won, an increase of 247.7% compared with the previous year. The new title accounted for approximately 70% of that amount, while international markets represented 91% of sales.
Krafton also expanded its results with the growth of PUBG and the launch of Subnautica 2. The new game surpassed 5 million copies sold in just 22 days. The company's quarterly revenue from PC games exceeded 500 billion won for the first time.
NCSoft, traditionally associated with the Lineage franchise, adopted a strategy that combines maintaining its intellectual properties with new genres. Its planning includes more than ten titles developed in-house, at least six publishing projects and expansion in the casual games segment for mobile devices.
Nexon, meanwhile, is expanding its international portfolio with projects such as ARC Raiders and Dave the Diver. The latter surpassed ten million units sold, according to the company's announcement in September. The strategy preserves established franchises, such as MapleStory, while developing new sources of revenue.
International expansion also transforms G-Star
The shift became evident with the presentation of new details about G-Star 2026 this Tuesday (29). South Korea's main game trade show will have a greater presence of international companies, independent developers and businesses linked to artificial intelligence. Krafton and Webzen are among the major domestic exhibitors, while other Korean developers are expanding their participation in international events.
Scheduled for November 19 to 22, G-Star will bring together 106 independent developers in an area of 250 booths. The event will also have greater participation from Chinese, Japanese and European companies, as well as initiatives aimed at attracting investments.
Diversification, however, still shows uneven results. Kakao Games and Devsisters also expanded their portfolios, but ended the second quarter with operating losses. The results show that moving into new genres and markets does not, by itself, guarantee an immediate improvement in profitability.
