South Korea ranks fourth in global gaming market

By Yoon Ju-hye Posted : March 25, 2026, 16:55 Updated : March 25, 2026, 16:56
Courtesy of Smilegate
SEOUL, March 25 (AJP) - South Korea's gaming industry ranks fourth in the global market, remaining one of the fastest-growing tech sectors, with developers vying to attract users through increasingly engaging online and mobile games.

With the global gaming market estimated at $220.07 billion, South Korea accounted for 7.2 percent, ranking fourth behind China, the U.S, and Japan, according to a joint report released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) on Wednesday.

The cumulative revenue of the domestic game industry stood at 23.85 trillion won in 2024, up 3.9 percent from a year earlier. Exports also rose by 1.3 percent to US$8.50 billion, with China taking the largest share at 29.7 percent, followed by Southeast Asia at 20.6 percent, North America at 19.5 percent, and Japan at 8.3 percent.

Mobile games accounted for more than half of total revenue at 59 percent, followed by PC games at 25.2 percent, console games at 5 percent, and arcade games at 1.2 percent.

"The report offers insight to closely assess the industry and develop future strategies," said KOCCA's acting President Yu Hyeons-seok, adding that the agency will continue to provide "systematic, data-based support" so that the country's gaming industry can continue to prosper while staying competitive globally."

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