South Korea's Games Industry Expands Overseas Presence at Gamescom and ChinaJoy

South Korea's games industry is stepping up its international expansion efforts, with the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) leading a government-supported delegation to major overseas gaming events including Gamescom and ChinaJoy. The country remains one of the world's largest mobile games markets, with AppMagic estimating $4.5 billion in revenue across the App Store and Google Play in 2025, ranking it fourth globally for in-app spending.

The market has historically been dominated by local publishers such as NCSoft, Kakao Korp, Netmarble, and Nexon, though Chinese studios including Tencent, MiHoYo, and Century Games have also gained traction in recent years. In 2020, 17 of the top 20 grossing games in South Korea were published by domestic companies, but that number dropped to 11 by 2025, reflecting increased competition from international players like Roblox and Dream Games.

KOCCA team leader Kyung Seog Kang noted that while the South Korean market is perceived as small, the agency aims to introduce international players to foster growth. The delegation, which included studios such as NW Corp, Abutton, Hypercent, Myturn, and Nanali, had a significant presence at Gamescom's B2B area. KOCCA plans to continue its overseas outreach with upcoming appearances at Gamescom Asia in Thailand and the Tokyo Game Show.

The shift toward mobile gaming is evident, with Kang estimating that roughly 60% of the industry now focuses on mobile titles, up from earlier PC-centric trends. KOCCA has been organizing these international delegations for a decade and intends to maintain the strategy to build lasting global relationships for South Korea's gaming sector.