Fact File

This is a brief fact file only.
As this blog develops I am gradually updating this area with in-depth information.

South Korea has a population of 50 million and is home to some of the most savvy online games companies. Several hundred game developers are concentrated in and around the cities of Seoul and Busan. Their online publishing model allows both small and large teams to enter the market – skipping the retail stores. Seoul, the capital, has a population of about 11 million.

A good view of the Gwang-hwa-mun district in central Seoul from our office.

During my many stays in Korea I learned that a high number of employees are in game development and relevant support. E.g. I only found few game retail stores and instead saw that NCsoft has a walk-in tech support branch for all its customers.

Some of the leading Korean companies include Neowiz, Nexon, NCsoft and NHN – I just realised they all start with “N” (like Nintendo and Namco)… anyway.

South Korea  is world famous for its internet infrastructure and high broadband speeds. This is one of the key points for the continuous innovation in online technology and new business models. In one of my posts I point out that about 80% of the population is connected. Hence one of the Korean games industry’s USP is to boost online communities and drive micro transactions – a model that the western games industry is looking up to.

As a result the PC is the hub of gaming and rarely placed in living rooms, which is usually a harmonic place reserved for family life. Furthermore Korea has one of the highest educated populations; it is believed that education has rescued the country from a bankrupt third world to a top ten tech economy within only 60 years. Companies like Samsung, LG and Hyundai have contributed to this rise immensely. Parents therefore want students to spend more time “studying” on their computers instead of playing games in the living room. I believe this is one of the reasons why consoles are lagging behind the PC revenue stream as of yet.

The acceptance of games has its roots in the penetration of internet and gaming cafes or “PC Bang” which stands for PC room. You can find more details about this economic background in my posts as well.

I will announce updates of this fact file on the start page.

Enjoy reading the rest of the blog,
Navid Firouz