[Bu-aeri's Game Dictionary] Mid-sized Game Companies Aiming for a 'Rebound' with New Releases

[Asia Economy Reporter Buaeri] Domestic mid-sized game companies are aiming for a rebound by consecutively releasing new titles. The Korean game industry, which had been quiet due to delays in new releases and various offline events caused by the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), is gradually starting to regain momentum.

According to the industry on the 30th, Webzen's new mobile MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) 'MU Archangel' officially launched its iOS version service yesterday afternoon. 'MU Archangel,' released on the Google Play Store on the 27th, is performing well, ranking 2nd in popularity and 1st in rising charts. Webzen expects the influx of game members to increase further after the iOS version release.

Pearl Abyss pre-launched its new battle royale PC online game 'Shadow Arena' on the 21st. 'Shadow Arena' is a game where 40 players compete to be the last one standing. It supports a total of 14 languages including Korean, English, Simplified Chinese, Russian, and Thai, and operates servers in four regions: Asia, North America, Europe, and South America. As Pearl Abyss's first PC online game since 'Black Desert' in 2014, the industry is paying close attention to the success of 'Shadow Arena.'

SundayToz is preparing to release the new 'Anipang 4' in the Anipang series at the end of June. Anipang enjoyed tremendous popularity at the time of its release in 2012, being called a national game. SundayToz, having achieved a KOSDAQ listing thanks to the popularity of 'Anipang,' is attracting attention to whether Anipang will continue its four consecutive hit streak. The securities industry forecasts that Anipang 4's daily sales could exceed 60 million won. Kim Hakjun, a researcher at Kiwoom Securities, stated, "Although the Anipang series no longer generates as much buzz as before, it holds a unique position in the domestic casual game market," adding, "It is worth expecting a performance increase in the second quarter."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.