"Move Aside Chinese Games" Korean Mobile Dominates Charts

[Asia Economy Reporter Buaeri] Domestic mobile games have dominated the top ranks in app market sales. Chinese games, which swept the top sales rankings just two to three months ago, seem to be losing ground to the strong performance of Korean mobile games.

Displaced Chinese Games... Korean Mobile Games Take 1st to 5th Place

According to Google Play on the 5th, a total of eight Korean games ranked within the top 10 in sales. NCSoft's Lineage M and Lineage 2M took 1st and 2nd place respectively, while Nexon's "Baram-ui Nara: Yeon" and "KartRider Rush Plus" ranked 3rd and 4th. Kakao Games' new release "Guardian Tales" rose to 5th place, resulting in domestic game companies occupying all positions from 1st to 5th. In contrast, only two Chinese games, "Miracle Sword" (8th) and "Rise of Kingdoms" (10th), made it into the top 10.

This change is thanks to the success of new mobile releases from domestic game companies. In particular, games utilizing old intellectual properties (IPs) have been making strides amid the recent Newtro trend. Newtro is a combination of New and Retro, meaning enjoying retro sensibilities in a new way. Old IPs offer freshness to the 10-20 age group and evoke nostalgia for the 30-40 age group, boosting their popularity.

"Baram-ui Nara: Yeon" is the mobile version of "Baram-ui Nara," originally released in 1996. Instead of flashy 3D graphics, it uses 90s-style animation graphics to highlight the charm of the game itself. The game has created a strong sensation, surpassing 3 million cumulative downloads in less than a month since its release.

KartRider Rush Plus is also a mobile adaptation of the PC game KartRider, released in 2004, and is on a long-term success path with 1.06 million daily users in its third month after launch. The newly charted "Guardian Tales" has also captured users' hearts with its nostalgic 2D pixel graphics. Industry insiders expect that if "Guardian Tales" succeeds, it will become a cash cow for Kakao Games, which is preparing for a KOSDAQ listing.

"Criticism that Old IPs Struggle to Last... Lack of Global Competitiveness"

However, some voices express concern that the rise of old IPs may be just a "temporary boom." The reason is the lack of freshness that can appeal to the global market. In fact, Nexon's "Baram-ui Nara" has not gained significant popularity overseas, and in racing games, Nintendo's "Mario Kart" is more famous globally than KartRider. Professor Wi Jeong-hyun of Chung-Ang University, president of the Korea Game Society, said, "Currently, domestic game companies are living off past glories," adding, "Old IPs can secure top chart positions for a certain period, but long-term success is difficult. New IPs must be continuously developed."

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