1 week Ago By Korea Bizwire
Nexon’s First Berserker: Khazan (Photo: a screenshot from the game) SEOUL, April 9 (Korea Bizwire) — After a challenging year dominated by Chinese titles, South Korea’s game industry is showing signs of renewed momentum as a string of high-performing new releases finds success across both mobile and PC/console platforms. According to data from Mobile Index, Netmarble’s RF Online Next , a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) launched on March 20, quickly surged to the top of both major mobile app stores. As of Monday, it held the No.
2 spot on Google Play, trailing only Lineage M . The game reimagines the classic RF Online intellectual property for both mobile and PC platforms, and has been praised for its competitive, player-versus-player design. Nexon’s Mabinogi Mobile , released on March 27, is also climbing the charts.
Despite a slow start, the game now ranks No. 1 on Apple’s App Store and No. 3 on Google Play.
Industry analysts credit its inclusive design, strong community features, and a monetization model that avoids aggressive in-app purchases for its unexpected rise. Mobile game sales rankings by App market (Image courtesy of Mobile Index) Meanwhile, Wemade’s Legend of Ymir , launched on April 2, has secured the No. 8 spot on Google Play, showing early signs of becoming a long-term MMORPG contender.
These successes mark a sharp contrast to 2024, when many high-profile Korean mobile titles struggled against a wave of Chinese imports like Mushroom Game and Last War . Only a few Korean-made games such as 111 Percent’s Luck-Based Game and Smilegate’s Road Nine managed to maintain top-tier sales performance. Korean developers are also making headlines in the PC and console market.
Nexon subsidiary Neople’s First Berserker: Khazan , released on February 28, debuted at No. 4 in global revenue rankings on the Steam platform. According to SteamDB, the game continues to attract between 10,000 and 20,000 concurrent users daily.
Also released on February 28, Krafton’s life simulation game inZOI reached one million copies sold within a week, the fastest milestone ever achieved by the company—even surpassing its global hit PUBG . Though still in early access, inZOI has drawn widespread attention for its innovative use of generative AI and its potential to serve as a compelling alternative to EA’s long-stagnant Sims franchise. With strong performances in both mobile and PC/console segments, 2025 is shaping up to be a comeback year for South Korea’s gaming sector.
Industry watchers are now eyeing upcoming releases to see if the momentum can be sustained into 2026. Kevin Lee ( [email protected] ).
