Games & Commerce

Korean games hit console sales, as overseas acquisitions and in-house development pay off

Korean game companies are changing how they make and sell titles as PC and console releases deliver solid sales, moving away from mobile MMORPG and live-service domestic revenue models. Recent hits include Krafton’s Subnautica 2 and Pearl Abyss’ Crimson Desert, alongside Nexon-backed Arc Raiders. The industry is increasingly using overseas studio acquisitions, long development cycles on proprietary engines and Steam-led package sales, while facing rising AAA development costs and post-launch update demands.

Industry

Samsung foundry pins hopes on 'AI factory' turnkey model to chase TSMC

Samsung Electronics is seeking a turnaround in its foundry business with an "AI factory" turnkey model that bundles memory, foundry and packaging. With TSMC's 3-nanometre utilisation near 100% and wafer price increases expected, some fabless chip designers are looking to reduce reliance on a single vendor. Samsung says demand for memory-and-foundry turnkey offerings is rising and that 2-nanometre contracts could become visible soon. The second half of the year will be a key test.