Netmarble is expanding its lineup of new game releases, but market attention is shifting from initial success to how long revenue can be sustained after launch. Several titles released from March to May did not generate enough results to offset marketing costs, highlighting operational staying power as a key variable for second-half earnings. The company posted first-quarter revenue of 651.7 billion won and operating profit of 53.1 billion won, missing market consensus on profit.

Major South Korean game companies posted sharply diverging first-quarter results despite the sector’s traditional seasonal slowdown. Larger firms with globally successful intellectual property reported record quarterly sales and profit, while companies facing gaps in new releases or weak early demand remained in the red or saw profitability deteriorate. Nexon, Krafton, NCSoft and Pearl Abyss posted strong gains. Kakao Games and Devsisters reported operating losses, and Webzen saw declines.