Search results for small developers
Games & Commerce
Small game developers in South Korea falter as weak launches shake survival model
Warning signs are mounting for small and midsize game developers in South Korea, with setbacks ranging from PixelTribe’s shutdown and bankruptcy to CloverGames’ corporate bankruptcy filing and a publishing dispute between Hound13 and Webzen. The cases share a fragile business model in which early monetisation failures quickly trigger reduced operations, cash squeezes and staff departures. A tougher funding climate, higher fixed labour costs and widening AI-driven productivity gaps with large developers are also adding pressure.
Games & Commerce
Game industry calls for tax credit on development costs
South Korea\'s game industry called for a tax credit on game production costs, arguing that film and webtoons receive such benefits while games do not. At a policy forum at the National Assembly, speakers cited low use of existing R&D tax credits by game firms and presented estimates of investment and job gains from a new credit. The finance ministry warned of possible duplicate deductions, while the culture ministry said actual uptake is minimal.
Games & Commerce
NCSoft targets top end of 2026 revenue guidance at 2.5 trillion won
NCSoft says it aims to achieve the top end of its 2026 revenue guidance of 2.0 trillion to 2.5 trillion won, calling 2026 a year of full-scale high growth. Co-CEO Park Byung-moo says the plan rests on three pillars: expanding revenue from existing IP, global launches of new IP and a push into mobile casual backed by M&A and platform-building. The company also disclosed 2025 results, including revenue of 1.5069 trillion won.
