HTML5-based games that can be launched directly inside platforms such as KakaoTalk, Toss, Kakao Pay and OneStore are spreading. They are expected to broaden mobile game distribution channels because they do not require separate apps to be installed from Google Play or Apple’s App Store. Participation by local game companies and platform operators is also increasing.

◆ Lower installation hurdles and reuse existing IP... new routes for game companies

One reason game companies are focusing on HTML5 is accessibility. With no separate download or installation process, the steps needed to reach a first launch can be reduced. They are also easy to pair with puzzle, arcade and casual games that are simple to control and can be played in short sessions.

Another feature is that existing games can be reused. Neptune is currently converting more than 50 native games into HTML5 games and supplying them to about 10 global platforms. Line, Toss, KakaoTalk, Kakao Pay, OneStore, YouTube and TikTok are major destinations.

A representative example, "Infinite Stairs", reduced its size to about 33 MB from 270 MB after converting to HTML5 and cut loading time to under 10 seconds from more than 30 seconds. It first loads only the minimum resources needed for initial execution and fetches the rest when needed through a content delivery network (CDN).

Some results are also emerging. The KakaoTalk-listed "Infinite Stairs" reached No. 1 on the popularity rankings within a week of service, and "Infinite Shooting", "Infinite Farm" and "Infinite Ranch" also entered the top 10.

Wemade Play is also expanding existing mobile games to other platforms. The web version of "Anipang 2" recorded about 50,000 average daily users and about 10,000 hours of cumulative play time in January on Toss' App in Toss, ranking sixth among all games and third in the puzzle category.

Beyond developing new titles, the approach is to redistribute existing games on other platforms to increase user touchpoints and revenue opportunities.

◆ From KakaoTalk and Toss to OneStore... platforms also expand HTML5

Platforms adopting games are also expanding to include messengers, financial services and app markets.

Kakao Games in June introduced 25 casual games through "GameChip", an HTML5-based game platform newly added to KakaoTalk’s "More" tab. It consists of six games using Kakao Friends IP and 19 casual games, and can be played inside KakaoTalk without separate installation.

Toss is also expanding a mini-app ecosystem, including games, through "App in Toss". According to Toss, partner mini-apps numbered about 100 at the time of its official launch in July last year, but exceeded 10,000 in August this year, with monthly visitors at around 4 million. Not all 10,000 are games, but a separate ecosystem is forming inside the finance app to provide external content and services.

Kakao Pay also operates a mini-game service. Users can receive Kakao Pay points by completing games and missions, and Neptune is participating as a partner by supplying its own IP and partnered games.

OneStore, an existing app market operator, also introduced its HTML5 game platform "OnePlay". Neptune supplied 18 HTML5 games to OnePlay, including "Infinite Stairs". They include six titles in the "Infinite" series and 12 casual games.

OneStore’s participation shows that HTML5 game distribution is not expanding only outside existing app markets. As operators that have distributed games based on app downloads and installations also create separate HTML5 services, a model is emerging that offers both install-based games and games that require no installation.

For now, HTML5 expansion appears to be adding another distribution method for mobile games rather than pushing out existing app markets.

◆ China mini-game market, similar to HTML5, grows rapidly and draws attention as a precedent

Overseas, China’s mini-game market can be seen as a precedent showing the growth potential of games that require no installation. The structure allows games to run directly inside super apps such as WeChat and Douyin without downloading a separate game app, similar to how HTML5 games spreading in South Korea are used.

Still, China’s mini-games and what is called HTML5 games in South Korea are not exactly the same. China’s market grew around mini-program ecosystems in super apps such as WeChat and Douyin, while HTML5 is a term centered on web technology used to implement games.

According to the "2025 China Game Industry Report" released by the China Audio-video and Digital Publishing Association, revenue in China’s mini-program game market last year was 53.535 billion yuan, up 34.39 percent from a year earlier. The market structure differs from South Korea, but it shows that a model in which games are used inside existing platforms without installation can grow into a large-scale market.

South Korea’s HTML5 game market is still at an early stage. Distribution channels are expanding to KakaoTalk, Toss, Kakao Pay and OneStore, but it is too early to conclude that a market and revenue base has formed large enough to replace existing app markets. Ultimately, the key is not the expansion of distribution channels itself but whether each platform can generate sustained use and revenue.

An industry official said, "HTML5 games are meaningful in that they can broaden game distribution routes to platforms where users are already gathered, rather than replacing existing app markets." The official added, "Going forward, the key to market expansion will be whether platforms can steadily secure users and revenue, rather than the sheer number of listings."