[DigitalToday reporter Lee Ho-jung] Major South Korean game companies are moving to target global markets in the first quarter with new titles across genres including shooting, strategy, massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG), action RPG and casual games. The strategy is to expand market share by reflecting diverse user tastes with different gameplay, beyond a simple volume push.

The industry said on Feb. 3 that major companies including KRAFTON, JoyCity, NCSOFT, Pearl Abyss, Netmarble and Kakao Games have entered the final stage of preparations for new releases.

◆Early February offensive... Shooting, strategy and MMORPG offer "three-color fun"

KRAFTON and JoyCity open the campaign side by side. KRAFTON will start early access for "PUBG: Blindspot" on Feb. 5. Developed by PUBG Studio, the game is a 5-on-5 team-based top-down player-versus-player (PvP) shooter. It features realistic military shooting and close-quarters battle (CQB) tactical play focused on indoor fights. KRAFTON will offer it as free-to-play via Steam and plans to raise quality by reflecting user feedback in real time through its official Discord.

On the same day, JoyCity will officially launch the mobile strategy game "Biohazard Survival Unit" in the South Korean and Taiwan markets, targeting strategy-game users. The game inherits the world view of Capcom's popular "Biohazard" series intellectual property (IP) and includes an original story featuring popular characters from the original, including Leon S. Kennedy. Having already surpassed 4 million cumulative downloads across 151 countries including the United States and Japan, results are expected in Asian markets as well.

NCSOFT will then start pre-service for "Lineage Classic" in South Korea and Taiwan on Feb. 7, signaling the return of a traditional MMORPG. The game recreates the early 2000s version as-is in a PC environment and focuses on carrying over the fun of the original, including four "Gungi Yoma" classes and the Giran area. It is also being cited as one of the most anticipated titles of the first quarter, with users flocking in to the extent that the company added 15 servers and expanded total capacity immediately after pre-creating characters. From Feb. 11 after the pre-service, it will switch to a monthly subscription model (29,700 won).

◆March blockbusters hit... From open-world action to fandom-style puzzles

In March, large-scale open-world games and casually styled games with new approaches take the baton. Pearl Abyss will officially launch the open-world adventure action RPG "Crimson Desert" in global markets on March 20 (Korea time). Pearl Abyss recently shared news that the game has gone gold, saying it has entered the final release stage. Strengths include interaction across the vast Pywel continent built on its proprietary game engine and high-quality graphics, and it can be played across platforms including PlayStation 5 (PS5), Steam and Apple Mac.

Netmarble will also unveil the multi open-world action RPG "The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin" in March. It was initially scheduled for release in January, but the company adjusted the timeline to raise completeness by overhauling the combat system and improving exploration convenience. Based on a popular comic with more than 55 million copies sold worldwide, the game lets users explore the Britannia continent while enjoying hero-swap tag battles and strategic combo action.

Kakao Games will target the global fandom market in the first quarter with its new casual title "SMiniz." Combining traditional match-3 puzzles with SM Entertainment artist IP, the game goes beyond simple puzzles by strengthening fandom-style experiences such as photocard collection and a costume system. It received positive reviews in a global closed beta test (CBT) held in December last year for its Miniz characters including NCT and aespa and for its high art quality, and it is expected to become a new turning point for Kakao Games' casual portfolio.

An industry official said, "In the first quarter this year, genre diversification stands out, not only with large MMORPGs but also shooting, strategy and fandom-style casual games." The official added, "As major South Korean game companies are not settling into a specific genre and are putting forward differentiated gameplay to satisfy diverse tastes of global users, we expect new vitality across the market."