Idle games that emphasize simple controls and low immersion are establishing themselves as a new mainstream in the Korean mobile game market.
According to the 2023 Gaming User Survey released by the Korea Creative Content Agency on the 23rd, 62.3% of gamers in their 40s and 45.7% in their 50s reported that they play games. The percentage of gamers in their 60s also reached 29.9%. This marks a slight decrease compared to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it still maintains a high level. Considering that the gaming usage rate among those in their 40s was 50.8% in a survey conducted in 2016, it shows a steady increase.
Idle games are a genre where players can enjoy character development and growth without spending a lot of time. Recently, they have been evolving beyond role-playing games (RPGs) to combine with various genres such as shooting and hack-and-slash. Particularly in South Korea, which has entered an aging society, it has been analyzed that these simple controls and consistent reward structures are gaining popularity among middle-aged and older gamers.
Abroad, the proportion of middle-aged and older gamers is also increasing. According to the Interactive Software Federation of Europe, the largest video game trade association in Europe, 53% of the European population enjoyed video games as of 2022, with gamers aged 45 to 64 increasing by 1 million from the previous year to account for 25%. A survey by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) also indicated that 45% of those aged 50 and older are gamers, which represents 25% of all gamers.
Domestic large game companies are responding to this market trend through idle games. Netmarble plans to release the idle game "King of Fighters AFK," which is currently in global pre-registration, in the first half of next year, following the success of "Seven Knights: Idle" last year. This game reinterprets the Neo Geo Pocket version of the fighting game series "King of Fighters" and features retro sensibility and simple controls. Neowiz has proven the possibilities of idle games through the globally hit "Cat and Soup," which has a unique art style and simple gameplay.
Com2us is preparing for idle RPGs "Gods and Demons" and "Summoners War: Rush." "Gods and Demons" offers various content such as hero collection and combination, player versus player (PvP), and guild collaboration, while "Summoners War: Rush" will showcase a unique gameplay style that combines tower defense with idle content. Both games are set for global release in the first half of next year. NCSoft has also climbed to the top five in domestic Google Play sales with its idle game "Journey of Monarch," leveraging the Lineage intellectual property (IP), successfully targeting both the existing Lineage fanbase and new user segments.
Wemade Connect is preparing a new title "Lost Sword," which emphasizes subculture style, and mid-sized game companies and indie developers are also competing to establish a foothold in the idle game market. Generally, it is noted that idle games can be developed with only one-fifth of the workforce required for large-scale massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), which is considered an advantage in significantly reducing development costs and time.
However, as market competition intensifies, it has been pointed out that providing differentiated content is essential. An industry insider noted, "Games that simply repeat idle structures struggle to maintain user interest for long periods," and emphasized that 'providing differentiated experiences through the integration of new genres is the key to success.'