About Gaming sector in South Korea
The Gaming sector in South Korea comprises 810 companies, including 324 funded companies having collectively raised $1.92B in venture capital money and private equity. Out of these, 100 are Series A+ funded, and 5 have achieved unicorn status.
Gaming sector in South Korea has seen 34 acquisitions and 36 IPOs. This represents almost 8.6% of all such companies - which is higher than the 4.5% exit rate of tech companies in general.
This sector includes companies engaged in game development for personal computers, mobile devices, and eSports, as well as those supplying gaming hardware and software to studios, developers, players, and tournament organizers.
Gaming sector is also known as Gaming Tech.
Companies that create mobile, PC, and eSports games, game publishers and platforms, tech companies that supply analytics, monetization, and advertising to players, eSports organisations, and companies that create and sell gaming hardware like gaming PCs, controllers, and VR headsets, among others are included in this sector. Companies that specialise in real money gambling and betting include those creating, marketing, and selling mechanical arcade games, board games, puzzles, casino equipment, non-gaming virtual reality devices, professional simulation controllers, TV & audiovisual products, computers & peripherals, mobiles & accessories, and game developers are excluded.
Top Gaming Companies in South Korea
There are 810 Gaming startups in South Korea which include Krafton, LINE Games, Netmarble Games Corporation, WeMade Entertainment, Com2uS. Out of these, 324 startups are funded, with 100 having secured Series A+ funding, and 5 achieving unicorn status.
Over the past 10 years, an average of 32 new companies have been launched annually. Notably, several of these startups have been founded by alumni of University of California (Berkeley), Haas School of Business and National University of Singapore (NUS).
Here is the list of top Gaming startups in South Korea
1. Krafton
Provider of online games. It offers a variety of games like Pubg Battlegrounds, New State Mobile, and more. It also provides a platform called Krafton ID for users to access exclusive in game content and rewards. The company collaborates with companies like Microsoft Azure for gaming experiences.
Key facts about Krafton
- Founded Year: 2007
- Location: Seoul (South Korea)
- Stage: Public
- Total Funding till date: $35M
- Investors: IMM Investment, Altos Ventures Management and 15 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series C, Aug 14, 2017, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 83/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 2 of 1,835 Competitors
2. LINE Games
Mobile game developer & publisher of mid-core genres. The company specializes in developing mid-core games such as role-playing, first-person shooter, MMO, etc. Some of the games developed by the company include Exos Heroes, First Summoner, Destiny Child, Dragon Flight, etc. These games are available on the Android & iOS platforms. It generates revenue through in-app purchases. The upcoming game is TPS RPG for the PC platform.
Key facts about LINE Games
- Founded Year: 2017
- Location: Seoul (South Korea)
- Stage: Series A
- Total Funding till date: $10.8M
- Investors: Blocore, BITKRAFT Ventures and 6 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series A, Aug 09, 2022, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 77/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 1 of 1,074 Competitors
Developer of mobile-based mid-core games. The company develops and publishes games across platforms and has multiple development studios as its subsidiaries. It has developed multiple games including Lineage2 Revolution, Marvel Future Fight and Raven for mobile platforms. It generates revenue through advertisements and in-app purchases.
Key facts about Netmarble Games Corporation
- Founded Year: 2012
- Location: Seoul (South Korea)
- Stage: Public
- Total Funding till date: $533M
- Investors: Shinhan Venture Investment, Tencent and 4 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series D, Mar 26, 2014, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 75/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 5 of 1,074 Competitors
Video game developer focusing on MMORPGs. The company has developed multiple MMORPGs including the Legend of Mir series and Night Crow. It also provides services such as game publishing, game hosting, and mobile game development. It is also working on the game Dragon Mist targeted at tablet platforms and Knights of Silkroad an action MMORPG.
Key facts about WeMade Entertainment
- Founded Year: 2000
- Location: Seoul (South Korea)
- Stage: Acquired
- Investors: Kiwoom Securities, Microsoft and 3 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Post IPO, Nov 02, 2022, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 71/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 13 of 2,631 Competitors
5. Com2uS
Mobile game developer and publisher. It has developed multiple games including Ace Fishing - Wild Catch a casual game, MLB 9 Innings GM - a baseball team management and simulation game, and Summoners War Sky Arena - a fantasy MMORPG for mobile devices. It generates revenue through the freemium model. The games are available for iOS and Android users.
Key facts about Com2uS
- Founded Year: 1998
- Location: Seoul (South Korea)
- Stage: Acquired
- Total Funding till date: $8M
- Investors: Storm Ventures, KTB Ventures and 4 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series A, Aug 30, 2005, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 71/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 3 of 257 Competitors
Companies founded year-on-year in the Gaming sector in South Korea
56 Gaming startups in South Korea were founded in 2018 - this is the most number of startups founded in any year in the last 10 years.
- Total Number of Companies
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | - |
2025 | 3 |
2024 | 12 |
2023 | 13 |
2022 | 46 |
2021 | 51 |
2020 | 53 |
2019 | 48 |
2018 | 56 |
2017 | 46 |
Stage-wise distribution of Gaming sector companies in South Korea
Out of the total 810 Gaming companies in South Korea, 324 have secured funding. Among them, 100 have reached Series A or higher, and 81 to Series B or beyond.
Founded - 810
Funded - 324
Series A+ - 100
Series B+ - 81
Series C+ - 76
Company Stage | No. of companies |
|---|---|
Founded | 810 |
Funded | 324 |
Series A+ | 100 |
Series B+ | 81 |
Series C+ | 76 |
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Funding Trends in the Gaming sector in South Korea
Total funding year-on-year in the Gaming sector in South Korea
The Gaming sector in South Korea saw a total funding of more than $726M in the last 10 years. The most amount of funding was in 2022 at more than $233M. There has been a total funding of $20.1M in 2026 till date.
- Total Funding
Year | Total Funding |
|---|---|
2026 | $20.1M |
2025 | $5.2M |
2024 | $62.5M |
2023 | $10.2M |
2022 | $233M |
2021 | $150M |
2020 | $74.2M |
2019 | $15.9M |
2018 | $28.2M |
2017 | $127M |
Recent Funding Rounds in Gaming in South Korea
In the year 2026, till March 2026, Gaming companies in South Korea have raised $20.1M in equity funding across 4 rounds.
In the same period last year (i.e. till March 2025), Gaming companies in South Korea had raised equity funding across 1 round.
Here are some recent, important funding rounds in Gaming companies in South Korea:
Company | Round Raised | Amount Raised | Funding Date | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Seed | 6626 | Mar 26, 2026 | ||
Series A | 8615 | Mar 06, 2026 | ||
Series A | 4260 | Mar 03, 2026 | - | |
Seed | 1182 | Feb 10, 2026 | ||
Series A | 5169 | Jul 22, 2025 | and 7 more |
Top Investors in Gaming in South Korea
Korea Investment Holdings is the top investor in Gaming companies in South Korea based on number of companies invested.
Here are some top investors in Gaming companies in South Korea:
Investor | Location | Top Portfolio Companies |
|---|---|---|
Seoul (South Korea) | ||
Seoul (South Korea) | - | |
Seoul (South Korea) | ||
Hong Kong (China) | ||
Seoul (South Korea) |
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M&A activity in Gaming sector in South Korea
In the year 2026, till July 2026, 1 acquisition happened in Gaming sector in South Korea. Last year, in 2025, a total of 1 acquisition happened in Gaming sector in South Korea.
Here are some recent, important acquisitions in Gaming sector in South Korea:
Company | Acquisition Type | Acquisition Date | Acquirers |
|---|---|---|---|
Business Acquisition | Jul 01, 2026 | - | |
Business Acquisition | Jun 13, 2025 | ||
Business Acquisition | Apr 29, 2024 | ||
Business Acquisition | Feb 16, 2023 | ||
Business Acquisition | Feb 14, 2023 | - |
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Acquisition trends in Gaming sector in South Korea
Here are the acquisition trends in Gaming sector in South Korea:
- Total Number of Acquisitions
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | 1 |
2025 | 1 |
2024 | 1 |
2023 | 2 |
2022 | 5 |
2021 | 5 |
2020 | - |
2019 | 2 |
2018 | 3 |
2017 | - |
IPOs in Gaming in South Korea
In the year 2024, till July 2024, 1 IPO happened in Gaming sector in South Korea.
Here are some recent, important IPOs in Gaming sector in South Korea:
Company | IPO Date | Exchange Symbol |
|---|---|---|
Jul 11, 2024 | Korea Exchange (KRX) | |
Nov 17, 2022 | Korea Exchange (KRX) | |
Feb 04, 2022 | Korea Exchange (KRX) | |
Aug 10, 2021 | Korea Exchange (KRX) | |
Aug 18, 2020 | Korea Exchange (KRX) |
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Colleges which produce the most Gaming companies in South Korea
Companies founded by alumni from top colleges in the Gaming in South Korea
Most number of Gaming startups in South Korea have been founded by alumni from University of California (Berkeley), Haas School of Business and National University of Singapore (NUS).
College | No. of companies |
|---|---|
University of California (Berkeley) | 2 |
Haas School of Business | 1 |
National University of Singapore (NUS) | 1 |
Seoul National University | 1 |
University of Chicago | 1 |
University of Toronto | 1 |
Total funding in Gaming companies founded by alumni from top colleges in South Korea
In the last 10 years, Seoul National University graduates' Gaming companies in South Korea have raised the most funding among top colleges. University of Toronto alumni are second.
College | Total Funding |
|---|---|
Seoul National University | $62M |
University of Toronto | $5.8M |
Haas School of Business | - |
National University of Singapore (NUS) | - |
University of California (Berkeley) | - |
University of Chicago | - |
Top News in Gaming in South Korea
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KRAFTON, Naver launch Rs 6,000 Cr India-focused Unicorn Growth Fund with Mirae AssetViestories•Apr 21, 2026•Naver, Krafton, Mirae Asset, Mirae Asset
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Krafton, Naver, Mirae Asset Plan Rs 6,000 Cr India-Focused FundEntrackr•Dec 19, 2025•Krafton, Naver, Mirae Asset, Mirae Asset
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Free-to-play classic fantasy RPG Inotia 4 launches on Steam with party combat, 400 mapsNotebookcheck Publishing GmbH•Dec 12, 2025•Com2uS
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Free-to-play multiplayer Black Stigma launches in early access on SteamNotebookcheck Publishing GmbH•Jul 20, 2025•Boldplay
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Guild Wars 2 Announces New Expansion 'Visions of Eternity' Launching October 2025PR Newswire•Jul 15, 2025•NC, ArenaNet
