Korean video games gaining interest from Japanese gamers

NCSoft Corp.’s Lineage W [Photo provided by NCSoft]

Korean video game makers are making a foray into the Japan as some Korean video games have been observed climbing the top sales charts in the gaming market, which has often been described as a graveyard for many Korean video game makers as Korean video games that have found success in other parts of Asia have struggled in Japan due to different tastes and the strong presence of domestic game makers like Sony Group Corp. and Nintendo Co.

According to big data analytics platform Mobile Index, NCSoft Corp.’s massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), Lineage W, entered the top 10 in Japan’s Google Play sales rankings on June 20, almost about two years after its release. While MMORPGs are not as popular in Japan compared with other regions, Lineage W has managed to attract Japanese gamers due to its consistent updates of customized content.

In March, NCSoft released the second collaboration between Lineage W and Berserk a popular local comic book, following their initial collaboration last year. “The fact that gamers from 12 countries around the world can gather on one server and engage in country-to-country battles seems to have appealed to Japanese MMORPG fans,” stated an NCSoft official. The official also mentioned that real-time artificial intelligence (AI) translation plays a significant role in eliminating language barriers, further contributing to the game’s success.

Another Korean video game, Odin: Valhalla Rising, released in Japan by Kakao Games Corp. on June 15, is also performing well, ranking eighth in local Google Play sales on Saturday. The game had a promising start, surpassing 1 million pre-orders, primarily due to its content localization efforts.

Kakao Games hired popular Japanese voice actors and rewarded users with ninja avatars. Additionally, they organized a series of early access events in major cities, including Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo, Fukuoka and Nagoya. Industry insiders are hopeful that Odin, which is based on Northern European mythology, will help expand the MMORPG player base in Japan, given the local affinity for European concepts.

The Japanese game market is the world’s third-largest, making it an attractive target for Korean game makers. However, it is also one of the most challenging markets due to Japanese gamers’ preference for console gaming rather than PCs or mobile devices, which are the main platforms for Korean game makers.

Even in the mobile sector, there is a strong preference for casual and collectible role-playing game (RPG) genres that can be enjoyed individually rather than in large-scale competition. As a result, many Korean games with a large-scale focus have struggled to impress local gamers in Japan.

Starting this year, however, Korean games have been gaining popularity, especially in the dominant market of subcultures. One example is The Goddess of Victory: Nikke by Korean mobile game developer Shiftup Corp. The game quickly rose to the top of the Japanese app store chart within a day of its release in November and is now demonstrating signs of long-term success. Following a summer update on June 16, which introduced a beach background and swimsuit costumes, the game reclaimed the No. 2 position on the app store chart.

In addition to featuring full dubbing by local voice actors, the game has actively engaged in collaborations with popular local content. In March, the video game initiated its first collaboration with the well-known Japanese comic book Chainsaw Man, paying tribute to the character’s dialogue and utilizing the same voice actors. Within a month of its launch, the game developer was flooded with requests for merchandise and animation production.