Console Version Development More Likely to Succeed in Korean VR Game Market

As virtual reality (VR) games are emerging as the future lucrative models in the gaming industry, most companies are developing a set-top box (console) for gaming, which is connected with TVs rather than smartphones, as the platform of VR games. Therefore, all eyes are on the direction of VR game development.

Market experts say that console game is more appropriate to VR since console game itself has a larger market than mobile games and it has a clear picture on the screen and more immersive.

According to industry sources on November 21, major Korean game developers, such as Com2uS Corp., Mgame Corp. and Joycity Corp., haven’t decided on the platform for VR games and some companies are planning to apply the mobile and console platforms to VR games. Com2uS is now developing its mobile sports game “The God of Fishing” in the VR version but haven’t decided the platform yet.

Joycity has decided to release the mobile version of “The Gunship Battle 2” using the intellectual property rights of “The Gunship Battle 2” and it is also preparing the console version for it.

Market watchers at home and abroad say that the main way to dominate the next-generation VR game market is to apply console versions like Sony’s PlayStation to VR games.

However, some raise doubts that the domestic game firms will be able to target the new VR game market as they focus less ability on console games than online and mobile games.

Choi Sung-won, director of Longtu Korea, a subsidiary of Longtu China, said, “In Korea, VR games are mistaken as playing smartphone games in VR. Since Korea has a small console market, the domestic industry only focuses on smartphone games in VR. However, VR should be applied to the console game market first, and then smartphones.”