Leading games in PC bangs in South Korea 2023

In November of 2023, around 44 percent of the total playtime of games played in PC bangs in South Korea was spent playing League of Legends. This was followed by FIFA Online, with about 10.3 percent of total usage time.

 PC bang culture

PC bang is a LAN gaming center that emerged from internet cafes. Nowadays, it provides high-end gaming equipment as well as a fast internet connection and serves as a hotspot for South Korean gamers. Furthermore, due to its open spatial structure, PC bangs have a role as a social venue for Koreans to spend time with friends or colleagues. On top of that, other reasons to visit PC bangs are to play games with high-end PCs or to take advantage of exclusive rewards and events.

The sales revenue of PC bangs in South Korea has continuously grown. Moreover, it is estimated to improve over the years by earning not only usage fees but also additional revenue from food and beverage services offered in PC bangs. Accordingly, the average length of stays in PC bangs has been on the ascent since 2018.

 South Korean gaming industry in the global market 

The gaming market in South Korea have grown sharply for over a decade. On top of that, the country accounted for the fourth largest gaming market worldwide, after China, the U.S., and Japan. In particular, PC games and mobile games are currently the main industries in the global market, led by the top three Korean gaming companies, the so-called 3N: Nexon, Netmarble, and NCsoft. Following the rise of the industry, these leading companies are fiercely competing with each other. For example, offered salaries have risen dramatically to secure valuable game developers. In addition, as the mobile game market quickly grows due to its accessibility and portability, companies are releasing mobile versions of their successful PC games.