Esports is driving the South Korean PC gaming market to new heights

In South Korea, gaming is big business. Nearly everywhere you turn, you see an ad for a game—from subway stations to billboards to television. According to a recent report, the country’s online gaming sector has grown by almost 15 percent, reaching 83 billion won, or $76.2 million, as of 2016. Traditionally, games developed in Korea had a local focus, but as of late, the market is developing more games with global appeal. South Korea now accounts for 14.9 percent of the global gaming market.

It is no secret that console and mobile gaming’s popularity has challenged the PC gaming industry’s dominance. In 2016, mobile games revenue exceeded PC and console revenue for the first time ever. Users now have access to games wherever they are. But as alluring as that on-demand play might be, there is still a major drawback to mobile for the serious gamer: its small screen size. That is part of the reason why we are seeing a resurgence in PC-gaming, both in Korea and beyond.