Where Do Korean Gamers Play?: An Analysis of Primary Platform Choice and Spending Behavior in the Korean Gaming Market

Examining where Korean gamers primarily play reveals that the domestic gaming environment continues to be structured around two core pillars: PC and mobile. This analysis is based on a survey design that asked respondents to select one primary gaming platform only, rather than allowing multiple responses. As a result, the findings more clearly capture the single platform each gamer perceives as their main game-playing environment.

The Primary Platform Structure of the Korean Gaming Market: A Stable PC-Led Advantage

Across all respondents, the most frequently selected primary gaming platform in Korea was PC publisher launchers (33.0%). When combined with PC Steam (16.1%), nearly half of all respondents identify PC as their main gaming platform. This clearly demonstrates that PC-based gaming remains the central foundation of the Korean gaming market.

Mobile platforms form the second major axis. Apple App Store (iOS) accounts for 25.6%, while Google Play Store (Android) represents 16.5%, meaning that more than 40% of respondents consider mobile their primary gaming platform. In contrast, console platforms such as Nintendo Switch (5.6%) and PlayStation (2.8%) show relatively low shares. PC handheld devices and UMPCs account for just 0.4%, indicating that these newer devices are still niche choices for a limited user base.

Overall, the Korean gaming market shows a highly stabilized platform structure centered on PC and mobile, with consoles and emerging devices remaining in supporting roles.

How Primary Platform Choice Differs by Age Group

When this overall structure is examined by age group, a more nuanced picture emerges. Beneath the PC-centered average lie distinct platform usage patterns shaped by life stage and gaming habits, rather than simple device preference alone.

Ages 18–22: Parallel Use of PC and Mobile

Among gamers aged 18–22, primary platform choice is broadly distributed rather than concentrated. Apple App Store (iOS) accounts for 33.3%, closely followed by PC publisher launchers at 32.7%. Neither PC nor mobile dominates outright. PC Steam (16.4%) and Google Play Store (11.9%) further contribute to a structure in which four major platforms are relatively evenly represented.

This pattern suggests that for this age group, PC is not exclusively a long-term immersion environment for a single title. Instead, it functions in parallel with mobile, used flexibly depending on context. Even within PC, the gap between publisher launchers and Steam is small, reflecting a tendency toward game exploration and movement across titles rather than fixation on a single ecosystem.

Ages 23–27: A Clearly PC-Centered Structure

For gamers aged 23–27, primary platform choice converges strongly around PC. PC publisher launchers (35.8%) and PC Steam (24.5%) together exceed 60%, marking the highest level of PC concentration among all age groups.

Notably, publisher launchers outperform Steam by more than 11 percentage points, indicating that PC usage in this cohort is less about exploration and more about deep engagement with specific games or IPs. In this group, PC is not one option among many—it functions as the core gaming environment.

Ages 28 and Older: A Distributed, Multi-Platform Structure

Among gamers aged 28 and above, a different structure appears. PC publisher launchers and Google Play Store both record 31.5%, tying for first place. They are followed by Apple App Store (11.0%) and PC Steam (9.6%). Console platforms also become more visible, with Nintendo Switch at 9.6% and PlayStation at 6.8%.

This indicates a multi-platform coexistence model, where PC, mobile, and console each serve distinct roles. PC usage spans both publisher launchers and Steam, combining periods of deep immersion with more situational, selective play.

In summary, while all age groups share an overall PC-centered structure, their patterns differ clearly:ages 18–22 show a parallel-use model, ages 23–27 a concentrated PC model, and ages 28+ a distributed, multi-platform model.

Monetization Experience and Spending Patterns by Platform

Looking beyond platform usage to monetization reveals a more layered picture of consumer behavior in the Korean gaming market. Overall, 64.6% of respondents report having spent money on games, indicating that monetization is now a mainstream experience rather than a behavior limited to core users. At the same time, 35.4% remain non-spenders, highlighting a continued coexistence of paying and non-paying players.

When examining average monthly spending among spenders by primary platform, clear differences emerge. On mobile, spending levels are relatively moderate and consistent: ₩27,000 on iOS and ₩26,000 on Android per month.

PC platforms, however, show significantly higher spending. Both PC Steam and publisher launchers average ₩54,000 per month, roughly double the mobile level. This suggests that PC gaming environments are more closely associated with deeper and more sustained monetization behaviors.

Console platforms record the highest average figures—₩85,000 for Nintendo Switch and ₩65,000 for PlayStation. While the number of spenders is smaller, these figures point to a high-spending tendency rather than broad-based consumption.

Conclusion: Platform Choice Defines How Games Are Consumed

Taken together, this analysis shows that the Korean gaming market rests on a stable PC-and-mobile foundation, while platform choice varies significantly by age group and directly shapes spending behavior. Platform selection is no longer just a matter of access—it increasingly defines how deeply players engage and how much they are willing to spend.

In this sense, a gamer’s primary platform functions as a clear indicator of their overall consumption style. Understanding these structural differences is a critical starting point for future game design, marketing strategy, and live-service planning in the Korean market.

Data Source: Direct Research Korea panel, n=285 (Male 59.3%, Female 40.7%)

Online Fieldwork: Dec 3–5, 2025