An Empirical Study of Success Factors in Korea's Game Industry

Korea's game industry is enjoying remarkable growth along with China and Southeast Asia. This study proposes and analyzes the relationships among characteristics of the basic environment, such as management, technology, marketing, and industry trends, among Korea's game companies. Through this analysis, game companies can attempt to achieve growth and expansion into global markets. From this study, these achievements can be made through leadership in technological development, by identifying competence in managers, and from awareness of the trends in markets and the game industry. Securing intellectual property rights to sustain performance and market expansion is one of the most important strategies in the game industry. In other words, the performance of a game company depends on the ability of managers to provide the newest story and user services, and to apply research and development in technology, marketing, and related industries. Because previous research has focused on the external aspects of games, including their effectiveness and impacts, this study differs in that it comprehensively considers internal aspects of the game company, the market, and the industry. This study explores the key success factors for improving corporate performance in Korea's game industry by setting up environmental, strategic, and performance models to investigate relevant factors. We also parameterize the market adaptation and R&D functions of companies. Through this research, we expect to support strategic decision-making in the game industry and contribute to enhancing the performance of game companies.