"Targeting the Console Game Market" SK Telecom Participates in Game Expo 'E3 2021'

First Domestic Telecom Company to Host Online 'E3 2021'... Targeting Global Console Game Market
Four Published Games Revealed: 'Anvil', 'Supssok-ui Jageun Manyeo', 'Vapor World', 'Neoverse'

Four games published by SKT in collaboration with domestic game companies. (From the top left, clockwise) 'Anvil', 'Supssok-ui Jageun Manya', 'Vapor World', 'Neoverse'

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] SK Telecom is participating in the world’s largest game expo, ‘E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) 2021,’ as the first domestic telecom company to target the global console game market.

SK Telecom announced on the 11th that it will set up a separate online booth at E3 2021, which will be held for four days starting on the 12th (local time in the U.S.), to unveil publishing console games developed in collaboration with domestic game developers. The company explained that participating in E3 is meaningful in terms of officially promoting SK Telecom’s game publishing efforts to the global market.

The publishing games SK Telecom will showcase at E3 2021 this year include four titles: the action shooting game ‘Anvil’ (developed by Action Square), the RPG game ‘Supsok-ui Jageun Manyeo’ (The Little Witch in the Forest) (developed by Sunnysideup), the action adventure game ‘Vapor World’ (developed by Alive), and the card action game ‘Neoverse’ (developed by Tino Games).

Among these, Neoverse was first released last December on Microsoft’s Xbox platform and as a ‘5GX Cloud Game.’ SK Telecom stated that this is regarded as a ‘win-win’ model where the marketing and planning capabilities lacking in small and medium-sized game developers are supplemented through collaboration with large corporations.

The other three games are also scheduled to be sequentially released within the year through Xbox and 5GX Cloud Game. In particular, Anvil will allow visitors to play a demo version during E3 2021, aiming to improve the game’s completeness based on feedback. SK Telecom is the only company in Asia currently collaborating with Xbox and 5GX Cloud Game.

Additionally, SK Telecom plans to actively expand the domestic console game ecosystem by forming the ‘Smart SKT Infinitum Game Fund’ worth approximately 14 billion KRW together with the Korea Fund of Funds to support small and medium-sized game companies.

Jae-yoo Cho, head of SK Telecom’s game division, said, “We are pleased to participate in the world-renowned game expo E3 together with leading domestic game developers,” adding, “We will continue our efforts to develop the gaming ecosystem in the 5G era, including the global market entry of the domestic game industry through the Xbox platform and 5GX Cloud Game.”

E3 is the largest electronic entertainment expo in North America hosted by the Entertainment Software Association in the U.S. This year’s exhibition will feature about 50 global game manufacturers and developers, including SK Telecom, Xbox, Nintendo, and Ubisoft. Due to the impact of COVID-19, the event will be held online, and customers who wish to attend can apply through the E3 website.