KOCCA Conducts Survey of Game Users in 18 Countries
Rapid Increase in Battleground Mobile Users
Effective Regional Customized Strategies for Overseas Market Expansion
‘PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS’ (hereinafter Battlegrounds), a survival shooting game developed by Krafton Inc., and Battlegrounds Mobile ranked first among popular games overseas last year.
According to the ‘2023 Survey on Korean Game Users in Overseas Markets’ report published by the Korea Creative Content Agency on the 8th, Battlegrounds and Battlegrounds Mobile ranked first in the PC and online game category and the mobile game category preferred by overseas users, respectively.
The survey was conducted on 9,200 Korean game users aged 15 and older residing in 18 countries across four regions: Asia (China, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam, India), Americas and Oceania (United States, Canada, Brazil, Australia), Europe (United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy), and Middle East and Africa (United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Egypt).
Based on the overall vote share across the 18 countries, Battlegrounds recorded 12.5% in the PC and online category, and Battlegrounds Mobile recorded 23.7% in the mobile category, ranking first in each category. By country, Battlegrounds ranked first in seven countries including China (34.9%), India (17.8%), Germany (16.5%), Canada (11.9%), Australia (11.8%), Saudi Arabia (8.0%), and United Arab Emirates (7.6%). Battlegrounds Mobile ranked first in all 17 countries except Taiwan.
In the 2022 survey report, Battlegrounds ranked first in the PC and online category in five countries (United States, Canada, United Kingdom, India, Qatar), and Battlegrounds Mobile ranked first in the mobile category in three countries (United States, India, Pakistan). This year’s survey particularly shows a significant increase in preference for Battlegrounds Mobile. The 2022 survey was conducted on a total of 6,800 Korean game users in 16 overseas countries.
Krafton attributed the increase in overseas preference for Battlegrounds to the expansion of platforms and services and region-specific tailored strategies. They evaluated that by switching to a free-to-play model in 2022, lowering the entry barrier, new overseas users were attracted, maintaining growth momentum. Additionally, various service updates and the release of new maps led to a record-breaking peak concurrent user count of 620,000 in December last year.
Battlegrounds Mobile’s strategy of approaching users with localized marketing in various countries proved effective. Collaborations with popular overseas IPs such as Dragon Ball, Spider-Man, Evangelion, and Jujutsu Kaisen, as well as partnerships with various car brands including McLaren, Bugatti, and Lamborghini, earned strong support from users.
Krafton explained that the resumption of Battlegrounds Mobile service in India (BGMI) last year significantly increased overseas users. They also analyzed that the success of eSports was a driving force behind the increase in overseas user preference. Notably, the ‘PUBG Global Championship 2023 (PGC 2023)’, the most prestigious global tournament for Battlegrounds last year, recorded approximately 1.08 million cumulative viewers over the three days of the grand finals. Battlegrounds Mobile was also the only Korean game IP to be included as an official event at the 19th Hangzhou Asian Games.
A Krafton representative stated, "To ensure Battlegrounds continues to be loved, we plan to deliver the best gaming experience and enjoyment this year through user-centered services and various content updates."
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