Easy and Casual Games Enjoyed by All Ages and Genders
The popularity of mobile casual games, which can be enjoyed in short bursts even during a busy daily life, continues to grow. Korean game companies are expanding their user base by including casual games in their lineups.
According to the gaming industry on July 25, Netmarble recently unveiled its new large-scale pet battle RPG, "StoneAge: PetWorld," and has begun global pre-registration.
This game is the latest installment in the "StoneAge" intellectual property (IP), which was first launched in 1999 and has been enjoyed by 200 million people worldwide. The original title gained popularity not only in Korea but also in China, Taiwan, and other regions around the world, thanks to its unique content of capturing and raising various dinosaurs.
Subsequent games based on the "StoneAge" IP have also achieved significant success. Notably, the mobile turn-based RPG "StoneAge Begins," released in 2016, ranked number one in sales on both Google Play Store and Apple App Store and won the Grand Prize at the "2016 Korea Game Awards."
"Neolithic Age" and "StoneAge: Awakening," released in China in 2023, also topped the local app store sales charts.
The newly revealed title, "StoneAge: PetWorld," is characterized by its reinterpretation of the original's unique sentiment and core fun in a more casual style.
Popular pets from the original, such as Mogaros, Berga, Yangiro, and Kaki, make a comeback with their original personalities intact but in even cuter forms, stimulating the urge to collect. In addition, core systems from the original, such as "pet riding" and "pet capturing," have been simplified to allow for easy enjoyment in a mobile environment.
The game also incorporates a variety of the latest game systems and content. Players can form super-large decks of up to 24 by combining up to 6 trainers and 18 pets. Each trainer and pet possesses distinct abilities and skills, requiring a high level of strategic thinking.
Netmarble's expertise, which led to the success of "Seven Knights Idle" in 2023, is expected to be fully utilized in the process of delivering casual yet deep gameplay.
Webzen has also unveiled a new idle game, "MU: Pocket Knights," based on the "MU" IP. "Pocket Knights" means "a game that can be easily accessed and enjoyed without burden, like a game in your pocket." In line with this, it is being developed as a title that maintains the unique, easy, and fast-paced idle gameplay while reinterpreting the original sentiment.
The reason game companies continue to invest in mobile casual games is that they can be easily enjoyed by people of all ages and genders, resulting in steady demand. In fact, market research firm Sensor Tower pointed out in its "Mobile Game Status Report" in April that "casual games showed the greatest growth last year."
Even recently, casual games featuring cute characters and easy controls have been chosen by gamers. Com2uS's new roguelite hack-and-slash title "Minion100" and Wemade Max's new roguelike casual defense game "Akmadan Dolgyeoek!" have both consecutively ranked number one in the domestic Google Play popular games chart.
An industry insider commented, "While high-quality AAA games on PC and console platforms are receiving a lot of attention these days, on the opposite end, the games that best suit the mobile platform are casual games with simple controls," adding, "There will continue to be demand for mobile casual games that can be enjoyed lightly during commutes."
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