In the past, Black Pink’s Jisoo recommended the game “Beggar Raising” to her fans during online conversations, revealing that she had been playing the game for three years.
SEOUL, July 8 (Korea Bizwire) —Idle mobile games, a genre of mobile gaming that has previously received limited attention in the mainstream, have recently gained popularity among young people.
Idle games are characterized by simple and repetitive gestures that allow players to enjoy the game without requiring much interaction. They minimize the need for user input, enabling automatic hunting and character growth with just a few clicks. Even when the game is left running or turned off, the characters continue to progress over time.
Among idle games, those in the form of RPGs (role-playing games), where players assume the role of a character and develop the storyline, have become particularly popular. These games are also known as “nurturing” games.
The popularity of idle games stems from their ability to be easily played amidst busy lifestyles, requiring minimal time and effort. Some observers attribute the rise in popularity to the preference of the MZ generation for quick and effortless entertainment.
Tamagotchi involved players using buttons to feed, play with, and clean up after their virtual pets.
Some consider the Tamagotchi, a pet-raising game device released in Japan in the 1990s, as the precursor to idle games.
Tamagotchi involved players using buttons to feed, play with, and clean up after their virtual pets. It gained tremendous popularity after its release in Korea in 1997.
In the past, Black Pink’s Jisoo recommended the game “Beggar Raising” to her fans during online conversations, revealing that she had been playing the game for three years.
As the name implies, the game revolves around making a beggar character wealthy. By repeatedly tapping buttons, players accumulate money to purchase real estate, businesses, cities, and even planets. The game has surpassed 5 million downloads on the Google Play Store, with a series of three installments.
Idle games have amassed a substantial fan base not only in Korea but also in the global market. Representative idle games such as “Cats and Soup” and “Legend of Slime” have gained immense popularity among domestic and international users, with over 40 million and 18 million cumulative downloads, respectively.
Roadcomplete’s “Legend of Slime” has achieved global success, reaching 1 million daily active users (DAUs) and generating 100 billion won in cumulative revenue within 10 months of its release.
According to Sensor Tower, a global mobile market analytics firm, the domestic idle game market is steadily growing. The share of idle game purchase revenue in Korean RPG games increased from 1 percent in 2020 to 2 percent in 2021 and 3 percent in 2022.
Consequently, the game industry is placing significant emphasis on idle RPG games. Mgame is currently accepting pre-orders for its upcoming idle RPG “Queen’s Night,” while Netmarble has announced plans to release “Raise Seven Knights” in September.
Representative idle games such as “Cats and Soup” and “Legend of Slime” have gained immense popularity among domestic and international users, with over 40 million and 18 million cumulative downloads, respectively.
The entrance of major game companies into the idle game market is expected to intensify competition that has been dominated by small developers in the past.
Recently, prominent game companies like Netmarble have also ventured into idle game development. Netmarble’s announcement of “Raise Seven Knights,” an idle game based on the popular “Seven Knights” series, demonstrates the company’s confidence in the market.
Experts have suggested that the prevalence of “snack culture,” characterized by consuming content in short periods, is influencing the preferences of gamers. As individuals in their 20s and 30s find themselves too busy with various commitments and consuming a vast amount of content, the popularity of idle games, requiring minimal initial setup and convenient play during everyday tasks or hobbies, is on the rise.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
