Facebook to Resume Its Gaming Services in South Korea Starting from Second Half of 2017

Facebook is planning to resume its gaming services in South Korea starting from second half of this year.

“We are currently discussing with South Korean Government.” said Karen Tao who is in charge of Asia and Pacific regions for Facebook’s gaming business. “When private evaluations are made possible, we are going to resume our gaming services.”

Facebook stopped its gaming services in South Korea since August of 2014 as it was difficult to follow South Korea’s evaluation system that had had preliminary censorship a requirement. Due to changes in laws, all games excluding games that are not available for teenagers can be evaluated by private companies with certain qualifications starting from this year. Facebook is also going to provide its services based on revised laws and regulations.

Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Game Rating and Administration Committee are currently working on registration for self-evaluation systems and establishing online business processing system between gaming committees and gaming companies.

“We are making preparations so that private self-evaluation systems can be ready as soon as possible.” said a representative for South Korean Government. “We are going to have basic system ready by second half of this year at the earliest and we are going to provide our support so that private self-evaluations can be made possible.”

Facebook is going to resume its gaming services that were stopped since August of 2014 in South Korea. It is predicted that people in South Korea will be able to play games through Facebook starting from second half of this year when private self-evaluation systems are going to start. Picture of Facebook Korea headquarters on the 20th.

Facebook’s gaming business can be divided into ‘Facebook web game’ that allows one to play a game within Facebook, marketing solution, and ‘audience network’ that is focused on advertisement solutions. Facebook web game is the business that was stopped by Facebook in South Korea in 2014.

When Facebook resumes its web game service, South Korea’s gaming companies will have another strong channel and a market that allows them to target foreign markets and can target them by tying domestic markets with foreign markets. Netmarble Games and Com2US have grown rapidly through global markets such as Apple and after 2010.

Facebook’s games are different from RPG games that are mainly for people who tend to spend a lot of money as they are mostly based on casual games such as puzzles and casino games.

Both genres take up large percentages of global mobile game markets. Exportability is high because gaming companies are able to develop games based on HTML5 through Facebook and do not need separate installations. South Korea’s DoubleUGames has been listed by having successful performance in North America based on Facebook games.

“Facebook is a wonderful platform for small and medium gaming companies to have successful performance with their ideas.” said a representative for a South Korean gaming company.

Staff Reporter Kim, Siso | [email protected]