World’s Biggest Game Show `E3`

“Video game goes online.”

The world’s largest game show, E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo), was closed in Los Angeles, U.S.A. Among 1,000 pieces of software of 400 enterprises from 70 different nations, the keyword was definitely video game’s online advancement.

Korean game makers mainly participated with PC online games, and earned 190 million dollars worth of consultation, which is 30 per cent higher than last year. There was, however, certain regret that the actual contracts only counted 3 or 4, lacking proper acknowledgement in the international market. However, domestic game enterprises managed to do well in the categories of mobile games and children’s educational games.

∇International Game Market Is Moving Towards Online = Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE), Microsoft (MS), and Nintendo fought a silent war of price reduction for game players a week before the E3 on the 14th, and this time, the war was about online service.

Although video games have been in the offline form until now, in which players were connected to TV, users will be able enjoy games simultaneously over the Internet if the system changes to online.

SCE, which produces Play Station 2 (PS2), has introduced new online titles like `Final Fantasy 11` and `Madden 2003 NFL`, which will be in service in the U.S. by this August. The U.S. Nave Seal game `Socom` had, especially, attracted much attention, as its operation is done by gamers wearing headsets for direct communication.

MS also introduced its `Xbox Live`, an online game to be released in August.

Xbox seems to have an advantage in the price competition, as it enables users to enjoy online games without separate connection devices, but only the charge of 49.95 dollars, including the communicator that has microphone. Nintendo is to put out its modem and broadband adaptor for the online service by this fall.

∇Continuing Interest At Korean PC Online Games = As 30 Korean enterprises participated in this expo, total number of 13 contracts out of 631 consultations were signed. Gravity’s 3D online game `Ragnarok` was relatively successful, as it concluded 1.8 million dollars worth of contracts with game agencies from China, Japan, and Taiwan.

Korea’s Phantagram and Digital Dream Studio (DDS) introduced about 10 video games, including `Strident` and `White Storm`, expecting good reactions. Levac concluded the most contracts among the Korean enterprises, as it signed 7 contracts (2 million dollars) in total.

▽Korea Finds New Possibility In Mobile Games = As entertainment function of mobile phones and Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) is being highlighted, Korean game makers like Zio Interactive, Com2us, and Gamevil gained much attention in the category. Although mobile game is only at its establishment in the game industry, which is largely divided into video games (60%) and PC games (30%), rapid annual growth of 40 per cent until 2005 is expected. In particular, Zio grabbed much of the U.S. local press’ attention by introducing `Tiger Woods Golf Tour` and `FIFA 2002`, which loaded perfect 3D images and wireless network function on communication devices.

Chang-Won Kim changkim@donga.com