2026 Korean Gamers’ Primary Platform Analysis: PC and Mobile Dominance, Gender Differences, and Monetization Patterns

When examining the platforms Korean gamers primarily use to play games, it becomes clear that the current gaming environment in Korea continues to be structured around two dominant pillars: PC and mobile. This analysis is based on a single-choice question, where respondents were asked to select only one platform they personally perceive as their primary gaming platform. As a result, the data highlights where each gamer’s most representative gaming environment is situated.

Primary Gaming Platform Structure in Korea: The Continued Dominance of PC

Looking at the total sample, PC publisher launchers account for the largest share at 33.0%. When combined with PC Steam (16.1%), nearly half of all respondents identify PC as their primary gaming platform. This indicates that PC-based gaming remains the central pillar of the Korean gaming market, maintaining a stable and dominant position.

Mobile platforms also form a significant axis. Apple App Store (iOS) accounts for 25.6%, while Google Play Store (Android) accounts for 16.5%, meaning that over 40% of respondents select mobile as their primary platform. In contrast, console platforms such as Nintendo Switch (5.6%) and PlayStation (2.8%) show relatively low shares. PC handheld devices and UMPCs register just 0.4%, indicating that these devices are still niche choices limited to a small group of users.

Overall, the Korean gaming environment shows a highly stabilized structure centered on PC and mobile, while consoles and emerging devices remain in a clearly secondary position.

Differences in Primary Platform Selection by Gender

When the same structure is analyzed by gender, clear differences in primary platform selection emerge.Among male gamers, PC publisher launchers (39.6%) represent the largest share, followed by PC Steam (18.9%). Combined, these two platforms indicate that more than half of male respondents perceive PC as their primary gaming environment.

Mobile platforms show relatively balanced usage among men, with iOS at 17.2% and Android at 16.6%, but both remain notably lower than PC. Console platforms also remain limited, with PlayStation at 4.1% and Nintendo Switch at 3.6%, reinforcing the idea that male gamers’ platform choices are strongly concentrated on PC. This aligns with male gamers’ strong preference for competitive and high-immersion genres such as MOBA, battle royale, and RTS, where PC offers advantages in precision control and long-session gameplay.

In contrast, female gamers show a much clearer mobile-centered platform structure. The most frequently selected platform among women is Apple App Store (iOS), at 37.9%. Unlike male gamers, whose mobile usage is relatively evenly split between iOS and Android, female gamers show a strong concentration specifically toward iOS.

Android usage among women stands at 16.4%, similar to men, but the substantially higher iOS share results in a mobile-first, iOS-centered platform structure. This trend naturally connects with women’s stronger preference for casual games, which are highly optimized for mobile environments. PC usage among women is lower than among men, with PC publisher launchers at 23.3% and PC Steam at 12.1%.

Gender differences also appear in console usage. Nintendo Switch is selected by 8.6% of female gamers—more than twice the male share (3.6%). Conversely, PlayStation is more frequently selected by men (4.1%) than women (0.9%). In summary, when limited to a single primary platform choice, male gamers clearly gravitate toward PC, while female gamers favor mobile platforms, particularly iOS, as their representative gaming environment.

Monetization Experience and Spending Patterns by Platform

Following platform usage, the analysis turns to monetization behavior. Overall, 64.6% of respondents report having spent money on games, indicating that in-game spending is no longer limited to a small core audience but has become a widely normalized behavior across the Korean gaming market. At the same time, 35.4% remain non-spenders, showing that free-to-play and paying users continue to coexist within the market.

When examining average monthly spending among paying users by primary platform, clear differences in consumption patterns emerge. On mobile platforms, iOS users spend an average of KRW 27,000 per month, while Android users spend KRW 26,000, forming a relatively low and similar spending structure.

In contrast, PC platforms show significantly higher spending levels. Both PC Steam and PC publisher launchers average KRW 54,000 per month, roughly double the mobile spending level. This suggests that PC-based gaming experiences tend to drive deeper and more sustained monetization behavior.

Console platforms record the highest average spending figures. Nintendo Switch users spend an average of KRW 85,000 per month, while PlayStation users spend KRW 65,000. However, given the relatively small number of paying users on consoles, these figures should be interpreted less as absolute comparisons and more as indicators of a high-spending tendency among console users.

Taken together, the Korean gaming market shows that monetization itself is already widespread, while spending scale and consumption style vary clearly by primary platform, forming a multi-layered structure across mobile, PC, and console ecosystems.

Data Source: Direct Research Korea panel, n=285 (Male 59.3%, Female 40.7%)

Online Fieldwork: Dec 3–5, 2025