Playing to Pay: Interplay of Monetization and Retention Strategies in Korean Mobile Gaming

2025-04-14

AI Summary

This study investigates the interplay between monetization strategies and player retention in South Korea’s mature mobile gaming market, alongside associated ethical risks. Method: Through hands-on gameplay, structured video analysis, and qualitative coding of 40 top-grossing titles, the research systematically identifies prevalent design patterns. Contribution/Results: It establishes the first monetization strategy taxonomy tailored to mature markets, revealing three dominant, high-prevalence patterns—time-limited progression, conflict-driven mechanics, and social dynamics engineering. The analysis uncovers critical regulatory gaps, including insufficient transparency, inadequate probability disclosure (e.g., gacha odds), and exploitative use of competitive pressure. Based on these findings, the study proposes actionable policy recommendations: cross-jurisdictional regulatory coordination and targeted safeguards for vulnerable players. The framework advances theoretical understanding of ethical game governance and informs sustainable, socially responsible commercial practices in interactive entertainment.

Technology Category

• Game Theory and Economic Paradigms: Mechanism Design
• Multiagent Systems: Mechanism Design
• Humans and AI: Game Design — Procedural Content Generation & Storytelling

Application Category

• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: Accountability, Transparency, and Ethics for personalization
• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Fairness and ethical considerations in crowd work and in human-in-the-loop AI systems
• Responsible Web: Social and technical mechanisms of refusal for web technologies and applications

Abstract

Mobile gaming's global growth has introduced evolving monetization strategies, such as in app purchases and ads, designed to boost revenue while maintaining player engagement. However, there is limited understanding of the scope and frequency of these strategies, particularly in mature markets like South Korea. To address this research gap, this study examines the monetization strategies used in the top 40 most popular Korean mobile games through direct gameplay observations and targeted video analyses. We identified the prevalence of specific strategies, including time gated progression, Conflict Driven Design, and social Dynamics, which are systematically categorized in our proposed framework for monetization. Our findings also highlight ethical concerns, including issues with transparency, probability disclosures, and the exploitation of competitive pressures areas that remain poorly regulated. To address these challenges, we emphasize the need for stricter consumer protections, cross regional research, and greater focus on protecting vulnerable populations to promote a more equitable and responsible gaming environment.

Problem

• Analyzing monetization strategies in Korean mobile games
• Investigating ethical concerns in game monetization practices
• Proposing consumer protections for equitable gaming environments

Innovation

• Direct gameplay observations of top Korean mobile games
• Video analyses to categorize monetization strategies
• Proposed framework for systematic monetization categorization