Netmarble set to spark subculture craze at Summer Game Fest

Netmarble Corp., South Korea’s leading game developer and publisher, is seeking to capitalize on the surging global demand for so-called subculture games, with two new games due to hit the market later this year.

The company announced on Wednesday that it will showcase a cinematic trailer for “The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin” and debut new footage from “Mongil: Star Dive” at the sixth annual Summer Game Fest, which runs from June 6 to 9 in Los Angeles, California.

Both games are slated for global release in the second half of 2025.

The Summer Game Fest, hosted by The Game Awards creator and game journalist Geoff Keighley, is a fan-oriented celebration of the future of video games. It has become a key launchpad for major releases following the decline of the game industry’s old E3 trade show.

Following the new game showcase at the fest, Netmarble will step up its push to expand its footprint in the subculture game segment, which has recently emerged as a popular game genre, especially in Korea and Japan.

SUBCULTURE GAMES

Subculture games cater to dedicated fandoms rather than mass audiences. Heavily influenced by Japanese anime, these games emphasize character collection, stylized design and community engagement.

Players often spend significantly on in-game purchases and related merchandise.

According to Sensor Tower, a digital intelligence and app data analytics provider, “Goddess of Victory: Nikke,” a third-person shooter action role-playing video game (RPG) developed by Korean game studio Shift Up, has generated more than $1 billion in revenue since its launch about two years ago.

The game played a key role in igniting the subculture gaming trend in Korea. 

Another popular subculture title, "Blue Archive," a free-to-play real-time strategy RPG published by Nexon Games, has brought in an estimated $650 million since its debut in 2021.  

Netmarble itself found success in the space with “Solo Leveling: Arise,” rolled out in 2024, which helped the company challenge dominant players in the Korean subculture gaming market.  

TWO TITLES TIED TO PROVEN IP

The Korean gaming publisher will double down on the subculture genre that is gaining traction not just in Korea and Japan, but globally, with “The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin” and “Mongil: Star Dive.”

“The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin” builds on Netmarble’s earlier hit, “The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross,” which surpassed 70 million cumulative downloads as of February.

It is developed using the intellectual property of the Japanese popular manga series “The Seven Deadly Sins,” featuring main characters Meliodas, Elizabeth and their son Tristan.

Players can collect characters and customize their fighting styles.

“Mongil: Star Dive” is a sequel to Netmarble’s popular title “Monster Taming,” launched in 2013.

The company fine-tuned the game in a closed beta test, which ran from May 21 to 27.

The company will maintain active communication with potential users before the release of the two games to optimize the gameplay experience, an official from Netmarble said.  

Netmable planned to launch nine new games in 2025, including the two games and “RF Online Next,” which was already released in March.

Write to Sookyung Seo at skseo@hankyung.com

Jennifer Nicholson-Breen edited this article.