South Korean gaming company Netmarble posted solid first-quarter earnings growth while reinforcing its long-term strategy focused on global multi-platform game services and sustainable live operations rather than short-term revenue spikes.
Netmarble announced on Wednesday that it recorded consolidated revenue of 651.7 billion won ($470 million) and operating profit of 53.1 billion won for the first quarter of 2026. Revenue increased 4.5% year-over-year, while operating profit rose 6.8%.
Net income surged 163% to 210.9 billion won, largely driven by gains from the sale of the company’s stake in HYBE.
Industry observers say the results reflect both the stable performance of existing live-service titles and the early contribution of newly launched games. Analysts also pointed to Netmarble’s expanding global multi-platform strategy as a key factor supporting the company’s improving earnings trajectory.
During the earnings conference call, CEO Kim Byung-kyu emphasized that upcoming titles such as “The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin” and “Monster Taming: Star Dive” are being developed as global multi-platform projects targeting multiple international markets simultaneously.
“Rather than maximizing revenue immediately after launch, securing a stable and long-term product lifecycle is more important to strengthening the company’s competitiveness,” Kim said.
Netmarble has recently accelerated its cross-platform strategy spanning console, PC, and mobile gaming. The company is seeking to reduce dependence on single-region or platform-specific success models while building long-term user engagement across multiple markets.
Kim also stressed the importance of tailoring operations to regional and platform-specific user behavior.
“Player preferences and growth patterns differ depending on countries and platforms,” he explained. “We are currently adjusting our content update strategy to help users settle into the ecosystem over the long term, particularly in markets and platforms showing strong user inflows.”
Executives also positively evaluated the early performance of recently launched titles. CFO Do Ki-wook said that “Stone Age Idle” and “The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin,” both launched in March, each accounted for roughly 3% of total first-quarter revenue despite having limited revenue contribution periods.
He added that the games showed meaningful signs of gaining traction in the market.
Regarding profitability strategies, management signaled a cautious approach toward expanding proprietary payment systems solely to boost margins.
Kim noted that platform characteristics, app market commission policies, and game genres remain critical variables in determining the effectiveness of in-house payment systems.
“A strategy that aggressively expands proprietary payment methods purely to improve operating profit is unlikely to align with user preferences,” he said.
At the same time, Kim acknowledged the importance of reducing variable costs such as payment commissions to improve shareholder value, indicating that profitability-focused management would continue.
Industry analysts believe Netmarble is well-positioned to sustain its earnings recovery this year as it pushes forward with major game launches and broader global service expansion. The company’s ability to strengthen long-term live-service operations is increasingly viewed as a critical factor for future corporate value growth.
