In Korea, the next round of the annual Gaming Awards will soon be distributed. The list of nominations is long, but only one PC game is included. It is Lost Ark.
What is this award? The Gaming Awards of G-Star are awarded annually in Korea and are among the most prestigious gaming awards in the country.
The G-Star itself is the largest Korean fair and entertainment electronics in general. It takes place every year in November in Busan and is one of the largest gaming fairs in the world, alongside Gamescom and E3. Western publishers such as Activision Blizzard also participate in the fair.
Which games are nominated? The list of nominations for the Korean Gaming Awards is massively dominated by mobile games. It’s no surprise, as the PC market in Korea has significantly declined in recent years, while mobile games are more popular than ever.
Developers and publishers such as Pearl Abyss and NCSoft are raking in millions with their games. This popularity is correspondingly reflected in the award nominations. These include:
- King of Fighters Allstar
- Blade and Soul Revolution
- Traha
- Moonlight Sculptor
Some non-mobile games have also snuck into the list. Leading the way as the only PC title is the MMORPG Lost Ark. The game had a very promising launch in Korea in 2018 and was initially well received by players. Even though the enthusiasm for the MMORPG has waned recently, it is still not surprising that Lost Ark stands as the only PC game against the mobile games.
The two other non-mobile titles are Rogan (VR) and Mistover (Multi).
What’s the status of Lost Ark? A few days ago, the open beta for the notorious MMORPG began in Russia. It is the “base version” of Lost Ark that launched last year in Korea. It does not include any of the new content, such as new classes or continents.
Additionally, the Russian version of Lost Ark is IP-Blocked for all players outside the corresponding region. However, it is a bit easier for German players to create an account than it was for the Korean version.
Furthermore, MMOCulture reports that the developer Smilegate is now increasingly looking for new employees for its team. They should primarily be able to translate texts from Korean to English, suggesting they might be working on an English localization for Lost Ark.
