Microsoft Invests In South Korean Game Developers

Microsoft plans to invest more than KRW 23 billion (US$19 million) into the online gaming industry in South Korea over four years, the Korea Creative Content Agency has announced. The money will be used for training as well as marketing and development assistance, and will be split up among 25 local development and game operation companies. "When Korea's online game technologies are combined with Microsoft's development software, platform and sales channels, we expect a great synergy will come out in the next-generation game market," said Microsoft Korea head Kim James Woo according to a JoongAng Daily report. As a nation where internet usage is among the highest in the world, and where multiplayer computer games like StarCraft are often elevated to the level of a major sport, South Korea has seen considerable investment by Microsoft. Last November, the company announced a $60 billion investment into the company's overall software industry -- of which this online gaming investment is part -- and last May, Microsoft said it would spend $23 million in South Korea on a new game developer training center.