Com2Us’s Evolution: Gaming Innovation and Global Expansion
Mar 7, 2025
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Kyu Lee, Chief Business Development Officer at Com2Us and Partner at CRIT Ventures, discusses the company's impressive evolution from Gamevil to a mobile gaming giant, best known for Summoners War. He shares insights on their strategic focus on licensing Western IPs, particularly in sports, and the rising importance of blockchain in gaming. Kyu also explores the unique challenges of expanding into global markets, the untapped potential of Korean content, and future innovations set to reshape gaming trends. A fascinating dive into the industry's dynamic landscape!
Com2Us transformed from Gamevil to a global mobile gaming leader, significantly expanding its reach with popular titles like Summoners War.
The company's strategic focus on integrating Western IPs, such as Major League Baseball, aims to create lasting engagement and revenue streams.
By investing in blockchain technology, Com2Us is pioneering new ways for gamers to own and trade digital assets, enhancing user engagement.
Deep dives
The Rise of Come To Us and Its Global Strategy
Come To Us, founded in 1998, started as a mobile-first gaming company and gained significant traction with the release of Summoner’s War in 2014, which became a billion-dollar franchise with over 200 million downloads. The company’s pivotal shift towards mobile gaming coincided with the advent of app stores, which enabled them to expand their reach from a few countries to over 150 globally. This strategic decision, along with their focus on free-to-play models and live operations, has allowed Come To Us to maintain a competitive edge in the dynamic gaming landscape. They also recognize the importance of strengthening their presence in key markets, particularly through building local relationships and leveraging popular IPs for brand recognition.
Emphasis on Western IP and Its Market Impact
Come To Us sees significant value in acquiring Western intellectual properties, such as Major League Baseball and NBA licenses, as these franchises have established extensive histories and fanbases. By integrating these IPs into their games, they aim to create evergreen content that can sustain user interest over time, thereby ensuring long-term revenue stability. The company strives to learn from established Western IPs, understanding that successful franchises have rich backstories and engage users through various events. This strategic approach positions Come To Us to effectively bridge cultural divides and appeal to a broader, multicultural audience.
Leveraging Blockchain Technology for Innovation
Come To Us has made significant investments in the blockchain space, recognizing its potential to revolutionize digital asset ownership in gaming. By developing their own layer one blockchain, XPLA, they are exploring how to integrate blockchain technology into their gaming ecosystem, offering players new ways to own and trade in-game assets. They view blockchain as an evolution of free-to-play models that previously did not allow for digital asset transfer or trading. The company believes that as players increasingly spend on virtual items, the demand for ownership and tradeability will enhance engagement and unlock new revenue streams.
Adapting to Global Trends in Gaming
As the gaming market evolves, Come To Us acknowledges the shifts towards casual gaming trends, particularly in Western markets, while maintaining their roots in competitive, hardcore gaming. Their strategy involves targeting diversified audiences by offering tailored content that accommodates both casual gamers and hardcore players. By leveraging their established franchises like Summoner’s War and adopting a centralized build strategy, they create a cohesive gaming experience while allowing room for regional events and community engagement. This flexibility enables Come To Us to adapt quickly to changing user preferences and expand their global reach.
Challenges and Opportunities in the Korean Gaming Market
Despite the growing success of gaming companies in Korea, many face challenges navigating the transition from domestic to global markets effectively. There is a noted need for Korean developers to broaden their vision beyond local markets and embrace global user bases, which will contribute to their growth and innovation. Additionally, the influx of new talent leaving established companies to create their own studios presents both challenges and opportunities for investors. As Come To Us positions itself strategically within this landscape, their investment in internal and external development partnerships aims to harness the collective creativity and drive innovation in the gaming industry.
In this episode, our host, Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, sits down with Kyu Lee, Chief Business Development Officer at Com2Us, Partner at CRIT Ventures, and ex-president of Com2Us USA. They explore Com2Us Holdings' evolution from its early days as Gamevil to becoming a global mobile powerhouse with hits like Summoners War, one of the industry’s biggest mobile IPs that has generated over $3B+ in revenue.
Kyu shares insights on the company's pivotal shifts, including its focus on mobile gaming, the transition to live operations, its approach to licensing Western IP like Major League Baseball, and his story about what it is like to be at the helm of a major geographic expansion. The conversation also touches on Com2Us’s strategic investments in blockchain and its venture arm, CRIT Ventures. Kyu discusses how gaming in South Korea is evolving, the growing influence of IP across global markets, what is currently being undervalued, and what Com2Us must execute in 2025.
We’d also like to thank Overwolf for making this episode possible! Whether you're a gamer, creator, or game studio, Overwolf is the ultimate destination for integrating UGC in games! You can check out all Overwolf has to offer at https://www.overwolf.com/.
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