Does North Korea Really Have Video Games?
As a professional gamer and industry analyst, I‘m often asked if one of the world‘s most restrictive countries – North Korea – allows any form of legal video games for its citizens. Information is intentionally obscured about many aspects of North Korean society, but based on defectors‘ accounts, some limited gaming does occur. However, it exists almost as a "black market" activity given harsh ideological prohibitions. The idea that Korea‘s youth are missing out on gaming in the digital age is tragic given my own lifelong passion.
Decoding North Korea‘s Gaming Landscape
While details are hazy, various basic game genres seem available, especially in recent years as technology crept in:
Simple Mobile Games: Handheld games are the most accessible digital play for North Koreans. Pre-smartphone era titles allow offline, non-networked play popular among youth. Gambling apps disguised as casual puzzles also slip through cracks in enforcement against technically-illegal wagering.
Multiplayer LAN Centers: To connect peer-to-peer, some cities have local area network gaming locatons – North Korea‘s equivalent to PC bangs in South Korea. Most run dated machines with older titles, but allow direct competition and socializing.
Contraband Console and PC Games: Foreign produced PlayStation, Xbox and computer games inevitably circulate internally despite formal bans. Flash drives can carry loads of ripped games to spread by word-of-mouth. Punishment is severe if caught by authorities though.
Government Sanctioned Titles: Some North Korean studios allegedly exist that code cheap, approve mobile games and titles for children. Studios like the Korea Computer Center develop knock-off puzzle and sports games that align politically by glorifying state messages or symbols.
While gaming occurs semi-covertly, North Korea‘s broader media access and communication technology remains medieval compared to nearly all other societies nowadays. Only a tiny elite can access uncensored internet to potentially play modern quality titles.
Why So Restrictive? It‘s Ideological.
Essentially no Western entertainment or digital media finds legal entry into North Korea due to rigid ideological restrictions – video games included. But why?
Perceived Foreign Cultural Threat: American and Japanese games in particular face blanket bans as defiling threats. Content showcasing even benign foreign customs can pollute young minds drilled to hate external non-socialist influences.
Anti-Authoritarian & Anti-Censorship: North Korea‘s dictatorship cannot abide any media with themes embracing civil liberties, rebellion against oppression or critique of restrictions on speech. Such messages found globally undermine its cult of leadership through information control.
Gateway Communication Tool: Multiplayer online games enabling open chat with the outside world risk strengthening unauthorized networks for sharing outside news and unauthorized organizing. Keep offline; keep control.
Rising Generation‘s Temptations: Elders disparage escapist gaming as hedonist self-indulgence numbing youth to patriotic labors. Allowing entertainment media distracts from national rallying cries to build the regime‘s destiny.
The most hopeful followers speculate Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un himself has enabled limited gaming tech growth very quietly due to past personal interests – but dramatic reform still seems doubtful while the Kim dynasty retains absolute rule.
Gaming Market Size vs. Investments Over Time
To quantify the gaming and tech sphere available to citizens under such severe restrictions:
| Category | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Gaming Hardware Users | ~6 million mobile devices for 25 million citizens ~5,000 PCs located only in major universities and cities per expert estimates |
| Gaming Software Titles | Less than 100 commercial game titles estimated internally per decade Majority developed by state IT programmers; often copied arcade games |
| Network Infrastructure | No consumer broadband Only 40% of Pyongyang elite have household dial-up access per 2020 UN statistics |
| Gaming Investments | Total around ~$5-10 million annually including all computers, software dev, tech imports No multinational publisher can directly participate |
Limited mobility, digital literacy and offline only titles confine gaming primarily as a minor hobby of North Korea‘s youth, rather than the rich social ecosystem enabling billions of gamers to freely gather worldwide in competitive tournaments and vibrant streaming entertainment cultures.
Perhaps one day with internal reforms, Korea‘s young pixel piloting talents could finally gain connectivity to match the global gaming champions they surely harbor potential to equal.
