Shoppers form a line in front of the PlayStation specialty store at the basement level of Lotte World Mall in southern Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of Lotte Department Store
Lotte Department Store has opened a dedicated PlayStation store in the basement of Lotte World Mall in southern Seoul, a calculated play for "kidult" shoppers in their 20s and 30s now driving retail recovery, the company said Wednesday.
The store, located in the Songpa District, offers hands-on experience with the PlayStation 5 Pro console and the PlayStation Portal Remote Player, a hand-held streaming device. A separate experience zone has been set up for PC gamers using the DualSense wireless controller. The store also carries 15 variations of the DualSense controller to allow for customized purchases, along with official PlayStation-branded audio accessories including wireless earbuds and headsets, game character merchandise and accessories — all under one roof.
The Jamsil location will also serve as an early-launch venue, giving customers the first opportunity to test out new game titles before their official release. The upcoming action title SAROS is among those available for hands-on preview, with additional major releases expected in the second half of the year.
Lotte said the opening reflects surging demand in the gaming category. Sales of gaming hardware and accessories at Lotte Department Store grew more than 50 percent last year, with shoppers between the ages of 25 and 35 accounting for approximately 40 percent of revenues. The company attributed the trend to what it described as growing "me-economy" consumer behavior — a pattern in which individuals make significant discretionary investments in personal hobbies and lifestyle preferences.
PlayStation is the world's top-selling console brand by market share. Its flagship PlayStation 5 console has surpassed cumulative global sales of 84 million units.
Opening promotions include a complimentary PlayStation logo title stand for console purchasers on a first-come, first-served basis, a lucky draw entry for purchases of 50,000 won or more and discounts of up to 60 percent on two-player game titles for customers visiting with a companion.
"Demand for premium gaming hardware is growing rapidly, driven by male customers in their 20s and 30s who are at the forefront of hobby-driven spending," said a Lotte Department Store official.
"We also see rising interest in gaming content among younger parents who want to share their interests with their children, and we plan to offer a wide range of experiential events together with PlayStation."
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
Source: Korea Times News
