Seongnam Industrial Promotion Agency (Director Lee Eui-jun) and the Korea Mobile Game Association (Chairman Hwang Seong-ik) announced on the 26th that they signed a business agreement for holding the ‘2025 Indie Craft’, an indie game support project being carried out to resolve polarization in the Korean game industry and promote industry development.
INDIECRAFT is a representative indie game support project in Korea that has been carried out for 9 years since 2017 by Seongnam City, Seongnam Industrial Promotion Agency, and Korea Mobile Game Association to discover excellent indie game developers and foster K-game content that can succeed in the global market.
Last year, ‘2024 Indiecraft’ recorded the largest number of entries ever, the largest number of visitors ever (approximately 30,000), and received favorable reviews for its quantitative and qualitative growth through customized programs that satisfied both developers and users. This year, Indiecraft is preparing for a new leap forward by strengthening its overseas expansion program for ‘global advancement’.
‘2025 Indiecraft’ is preparing overseas joint events to strengthen the program for excellent developers to advance into the global market. First, an Indiecraft brand booth will be set up at ‘German Gamescom 2025’, one of the world’s top three game shows, and along with promoting the Indiecraft brand, the game content of selected developers will be introduced and investment will be attracted and promoted.
In addition, we will hold an ‘Online Pitching Event’ with global game solution company ‘Xsolla Global’ to meet global investment publishers through IR presentations. Based on Xsolla Global’s excellent accelerating, we will provide training for developers and an IR deck presentation online, and provide an opportunity for selected developers to discuss actual investment opportunities with global companies.
The majority of those applying to Indiecraft are small and medium-sized indie game developers, which form the backbone of the Korean game industry ecosystem. Accordingly, Indiecraft plans to strengthen its support programs to provide practical assistance to developers.
First, ‘IR Demo Day’ will provide excellent developers with opportunities for investment consultation and participation in overseas online pitching events in addition to IR deck presentations and lectures and mentoring support for advance preparation. In addition, it was decided to emphasize efficiency by differentiating the methods and techniques of providing marketing solutions for each platform, such as PC and mobile. In addition, a private networking day for selected developers will be held to hold semi-conferences and meetings with Seongnam City officials, and events that can help indie developers, such as listening to development difficulties, will be held.
The offline exhibition ‘INDIECRAFT x GXG’, which provides a great opportunity for small and medium-sized indie game developers to introduce valuable game content they have worked hard to develop, will be held again this year.
Through collaboration with Seongnam City’s representative game culture event ‘GXG’, the offline exhibition event where visitors can meet directly attracted approximately 30,000 visitors last year, demonstrating the heightened interest in and status of indie games.
It is said that the participating developers gained much strength from the promotional effects, quality feedback, and support from citizens who love games. As the scale of GXG has grown this year, various support contents such as exhibition booths and user events for developers will be expanded.
Seongnam Industrial Promotion Agency Director Lee Eui-jun said, “Seongnam Industrial Promotion Agency is continuously supporting the growth of the game industry, which is Seongnam City’s representative industry, and the creation of an ecosystem. Through ‘2025 Indie Craft,’ which is establishing itself as a global indie game contest representing Korea, we will do our best to provide a foundation for capable small and medium-sized game companies and developers to advance into the global market.”
Hwang Seong-ik, chairman of the Korea Mobile Game Association, a co-host, said, “We are honored to be part of ‘2025 Indiecraft,’ the best festival for indie developers for seven consecutive years since establishing the Indiecraft brand in 2019. Building on the success of last year’s Indiecraft, we would like to take the lead in creating a proper game ecosystem in Korea this year through practical support for developers and global expansion. We ask for the interest and participation of many small and medium-sized developers.”
Meanwhile, the ‘2025 Indie Craft’ entry recruitment is scheduled to begin in March, and more information can be found on the Indie Craft official website. For other inquiries, such as entry works and sponsorship participation, please contact the Indie Craft office (indiecraft@k-mga.or.kr).
