Hard Coders, a game development club at Kongju National University currently developing the four-player co-op physical platformer “SEMO,” is hosting the Steam community competition “SEMO Challenge” to celebrate the demo release. The event, which will run for approximately one month from November 26 to December 26, 2025, will be divided into speedrun and map editor categories.
■ User-participatory competition with two competitive categories
This SEMO Challenge is a community participation event in which gamers can freely participate, and will be held in the following two categories.
1) Speedrun category
Compete for the fastest time to clear all three stages. While simple to operate, it requires intense physical interaction and teamwork, making it a highly skilled arena for players to compete for the fastest times.
2) Map Editor Section
Using the editor features implemented in SEMO, players can create and share their own maps, with the most likes earning awards. Although the map editor is still in early testing, it is expected to spark gamers’ creativity and attract active community participation.
■ Eligibility & How to Apply
Anyone who adds SEMO to their Steam Wishlist and plays the DEMO version can participate. Participation is simple: after launching the game, enter your email address in the email field in the upper left corner of the lobby to be automatically entered.
- Competition Period: November 26, 2025 – December 26, 2025
Download the game: Available for free on the Steam demo page
(SEMO Demo: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4112590/SEMO_Demo/ )
■ Generous prizes… All winners will receive early access keys
Each category offers an equal prize pool, and all winners will receive a SEMO Early Access Steam key. This Steam key will allow the winners to experience the full development version first, following the demo.
Common awards for Speedrun/Map Editor categories
- 1st place: Steam gift card worth 100,000 won
- 2nd place: Steam gift card worth 50,000 won
- 3rd place: Steam gift card worth 25,000 won
- 4th place: Steam gift card worth 10,000 won
- 5th Place: Steam Gift Card worth 5,000 won (3 winners)
■ “Enjoyment is the most important thing… Prize money will increase as the wish list grows.”
A Hard Coders representative said about the purpose of this event, “To celebrate the release of the SEMO demo, we prepared a small event that gamers can enjoy together. Fast records and many ‘Likes’ are important, but above all, we hope you have a fun time playing SEMO.” They also mentioned the possibility of expanding the competition in the future, saying, “The organizers are also considering expanding the scale of the competition as the number of participants increases. As the number of wish lists increases, the scale of the prizes will also increase.”
■ What is the game ‘SEMO’?
“SEMO” is a four-player cooperative physical platformer. It’s being developed around the concept of triangles working together to overcome obstacles and physics gimmicks to free a circle trapped in a square. While simple to operate, it demands sophisticated physical elements and situational teamwork, creating a “fun born from chaos.”
Key Features:
- Supports both single and multi
- Stage-based challenge structure
- Mixed PVE and PVP content
- Equipped with user-created map function (map editor)
- Provides a record competition system and difficulty level
The game is currently in development, aiming for a Steam Early Access release in the first half of 2026, with mobile and Nintendo Switch ports also being considered.
