Chungnam Global Game Center , under the Chungnam Content Promotion Agency (Director Kim Gok-mi), is recruiting teams to participate in the ‘Future Creator Training Course’ in cooperation with Asan City and Smilegate’s indie game platform STOVE INDIE.
This program, part of a project to foster future game creators, will offer game production training and expert mentoring for approximately six months, starting in April. Applications will be accepted online until March 18th .
Discovering local talent and connecting them to the Chungnam gaming ecosystem.
The core of this course is to expand the creative base of local young game developers and build a local indie game ecosystem that can lead to startups.
Director Kim Gok-mi stated, “Asan City has many gaming universities, producing excellent talent every year. Through this program, we will discover and systematically develop young developers with creative ideas.” She also announced plans to continue fostering the Chungnam gaming ecosystem by linking teams interested in starting a business with the “Indie Game Park Incubation” program, which has been in operation since last year.
Recruitment will be given priority to students currently enrolled in universities located in Asan City, and any student currently enrolled in a university located in South Chungcheong Province or a young person with an address in South Chungcheong Province may apply.
Six Months with Stove Indie… What Support Will I Receive?
Selected participating teams will be provided with four key support measures for practical game development growth.
First, we provide customized project management for each team through a dedicated mentor, a field expert. From setting development direction to managing schedules, a single expert is dedicated to the team and guides the entire project.
Second, there’s technical mentoring in the form of one-point lessons. If you encounter specific technical challenges during development, such as coding, graphics, or sound, you can connect with experts in the relevant field and receive the necessary support.
Third, there’s the opportunity to receive business mentoring from Smilegate’s business PM and participate in the Indie Boost Lab FGT program. Indie Boost Lab is a trial user feedback program run by Stove Indie, helping to incorporate actual user feedback into game development from the early stages of development through pre-launch. This program is also known as “Smart Demo Life.”
Fourth, activity expenses will be supported. This will reduce the financial burden on participating teams during the development period, allowing them to focus on their projects. They will also be given priority access to the “Future Game Jam,” a game development competition scheduled for September. This structure allows teams to directly validate the results of their six-month training program through the competition.
Why Stove Indie is a Notable Partner
Stove Indie, a key partner in this collaboration, is Korea’s only dedicated indie game platform and support ecosystem, operated by Smilegate. It supports everything from game production, distribution, and promotion, from early-stage mentoring to post-game marketing, serving as a strong pillar of Korean indie games and earning acclaim within the indie game industry.
Stove Indie’s support efforts are evident in the numbers. As of last year, Stove Indie supported nine games through its “Funding Pack” funding support program, achieving a 100% funding success rate. 126 games participated in its “Smart Demo Life,” a trial user feedback program. 211 teams participated in its “Creator Growth Tutorial,” a workshop that shares expertise on entrepreneurship, development, marketing, and launching.
Furthermore, the company is actively expanding the indie ecosystem, from creator growth to global expansion, by co-operating with the Seoul Economic Promotion Agency (SBA) to co-operate with “Game Lab with STOVE INDIE.” This collaboration with the Chungnam Global Game Center is noteworthy as it represents an example of Stove Indie’s expansion of its support for the local indie ecosystem beyond the Seoul metropolitan area to South Chungcheong Province.
Linked with the Indie Game Park Incubation Program… A support structure that leads to startups.
The Chungnam Global Game Center plans to operate this future creator training program in conjunction with the “Indie Game Park Incubation” program. The program is divided into two categories: aspiring entrepreneurs and startups (established within the past three years). Any young indie game developer aged 19 to 34 as of the announcement date is eligible to apply.
Last year, 14 teams were selected for the first round of training, and recruitment for the second round is currently underway. The goal is to create a virtuous cycle where teams that develop their skills through the training process will naturally transition into incubation programs and receive support through to the startup stage.
Application Method and Schedule
Applications will be accepted online until March 18th. Successful applicants will be announced after document review and presentation evaluation. The training will run for approximately six months, starting in April . For further inquiries, please contact the Chungnam Global Game Center at the Chungnam Content Promotion Agency (☎ 041-520-6474).
