- There is a need to establish changed policies that foster major and K-indie games as the two main axes of the industry.
- Stove Indie’s stable operation know-how was highlighted.
- The essence of indie events is to provide opportunities for development through exchanges outside of awards and exhibitions.
- It’s time for the G-Star Organizing Committee’s sincere consideration for indies.
- With indie as the main stage, global attention to K-indie games through G-Star must also be raised.
Approximately 20,000 visitors; this is the performance related to the Indie Showcase announced by the G-STAR organizing committee. The number of visitors, including general visitors and BTB buyers, of 20,000 over four days may seem like a large number at first glance. This is only about 10% of the total number of visitors, approximately 200,000. Due to the nature of the Indie Showcase, which did not separately register and check, this number may have been an estimate by the management, or it may have been calculated from the total number of visitors on the first floor of the second exhibition hall, due to the nature of the second exhibition hall being farther away than the main first exhibition hall.
G-Star 2023 was built independently as an indie showcase instead of a joint with the BIC Festival.
This year, the G-STAR organizing committee established its independent showcase hall instead of a joint hall with BIC. The BIC Festival, held for three days at BEXCO, the exact location as G-STAR, from August 25, was evaluated as still having a stable event based on substantial operation. Still, the event venue was changed to BEXCO instead of the Busan Port International Exhibition and Convention Center adjacent to Busan Station. We have also exposed weaknesses that can only be directly compared to the scale of G-Star (=BEXCO).
BIC Festival’s choice of BEXCO is understandable considering the expansion of BIC Festival and surrounding infrastructure, but the burden(?) on indies who have to participate in the event at the exact location, BEXCO, for a short period in August and November and the physical burden of BEXCO. There must have been concerns and judgments made by the G-STAR organizing committee considering symbolism, etc.
Stove Indie’s stable operation know-how was highlighted.
As Stove Indie’s various professional operating personnel participated in this G-Star Indie Showcase, it is worthy of praise that Stove Indie’s online and offline management know-how related to events and booths was added to the event. Stove Indie’s steady efforts and sincerity toward indie will continue in this year’s G-Star 2023.
The essence of indie events is to provide opportunities for development through exchanges outside of awards and exhibitions.
If the G-STAR organizing committee’s goal was to select and award indie games representing Korea(?) and promote them to users through this Indie Showcase, this year’s leaves a lot to be desired in many ways in terms of branding. Aside from the stand(?) placed in the corner of the second exhibition hall, various inducements or external banners can symbolize K-indie games and attract customers, as well as a minimal offline event for exchange between indie game developers and an indie showcase. Even inside, an event should have been prepared where participants can interact and enjoy each other beyond a simple exhibition.
The limitations of the organizing committee, which has no choice but to form a commercial G-Star centered around significant game companies, are unavoidable. Still, even mid-sized game companies are positioning themselves as indies within the outdated policies and ideas that follow the past ‘K-Indie Game.’ The words ‘nurturing and supporting’ would be an illusion.
In an era of crisis, on the one hand, at a point of change where new K-games such as ‘Lies of P’ and ‘Dave the Diver’ are opening up, G-Star should no longer focus only on commercial operations centered on significant game companies. If G-Star If the organizing committee is not willing to co-exist with and more actively support K-Indies, who will lead the future of the Korean gaming industry, G-Star needs to boldly give up its title as ‘Korea’s representative international game show.’
It’s time for the G-Star Organizing Committee’s sincere consideration for indies.
Events for indies should not just set up booths and force them to stay in their seats but should be a place where they can grow based on exchanges between them. Above all, B2B matching and support, exchange programs, and various offline events considering indies’ needs and capabilities are needed. If the policy is, ‘At G-Star, we will focus on exhibition support for visitors rather than indie exchanges,’ they should not be placed in the minor backstage area of G-Star.
Of course, lectures that cover the production grammar of domestic and foreign celebrities or big game companies are good. Still, short session lecture tracks or round table formats between successful indie or indie developers who are half a step or one step ahead can provide practical experience and know-how tailored to the indie level. We need to make it possible for people to share casually with each other without any pressure.
With indie as the main stage, we must increase the attention of K-indie games through G-Star.
Most indie games still have many weaknesses that make it difficult to compare to titles from significant game companies directly and to be chosen by users. However, rather than hiding its flaws, indies should acknowledge them even if they are a bit lacking and instead take a bolder step forward and shine a spotlight on their strengths so that they can shine.
Korea’s representative international game show, G-Star, must become a bridgehead to promote K-Indie globally. G-Star Indie events must be composed of effective programs tailored to indies’ perspectives.
The heyday of indie! However, G-Star’s indie operation policy was still disappointing.
At a time when the heyday of Korean games is opening up with new and more creative events for K-indies, such as BIC, GIGDC, Indiecraft, Burning Beaver, BIGS, and numerous other domestic game jams. Why is G-Star the only one regressing in terms of indie? In some ways, this may be due to the original structure of G-Star(=Korea Game Industry Association) centered around a significant game company and the regional limitations of G-Star, which has settled in Busan.
In line with the coming indie era, G-Star must prepare for changed treatment and support for indies so that K-indies can stand proudly with the majors, not on the periphery. In addition, we need to expand into a space for countless global indie game developers who admire K games and dream of success in the Korean game market, the world’s fourth-largest game market.
We hope that G-Star can be the starting point and main stage for Korean indies to become global stars.
