This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Busan Global Game Center, which fosters the local game industry. Upon its launch in 2015, it was the first regional game center to support incubation by establishing a public-private cooperation system with Smilegate.
The Busan Information Industry Promotion Agency operates the Busan Global Game Center with support from Busan Metropolitan City, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the Korea Creative Content Agency.
Creating an excellent game development environment, including free rent support
Busan Global Game Center, located on the 3rd and 9th floors of the Busan Cultural Contents Complex in Centum City, Busan (total area of 3,527㎡), currently operates 29 independent rooms. In addition to free rental support, we provide tenant companies with an environment to focus on game development, including PCs, development equipment, wired and wireless Internet, and SW clean zone operation. Tenant companies can also use the facility’s fitness center, lounge, and conference room free of charge.
Providing differentiated incubation programs such as collaboration with Smilegate and establishment of a ‘shared growth fund’
Busan Global Game Center provides a differentiated incubation program with Smilegate Orange Planet. A Smilegate Orange Planet manager resides at the center, and tenant companies receive regular mentoring, consulting, and conferences based on Smilegate’s global success know-how.
In particular, in 2022, Smilegate Group created a win-win cooperation fund of 13 billion won for large and small businesses, and based on this, it was able to provide a total of 540 million won in support to 22 companies located in the Busan Global Game Center this year. The subsidy can be used for employee labor, research and development, and marketing expenses. In addition, credits and discounts are provided for using services from Orange Planet’s affiliated companies, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Notion, and Modusign.
In addition to the collaboration program with Smilegate Orange Planet, the Busan Information Industry Promotion Agency holds ‘Brunch Day’, where game center tenants play each other’s games and communicate, ‘Technology Seminar’, which shares the latest industry trends such as Web 3.0 and AI, and ‘Fund’. We provide a ‘one-stop solution’ from game development to release, including ‘IR meetings’ and ‘provision of labor, tax, and legal consulting.’
29 tenant companies achieved sales of approximately KRW 7.56 billion, producing many promising global game companies
As a result, 29 tenant companies achieved sales of approximately 7.56 billion won last year and created 96 new jobs. The gaming industry is showing growth potential as a promising business that will solve Busan’s new food concerns.
Seventy-seven companies have received support to move into the center, and many promising game companies attracting attention in the global market have been produced. Representative examples include ‘App Nori’, pioneering the global VR game market by ranking first in China’s Pico Store, ‘Sunny Side Up’, a PC game developer ranked first globally in Steam Early Access, and a console using Unreal five and AI technology. These include game developer ‘Next Stage’ and mobile game company Oblique Games,’ selected as one of the top 10 at the Google Indie Game Festival. In particular, their value is recognized enough to receive investment support worth 7 billion won through domestic and foreign companies.
Kim Tae-yeol, head of the Busan Information Industry Promotion Agency, said, “Busan Global Game Center has been a strong support for the development of the local game industry so far.” He added, “We will continue to work closely with Smilegate Orange Planet in the next 10 years to ensure that local game startups can confidently compete on the global stage. “We will spare no effort in providing full support,” he emphasized.
Orange Planet Center Director Seo Sang-bong said, “We are very pleased to be able to contribute to the development of the local game industry through continued cooperation with the Busan Global Game Center.” He added, “We will continue to provide support in various ways to discover and foster promising game startups.” He said.
This year, Busan Global Game Center, together with Smilegate Orange Planet, will operate various programs such as ▲regular and project-specific mentoring ▲, sponsoring the local developer exhibition ‘Build 051’ ▲Busan Game Developer Conference ▲networking for game company executives and employees to strengthen the competitiveness of tenant companies.
