The IndieCraft Operations Secretariat announced on the 5th that the’ 2024 IndieCraft Networking Day’, which included over 70 2024 IndieCraft selection companies, was successfully held on Thursday, July 4th.
This event, held in the studio ballroom on the first basement floor of Gravity Seoul Pangyo Autograph Collection, was attended by approximately 140 people, including 70 indie game developers and event officials selected with excellent results in the 2024 Indiecraft, and introduced the future Indiecraft business and provided information. A mini-seminar for game developers and an awards ceremony for the top eight finally selected excellent developers were held.
■ Introduction of various businesses for indie developers
The operating secretariat introduced information on upcoming IndieCraft events and commercialization support that developers can receive. In particular, ‘Diagnostic Mentoring Day’, which connects investment and other business meetings through 1:1 matching between developers and investment and publisher-oriented mentors for about two months, and an offline event where users can meet users in the Pangyo Station Square area on September 6-7. A lot of attention was focused on ‘GXG with INDIECRAFT’.
In addition, various commercialization support benefits provided by Indiecraft sponsors in the form of social contributions, such as app security, fonts, and in-platform marketing support, were introduced. The operating secretariat announced that it will work hard to ensure that selected developers receive as many benefits as possible.
■ A passionate mini-seminar introducing development know-how, etc.
Nine game industry experts held the ‘mini-seminar,’ which provided developers with the information they needed on game development and operation, game service and app security, infrastructure such as fonts, and marketing plans for each platform.
In particular, after receiving the Indiecraft award through ‘Transforming Games and Startups’ prepared by Shin Won-cheol, CEO of [Code Name Bom], which was selected as one of the 2023 Indiecraft TOP3, we looked back on the company and its contents through feedback received online and offline and made thanks to innovative changes. He showed interest in focusing on prosperous areas and listening to the advice of senior Indiecraft developers.
■ The grand prize is the ‘Tripearl Games.’ Seongnam Mayor Shin Sang-jin participates in the award ceremony.
Next, awards were given to excellent developers as a highlight of the ‘2024 Indiecraft Networking Day’. Awards were presented to 8 companies: 5 in the domestic/community category and three in the challenger (college student) category. Mayor Shin Sang-jin of Seongnam City, who attended the awards in the domestic category, congratulated the developers who were selected after receiving the most significant amount of support in history through a congratulatory speech and said that Seongnam City will actively implement various projects to foster the game industry through Indiecraft in the future and become an indie game developer. He announced that he would support their growth.
The awards were given out first in the challenger category. The top three excellent developers received 5 million won in scholarships, including the first place scholarship of 2 million won. The first award was the ▲Challenger Level UP Award, and the management office announced that ‘Geomgyuldan’, a team with the potential to grow into a global game developer by leveling up game development, was selected.
Next, ▲the Challenger Excellence Award went to ‘Mayfly’s’ [Revenant], and ▲the Challenger Excellence Award went to ‘BBB’s’ [Monowave]. ‘BBB’ was formed as a creative small group at the Department of Art & Technology at Sogang University with the motto “Have fun even if it’s B-level or non-mainstream!” to create a graduation project for the class of 2021 by gathering friends who like games and are interested in indie development. [Monowave] is an emotional-themed platform puzzle adventure game that has also received favorable reviews through other exhibitions such as Play Expo and Burning Beaver.
Next, awards were given in the domestic/community category. A total of 5 developers were selected, including the grand prize winner, grand prize winner, and excellence award winner, and a total of 50 million won in prize money was awarded, including the first place prize of 20 million won. First, ▲two excellence awards went to [Pig Romance] from ‘Alien Abduction Operation’ and [GREAT TOY SHOWDOWN] from ‘Sandy Floor’. Both teams were recognized for their graphics and game quality and included in the excellent developers list.
▲Two grand prize winners were also selected for EggTart and Lizard Smoothie. Egg Tart’s [METAL SUITS] is a side-scrolling action game based on pixel art. It has received favorable reviews for its graphics, which are as good as those of 3D games, with retro pixel art and modern effects.
Lizard Smoothie’s [Shape of Dreams] is a unique top-view action rogue-lite game with a MOBA style, and its advantage is that it is a cooperative game with a high level of freedom. ▲The long-awaited first-place prize went to the ‘Tripearl Games’ [VEDA]. Tripearl Games, founded on the philosophy that the core of games in 2021 is “fun,” was recognized for its potential by successfully leading seed investment through [Veda], a soul-like game set in a post-apocalyptic setting. It is rumored that many preparations are being made for this September exhibition, including the unveiling of newly designed characters and weapon designs and a new demo preservation for the first time.
Chairman Hwang Seong-ik, co-chair of the organizing committee, said in his thoughts on the event, “There have been few opportunities for excellent game developers to gather in one place and communicate in various ways, so I am happy to be able to start this with a networking day. “I hope that IndieCraft will continue to be a great opportunity for not only excellent developers but also all 70 selected domestic, community, and challenger companies to succeed by creating excellent content that can be used globally,” he said.
