NEOWIZ Announces Narrative Indie Game Contest ‘NEOWIZ Quest’
NEOWIZ (Co-CEOs Kim Seung-cheol and Bae Tae-geun) announced on the 11th the launch of ‘NEOWIZ Quest,’ a competition aimed at developing narrative-driven indie games.
‘NEOWIZ Quest’ seeks to foster awareness about the importance of a solid narrative—encompassing interconnected worlds, compelling stories, and engaging characters—within Korea’s indie game community. It also aims to create a supportive environment for narrative-driven game development.
The contest is open to individual developers, game development studios, and aspiring entrepreneurs developing indie games. Participants can apply through the official teaser webpage. There is no participation fee. All game genres and platforms are eligible; however, games that have already been commercially released, including Early Access titles, cannot participate.
Applications will be accepted until January 16, 2026. Submitted applications or builds can be modified anytime up to the submission deadline. Following nearly a year-long application period, a total of 10 teams will be selected for awards, including the Grand Prize and Excellence Awards. An offline awards ceremony is scheduled for March 6, 2026. The total prize pool is KRW 165 million, marking the largest prize offered by NEOWIZ in a competition to date.
A NEOWIZ representative stated, “The future of gaming lies in the strength of narrative elements—robust worlds, original stories, appealing characters, and the passionate fandoms they inspire. Through NEOWIZ Quest, we aim to support creators in developing narrative-focused indie games, thereby cultivating a vibrant new indie game culture.”
Meanwhile, NEOWIZ has consistently supported indie gaming, having published successful titles such as ‘Skul: The Hero Slayer’ and the critically acclaimed narrative ‘SANABI.’ This year, NEOWIZ plans to release ‘Hello Seoul: Itaewon Edition’ and ‘Shape of Dreams’ through publishing agreements and has actively promoted domestic indie games through events like the ‘Online Indie Game Show.’
