Busan, South Korea – August 14, 2025 – The Busan Indie Connect Festival 2025 (BIC Festival 2025), Asia’s largest indie game showcase, will be held from August 15–17 at BEXCO, marking its 11th edition with the largest lineup in the festival’s history.
Jointly organized by the City of Busan, the Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency, and the BIC Festival Organizing Committee, this year’s festival will exhibit 283 indie games from 32 countries, carefully selected out of 592 submissions from 41 countries.
The festival’s theme, “MATCH YOUR INDIE SPIRIT,” emphasizes the idea of connecting players and developers through unique preferences and creative individuality.
Record-Breaking Scale
BIC Festival 2025 marks an 18% increase in submissions and a 16% expansion in exhibition scale compared to last year, underlining the festival’s growing global influence. Organizers highlight that BIC has evolved beyond a traditional exhibition into a global hub for indie game developers to showcase their work and connect with audiences worldwide.
For the first time, the business and consumer (B2C) period has been expanded to all three days, replacing the previous separation between “Business Day” and “Festival Days.” This change allows more opportunities for both developers and attendees to engage directly through hands-on gameplay experiences.
Festival Highlights
The on-site event will feature:
- Stage events & live performances
- Interactive zones for attendees
- Merchandise booths (Goods Zone)
- Live streaming coverage for global audiences
The Opening Ceremony (August 15) will announce nominees for the prestigious BIC Awards, including the newly introduced “Special Pick” category, while the Awards Ceremony and Closing Ceremony (August 17) will honor top titles.
Key categories include the Rising Star Award (Rookie Division) and the Grand Prix (General Division), with winners expected to gain significant attention from both industry insiders and players.
Online Exhibition Continues
Following the offline event, the online festival will run until August 29 via the official website bicfest.org, allowing players worldwide to explore and play indie titles beyond the event floor.
Statements from Organizers
Ju Sung-pil, Chairman of the BIC Organizing Committee, commented:
“This year’s festival expands global participation, opens all days for public access, and introduces new award categories. We aim to create a richer indie game experience for both visitors and industry professionals.”
Park Heong-joon, Mayor of Busan, added:
“As BIC celebrates its 11th year, it firmly establishes Busan as a global hub for indie games. Indie games represent a vital growth pillar of the future content industry, and the city will continue supporting developers from creation to distribution.”
