By IndieGame.com Editorial Team — December 22, 2025
Smilegate Future Lab announced on December 22 that it has successfully held the graduation ceremony for the 17th cohort of the Indie Game division of the Smilegate Membership (SGM) program.
The SGM Indie Game track is a six-month incubation initiative designed to support independent game creators by providing development grants, workspaces, and production infrastructure. Graduates continue to receive long-term growth support through the SGM Alumni community, which promotes collaboration and sustained creative development.
Celebrating Six Months of Creation and Growth
The graduation ceremony was attended by 56 participants, including members of the 12 graduating teams from the 17th cohort as well as over 10 alumni creators who returned to celebrate and support the new graduates.
During the event, participating teams showcased the results of their six-month development journey, reviewed one another’s projects, and shared encouragement. A retrospective session followed, where teams reflected on their experiences—discussing changes in project direction, improvements based on user feedback, and stronger team-building practices through improved communication.
Hands-On Feedback From Smilegate Professionals
The ceremony also included a feedback session with Smilegate employees, who played the teams’ games firsthand. Detailed and candid feedback was exchanged on key development areas such as build management, gameplay refinement, art direction, and UI design, helping teams identify paths toward higher polish and market readiness.
Joining the SGM Alumni Community
All graduating teams will now officially join the SGM Alumni community, where they will continue to refine their projects toward release, participate in skill-enhancement study groups, and collaborate with fellow creators.
A core principle of the SGM ecosystem—“Pay It Forward”—encourages alumni to share their experience and knowledge with future cohorts, fostering a cycle of mentorship and collective growth.
Looking Ahead
Baek Min-jung, Head of Smilegate Future Lab, commented:
“This was a meaningful occasion to witness the成果 of 12 teams who have grown together through mutual support and rigorous feedback. We will continue to support creators so they can discover even greater possibilities through collaboration and carry forward Future Lab’s core value of ‘Pay It Forward.’”
With the completion of its 17th cohort, the SGM Indie Game program continues to establish itself as one of Korea’s most influential indie game incubation pipelines, nurturing sustainable creative communities rather than one-off projects.
