Busan Metropolitan City, Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency, and Busan Indie Connect Festival Organizing Committee (hereinafter referred to as BIC Organizing Committee) officially announced the schedule for the global indie game festival ‘Busan Indie Connect Festival 2026 (hereinafter referred to as BIC 2026)’.
Now in its 12th year, BIC 2026 will kick off with a 22-day online festival from Friday, August 7th to Friday, August 28th. The offline event, the highlight of the festival, will take place for three days from Friday, August 14th to Sunday, August 16th at Hall 2 of BEXCO Exhibition Center 1 in Busan, bringing together indie game developers and gamers from around the world.
The largest global indie game platform ever
Last year’s BIC 2025 showcased 283 exhibits from 32 countries, attracting a record-breaking 38,273 visitors. This achievement solidified BIC’s position as a global indie game platform. In particular, it established itself as a forum for exchange, where domestic and international developers and users can communicate without boundaries, sharing the industrial potential and artistic value of indie games.
Expanding accessibility through hybrid online and offline operations
BIC 2026 will operate as a hybrid event, organically linking online and offline channels. This strategy aims to broaden attendees’ indie game experiences and provide developers with opportunities to expand their global reach.
This year’s offline festival, particularly as it coincides with the Liberation Day holiday, is expected to significantly increase accessibility for the general public. Simultaneously, it is designed to allow industry professionals to engage in in-depth business networking and on-site exchanges within a relaxed schedule. Beyond a simple exhibition, BIC aims to evolve into a global platform that fosters a virtuous cycle of indie game development, distribution, and exchange.
Early Sponsorship Recruitment Begins… Building a Win-Win Model
Meanwhile, BIC 2026’s early sponsorship recruitment will run for approximately seven weeks, from January 22nd to March 9th. Early sponsors are partners who participate from the festival’s initial planning stages, strengthening their connection to the indie game ecosystem through key exposure opportunities and collaborative structures throughout the event.
The BIC Organizing Committee plans to operate sponsorship as a win-win model that goes beyond simple support and promotes the spread of indie game culture and sustainable industry growth.
The slogan and program lineup will be announced in March.
Detailed operational plans for BIC 2026 will be revealed sequentially. In March, the official YouTube channel “UNIVERSE-INDIE” will announce this year’s slogan, specific exhibition application and judging schedule, and key program lineup, accelerating preparations for the event.
BIC Organizing Committee Chairman Joo Sung-pil said, “This year, BIC is focused on strengthening its function as a global hub for communication among indie game professionals around the world,” and added, “We will utilize the holiday season to create an optimal environment for developers and gamers to interact deeply, and together with sponsors and partners, we will create a sustainable indie ecosystem.”
