- – To be held at Lotte World Tower on November 9… Speakers expanded to include console game developers from North America and Europe
- Sharing development know-how for global hits such as ‘The Witcher’, ‘Cyberpunk’, and ‘Rimworld’
- Sony Interactive Entertainment Korea and Xbox Participate… Guide to Console Market Entry Procedures
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister Choi Hwi-young) and the Korea Content Agency (President Kim Yun-ji, hereinafter KOCCA) will hold the ‘2026 Console Game Developers Conference (K-Console Conference, hereinafter Conference)’ on Monday, November 9 at the SKY31 Convention Center in Lotte World Tower, Seoul.
This conference, which was first held last year with the goal of fostering a domestic console game development ecosystem, marks its second year.
This year, under the theme ‘How Great Console Games Are Made,’ we will share the design and production experiences of developers of global hits and practical information needed by domestic developers preparing to enter the console platform.
In addition, we plan to expand our team to include developers from North America and Europe as well as Japan, sharing the characteristics of various console markets and the production experiences of overseas developers to provide domestic developers with the practical insights and new perspectives necessary for entering the global market.
Sharing game production and operation know-how from the development team of global hit games
The ‘Global Track,’ featuring key development teams from global hits, is structured around actual development cases ranging from game planning and development to long-term intellectual property (IP) management and the establishment of global fan communities.
Paweł Sasko, Associate Game Director at CD PROJEKT RED, introduces the method of designing memorable stories and quests for users, focusing on the structure of unforgettable quests in the games ‘The Witcher’ and ‘Cyberpunk’.
Katsuhiro Harada, CEO of VS Studio, will share long-term IP development and operation strategies and his experience in growing a global fan community under the theme of “How Global IP Loved for Over 30 Years Is Created.”
In addition, Kazutaka Kodaka, producer at Tokyo Games and famous for ‘Danganronpa’, Tynan Sylvester, creator of ‘Rimworld’, and Lee Dong-ki, CTO of Shift Up and developer of ‘Stella Blade’, will take the stage in turn to introduce narrative implementation, indie game development principles, and strategies for improving endgame quality.
Following this, Shuhei Yoshida, former President of Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) Worldwide Studios and a keynote speaker from last year, will chair a panel discussion on the theme of “Globally Successful Console Games: The Candid Stories of Their Developers.”
Participation of working-level staff from global console platforms… Resolving questions about the game development and release process
This year, a session was also organized for console platform companies to directly introduce game development and release procedures. This reflects the demand from developers regarding platform entry and verification processes, identified through feedback from last year’s participants and this year’s preliminary survey.
Platform staff will directly guide domestic developers, who face difficulties in securing information during the console market entry process—such as platform approval, obtaining development kits, and Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs)—on relevant procedures and precautions.
First, Sony Interactive Entertainment Korea (SIEK) will give a lecture on the topic of “The Journey to PlayStation Launch: From Partner Registration to Passing the Technical Requirements (TRC).”
This session operates on an approval system that selects participants from among pre-registered applicants, and only those who have completed the final approval and Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) procedures may attend.
Following this, Xbox will host a public session titled “Jump In: An All-in-One Guide to Entering Xbox.” Michelle Jang, Head of Partnerships for Korea, and other Xbox representatives will participate to provide step-by-step guidance on the platform ecosystem, launch strategies, store registration and certification, development environment setup, and distribution procedures.
Linked with ‘GAME DAYS’… Expanding opportunities for game experiences and networking
This conference is being held in conjunction with ‘GAME DAYS,’ an event organized by the government, KOCCA, and game-related media and associations to revitalize the game industry ecosystem.
In addition to lectures, the venue will feature domestic console game and Xbox experience zones, a demonstration area for winners of the Global Indie Game Development Contest (GIGDC), and an industry networking space.
In addition, we plan to operate a networking reception attended by key speakers, domestic developers, and platform company representatives to support practical business cooperation beyond the sharing of development experiences and information.
Kim Seong-jun, Head of the New Game Technology Division at KOCCA, stated, “As the domestic console game development ecosystem grows, it is crucial to provide support tailored to actual needs by reflecting the voices of on-site developers and practitioners.” He added, “Through this event, we shared the production experiences of overseas developers and practical information from platform companies. Moving forward, we will continue to strengthen support to help domestic game companies enter the global console market by reflecting the demands of the industry.”
Registration and details for each session can be found on the event’s online exhibition hall (www.gamedays.kr).
