Entering its 10th year, Busan Global Game Center supports incubating local game startups and aspiring entrepreneurs.

The center has 29 offices and has given rise to several successful firms, such as Oblique Games, NextStage, and Appnori. The 29 resident businesses generated revenues of about 7.56 billion KRW and 96 job openings in the previous year.

The Busan Global Game Center, which was founded in 2015 and is in its tenth year of providing incubation support through a public-private collaboration with Smilegate, has been supporting the local gaming industry. The Busan Global Game Center is operated by the Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency with support from Busan Metropolitan City, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the Korea Creative Content Agency.

- Using Free Rent Support to create a fantastic environment for game development

Located in Centum City, Busan, on the third and ninth floors of the Busan Cultural Content Complex, the Busan Global Game Center occupies 3,52㎡ of total space and runs 29 separate offices at the moment. To provide a favorable atmosphere for game creation, resident firms are given free rent assistance, access to PCs, development tools, connected and wireless internet, and a software clean zone. The facility's fitness center, lounge, and conference rooms are also free to use by resident firms.

- Collaborating with Smilegate to Offer Distinctive Incubation Programs, Including the Establishment of a Mutual Growth Fund

Busan Global Game Center collaborates with Smilegate Orange Planet to provide distinctive incubation programs. A manager from Smilegate Orange Planet lives at the center and organizes regular mentoring, consulting, and conferences for resident companies based on Smilegate's global success expertise. Notably, in 2022, Smilegate Group created a 13 billion KRW mutual growth fund for big and small enterprises, allowing for the deployment of 540 million KRW in support of 22 resident firms this year. The funds can be used for employee salaries, research and development, and marketing expenses. Orange Planet's partners, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Notion, and Modusign, also give credits and discounts on their services.

Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency offers a "one-stop solution" for game development and launch, including "Brunch Day" where resident companies play and discuss each other's games, "Technology Seminars" on industry trends such as Web 3.0 and AI, "Fund IR Meetings," and "Consulting on Labor, Tax, and Legal Matters."
Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency offers a "one-stop solution" for game development and launch, including "Brunch Day" where resident companies play and discuss each other's games, "Technology Seminars" on industry trends such as Web 3.0 and AI, "Fund IR Meetings," and "Consulting on Labor, Tax, and Legal Matters."

- Achieving Sales of 7.56 Billion KRW and Producing Numerous Promising Global Game Companies

As a result, the 29 resident enterprises generated sales of around 7.56 billion KRW last year and created 96 new jobs. The game sector demonstrates its growing potential as a viable enterprise that can alleviate Busan's concerns about finding new sources of revenue.

So far, 77 firms have received residency support, and several potential gaming companies have emerged in the global market. Notable examples include "Appnori," which pioneered the global VR game market by ranking first on the Pico Store in China, "Sunnysideup," a PC game developer that ranked first globally on Steam Early Access, "NextStage," a console game developer utilizing Unreal 5 and AI technology, and "Oblique Games," a mobile game company selected in the Google Indie Games Festival Top 10. These companies have collectively secured approximately 7 billion KRW in investments from domestic and international investors, highlighting their recognized value.

Kim Tae-yeol, President of the Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency, emphasized, "The Busan Global Game Center has been a steadfast pillar for the development of the local game industry. Over the next decade, we will work closely with Smilegate Orange Planet to provide comprehensive assistance for local gaming entrepreneurs to compete globally.

Seo Sang-bong, Director of Orange Planet stated, "We are delighted to contribute to the growth of the local gaming industry through our ongoing work with the Busan Global Game Center. We will continue to support the discovery and growth of promising game startups in various ways.“

This year, Busan Global Game Center, in collaboration with Smilegate Orange Planet, plans to operate various programs to enhance the competitiveness of resident companies, including regular and project-based mentoring, sponsorship of the local developer exhibition 'Build051', the Busan Game Developers Conference, and networking events for game company employees.


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