K-Game Exports Take Off! PlayX4 B2B Meeting on the 21st
Key Business Hub for Global Game Companies
The '2026 PlayX4' event will host an 'Export Consultation Meeting' over two days, from May 21 to 22, at the B2B Hall located in Hall 5A of the KINTEX Exhibition Center 1. This gathering is anticipated to serve as a crucial business hub, enabling top domestic game companies to break into overseas markets and expand their connections with global investors.
This year, the B2B Hall of PlayX4 has made significant efforts to achieve both scale and depth. A total of 500 domestic and international developers and buyers have confirmed their participation, and an online-offline hybrid business matching system has been introduced to overcome physical limitations. This structure allows not only on-site visitors but also global publishers based overseas to meet with domestic developers in real time.
New Networking and Indie Awards
In addition to the online-offline hybrid business matching, the Indie Awards are also scheduled to take place. The most notable feature of this year's event is the substantial strengthening of mechanisms to build 'sustainable partnerships' beyond simple business meetings. To this end, the organizers have introduced a 'Networking Program' and an 'Indie Award.'
The newly introduced Networking Program offers an opportunity for both B2B and B2C participants to interact freely, moving away from rigid consultation spaces. The aim is to maximize 'serendipitous business opportunities,' such as sharing information among participants and discovering unexpected collaboration partners. In addition, a variety of events have been prepared, including voting and announcements for the 'Indie Award' and a lucky draw, to boost the morale of small and indie game companies and widely promote their excellent content.
Advanced Support Measures
Practical support programs for participating companies stand out. The most noteworthy is the 'Focused User Test (FGT).' The FGT, conducted over four days for approximately 40 selected games, is a valuable opportunity to directly collect feedback from actual users visiting the PlayXpo venue. It creates a virtuous cycle where developers verify the marketability of their games before official release, and users participate in the development process by experiencing unreleased new titles in advance.
Sessions designed to strengthen investment attraction capabilities are also being prepared. Twenty developers will be selected to receive professional consulting, and assistance will be provided to secure actual investment commitments through IR presentations and Q&A sessions with investors. All of these processes are open to any visitor to the export consultation hall, making it a valuable opportunity for experts seeking to grasp industry trends.
Additionally, the 'Online Consultation with Overseas Investors,' operated in close cooperation with the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), is set to provide practical guidelines to small and medium-sized game companies eager to expand their overseas markets. By leveraging the capabilities of KOTRA, which possesses a global network, it is possible to engage in in-depth conversations with buyers from various regions, including North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
Exchange with Global Game Shows
An area featuring approximately 40 major projects is also scheduled to open. This year's PlayXpo features booths from world-renowned global game shows such as the Tokyo Game Show (TGS) and ChinaJoy, and promising overseas developers participate directly to collaborate with domestic companies. This reflects the determination to go beyond simply allowing domestic game companies to expand overseas and to create a platform for the global game ecosystem to interact with the Korean market as its center.
Stage for Future Talents
On the weekend, game clubs from the Seoul metropolitan area, who are the future leaders of the game industry, will take over the baton. In this section, where approximately 40 projects are on display, visitors can catch a glimpse of the fresh ideas and passion of student developers. In particular, a separate IR pitching session has been arranged for them, and it is expected to serve as a channel for major game companies and investors to discover promising 'future star developers' in advance.
Detailed information regarding participation in the 2026 PlayXpo B2B and specific programs can be found on the official PlayXpo website.
