[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] On the second day of South Korea's largest game exhibition, 'G-STAR 2021,' the 'Public Day' for general visitors was held on the 18th. Despite limiting the number of daily visitors to 6,000 to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the venue was heated with the enthusiasm of game fans eager to experience new releases.
The place that held visitors' attention the longest that day was undoubtedly Kakao Games. At this event, Kakao Games created independent spaces called the 'Branding Zone' and 'Play Experience Zone,' each reflecting the characteristics of the seven games they exhibited. These independent spaces attracted a considerable crowd from the morning. Especially in the experience zone, visitors continuously lined up to try out 'Odin: Valhalla Rising,' 'Friends Shot: Anyone Can Golf,' and 'Eternal Return,' which had won the Korea Game Awards the previous day. Visitors could receive stamps and gifts upon completing game experience missions, adding to their enjoyment.
The excitement was no less at Krafton. Krafton's booth, composed of a game experience zone, Newbie MBTI zone, Emote Dance Challenge zone, photo zone, and goods shop, was so crowded that staff were busy managing waiting lines. Visitors spent their time enjoying various programs such as taking PUBG-style photos inside the booth, purchasing exclusive merchandise, and receiving coupons.
Gravity, located near the entrance of the venue, captivated visitors' attention by prominently featuring models cosplaying characters from their flagship game Ragnarok. Visitors were busy taking photos every time the models changed. Gravity exhibited a total of nine titles at this event, including Ragnarok V: Resurrection, Ragnarok Begins, and Grandia. All of these games were available for hands-on experience on-site.
In addition to events prepared at each booth, various side events such as the G-STAR Conference continued. It was held in collaboration with IGC, one of the top game conferences in Korea, with sessions covering diverse topics including metaverse, indie games, consoles, PC online, mobile, and cloud gaming.
In particular, the keynote lecture by Kim Hyung-tae, CEO of Shift Up, titled 'From Illustrator to Director,' resonated deeply with developers and visitors alike.
CEO Kim is one of Korea's leading illustrators involved in numerous hit titles such as 'The War of Genesis,' 'Magna Carta,' 'Blade & Soul' (B&S), and 'Destiny Child.' He shared episodes and development philosophies from his start as an illustrator in 1997 to becoming the CEO of Shift Up.
He explained that the mobile games currently in development, 'NIKKE' and 'Project Eve,' incorporate the fundamentals of illustration and real-time 3D based on his accumulated experience, raising expectations that these works will be new challenges even for himself.
Meanwhile, on the third day of the event, the 19th, various programs will continue. These include the 'G-STAR Cup eSports Festival,' where eSports celebrities, fans, and families communicate together, and the 'G-STAR 2021 Game Cosplay Awards,' where visitors can enjoy game cosplay performances.
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