[Asia Economy Busan=Reporter Lee Seung-jin] The international game exhibition 'G-STAR 2022' (hereafter G-STAR), held normally for the first time in three years since COVID-19, opened on the 17th.
This year's G-STAR features participation from many world-renowned star developers, showcasing the best speaker lineup ever. Additionally, the event is organized at twice the size of last year, and CEOs of domestic game companies are expected to personally introduce new titles, drawing keen interest from gamers both in Korea and abroad.
Twice the size of last year... Best speaker lineup ever
G-STAR, held over four days starting from the 17th, kicked off with the official slogan "The Gaming Universe, once again into the world of games." For the past three years, G-STAR was not held normally due to the impact of COVID-19. This year, held normally for the first time in three years, G-STAR expanded to over twice the size of last year with 987 companies from 43 countries and a total of 2,947 booths.
This year's G-STAR conference is regarded as having the best speaker lineup ever. It consists of four tracks and 44 sessions. The keynote speeches on the first day include David Cage of Quantic Dream, developer of 'Detroit: Become Human,' and Steve Papoutsis, Chief Development Officer of Striking Distance Studios, currently developing 'The Callisto Protocol.'
On the second day, confirmed speakers include Wemade CEO Jang Hyun-guk and Capcom's Ryozo Tsujimoto, the father of the iconic Japanese 'Monster Hunter' series. Additionally, developers and CEOs from Koei, Blizzard Entertainment, Epic Games, and others will also appear as speakers.
Leaders driving the domestic game industry such as Lee Jung-heon, CEO of Nexon Korea; Kwon Young-sik, CEO of Netmarble; Cho Gye-hyun, CEO of Kakao Games; Kim Chang-han, CEO of Krafton; and Jang Hyun-guk, CEO of Wemade, are also expected to make a full appearance.
Record-breaking success expected... New titles pouring in
Domestic game companies will showcase a large number of new titles through G-STAR.
Nexon, participating in G-STAR for the first time in four years, revealed nine titles under the slogan "Return." Nexon will operate 300 booths, the largest single scale in the BTC hall. Visitors can directly try four titles including 'Mabinogi Mobile,' 'First Descendant,' 'KartRider: Drift,' and 'Dave the Diver.'
Along with these, new trailer videos for five new titles will be presented: 'Project AK' and 'Project Overkill,' new titles based on the 'Dungeon & Fighter' intellectual property (IP), 'Hwanse Chwihojeon Online,' 'Godsome: Clash of God,' and the action game 'Night Walker.'
Netmarble will exhibit four new titles at G-STAR: 'Solo Leveling: Arise,' 'Arthdal Chronicles,' 'Paragon: The Overprime,' and 'Hype Squad.' Netmarble will operate an exhibition hall with 100 booths, featuring over 160 demo stations and an open stage.
Main sponsor Wemade will showcase new titles such as 'Night Crow' and 'Legend of Mir' at this year's G-STAR. There will also be experiential content where visitors can experience the WEMIX ecosystem, including the non-fungible token (NFT) platform Nile, life app Tangled and Sneakers, and the metaverse platform Bagel.
Kakao Games will introduce 'Ares: Rise of Guardians,' 'Godis Order,' and 'Distera.' Additionally, new videos of 'ArcheAge War' and 'ArcheAge 2,' developed using the intellectual property (IP) of its subsidiary XL Games, will be unveiled.
Krafton will reveal 'The Callisto Protocol,' 'Moonbreaker,' and 'Defense Derby.' For 'The Callisto Protocol,' which is set for global release next month, a separate demo station will be prepared where visitors can play the game directly.
Neowiz will present 'P's Lie,' which received high praise at global game shows including winning three awards at Europe's largest game show 'Gamescom 2022.'
Visitor safety prioritized
G-STAR manages visitor density from the initial stage by separating the entry times for online pre-booked visitors and on-site ticket purchasers. To ensure smooth movement at the ticket exchange area, the road between the exchange area and BEXCO will be controlled during the event period. Additionally, waiting spaces are secured at each exhibition hall, and entry is adjusted according to density inside the halls. On-site ticket sales are also conducted organically in line with this.
Safety and on-site staff will be deployed at expected bottleneck points and vulnerable areas (such as escalators and stairs), and safety standards will be observed with cooperation from related agencies including the police station and fire station. Side events, which were suspended due to COVID-19, will resume. Outdoor exhibition booths and food truck zones will operate again, and to disperse crowds inside and outside the exhibition halls, outdoor side events such as the G-STAR Warm-up Stage (arcade game zone, photo event zone, photo wall, etc.) will be held.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
