Source: BIC Organizing Committee

The final selection for the 'Busan Indie Connect Festival 2026 (BIC 2026),' a global indie game festival co-hosted by Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Jeon Jae-soo), the Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency (Acting President Lee Jae-deok), and the Busan Indie Connect Festival Organizing Committee (Chairman Joo Sung-pil, hereafter BIC Organizing Committee), has been announced. The BIC Organizing Committee will unveil the selections for the General, Rookie, and Connect Pick categories on its official website at 3:00 PM on the 13rd, at which time it will also begin 'Early Bird' ticket sales, offering a 20% discount on all ticket types.

A total of approximately 180 titles from 41 countries have been officially selected for BIC 2026. The General and Rookie categories were chosen by a panel of expert judges, while the Connect Pick category was selected through votes by the 'Big Connectors,' the official BIC crew. With the addition of non-competitive entries, such as sponsor and partner games, attendees will be able to experience a diverse array of indie games from around the world both on-site and online.

This year's selections were made amidst the fiercest competition in the festival's history. A total of 856 entries from 57 countries were submitted for BIC 2026, a roughly 44% increase from the 592 entries received for the previous festival. This demonstrates that BIC has firmly established itself as a global festival platform that leads the trends of the indie game industry, extending its influence beyond Asia to the rest of the world.

'Early Bird' ticket sales, which offer a chance to access this expanded lineup at a reasonable price, begin today (the 13rd) at 3:00 PM. These tickets provide a discount opportunity for attendees who want to check out the revealed lineup and join the festival.

Tickets are available in several categories: #1 'Business Pass,' which supports business meetings and conference participation for industry professionals; #2 'Offline Festival Ticket (1-Day/2-Day),' which allows attendees to play the exhibited games on-site; and #3 'Online Festival Ticket,' which provides access to the exhibits for approximately three weeks without time or space constraints. Notably, the 'Offline Festival 1-Day Ticket,' highly anticipated by many visitors, will be available starting with this Early Bird sale.

Joo Sung-pil, Chairman of the BIC Organizing Committee, stated, "With a record-breaking number of entries from 57 countries, BIC 2026 has created an opportunity to further expand the diversity and originality of indie games. As this lineup is filled with the experiments and endeavors of global indie developers, I hope attendees will come to experience its breadth and depth for themselves."

Early Bird Online Festival Tickets and Business Passes can be purchased on the official BIC website until August 5, while Offline Festival Tickets are available until August 11. Group discount applications for organizations and institutions are also being accepted. Detailed information regarding the event and tickets can be found on the official website and social media channels.