The G - STAR Organizing Committee announced the core direction for G - STAR 2026, the international game exhibition now in its 22nd year. The committee revealed that Crack, an AI story creation platform, will serve as the event's first-ever main sponsor, and that it will feature large-scale convergence programs, including the 1500-seat G-CON.

Led by Chairman Jo Yeong-gi, the committee is actively pursuing two major strategies through this exhibition: expanding the industry's reach to target audiences and increasing in-house content.

Chairman Jo Yeong-gi emphasized, "This year's G-STAR focuses on discovering convergent content that connects diverse industries beyond traditional boundaries, while significantly strengthening our in-house content, which we plan and operate directly. We aim to leap forward as Korea's premier platform, not only by diversifying our participating companies but also by delivering genuine fun and new possibilities to everyone who visits G-STAR." To this end, the committee plans to provide visitors with a new level of experience that blends technology and narrative, going beyond simple game displays.

Crack, by Wrtn Technologies, the official main sponsor of G-STAR 2026, is a platform that uses AI technology to help users create their own stories. This partnership is significant as it combines AI and narrative—key topics in the gaming industry—to substantially broaden the scope of the exhibition.

To ensure broad appeal, the committee collaborated with Lee Dong-geon, the creator of the hit Naver Webtoon series Yumi's Cells, to produce the main key visual. Additionally, the committee has partnered with the trend trading platform KREAM to release a special pass featuring official merchandise by Lee Dong-geon. They also plan to increase offline engagement by opening a pop-up store on the 4th floor of the Hyundai Department Store Pangyo branch for seven days starting September 1.

The entire BEXCO Exhibition Center 1 will be zoned with a primary focus on the safety and comfortable movement of BTC visitors. The first list of confirmed exhibitors includes main sponsor Crack, as well as industry leaders such as Google Play, Webzen, Team42, HoYoverse, NetEase Games, Bilibili Games, and Century Games, completing an all-star lineup.

Large booths and general viewing areas will be balanced to effectively reduce crowd density. Monster Energy, as an official sponsor, will host an influencer lounge inside Exhibition Center 1 and conduct on-site sampling events to build excitement. Additional exhibitors and the full floor plan will be announced sequentially through official channels.

Exhibition Center 2, Floor 1, will serve as a special exhibition zone where visitors can vividly experience the convergence of different industries. Hyundai Motor Company will showcase the integration of mobility and gaming through a special booth and host the 2026 Hyundai N Virtual Cup Grand Finals. The newly established Intel new title experience zone will allow visitors to play unreleased games, including SEGA Europe's Total War: Warhammer 40k and titles from Koei Tecmo Games.

In addition, the Korea Creative Content Agency will host a Game Culture Festival experience hall, and the popular band QWER will perform a mini-concert on a special stage. The in-house program, G-STAR Indie Showcase 2: GALAXY, will also feature participation from global platforms and engine companies such as Devolver Digital, Discord, STEAM DECK (KOMODO), and Unity, creating a large-scale ecosystem for creation and experience.

The BTB exhibition hall is also undergoing a comprehensive overhaul to maximize business efficiency. In response to increased networking demand, the business lounge area has been significantly expanded compared to last year, with booths arranged around the lounge to encourage natural business meetings. Notably, to reduce the burden on small developers, new lounge booths (approximately 0.5 the size of a standard booth) have been introduced inside the lounge. Various customized business programs, such as networking parties and investment markets designed to drive tangible results, are also planned.

G-CON 2026, which will be held from November 19 to 20 at the BEXCO Convention Hall Grand Ballroom with a 1500-seat capacity, will focus on the theme of Narrative. With Crack participating as the sole main sponsor to add depth to the sessions, the event will feature lectures by film industry masters who have collectively drawn 32 million viewers. Director Jang Hang-jun (Rebound, the 2nd highest-grossing film with 16 million viewers) and Director Lee Byeong-heon (Extreme Job, the 3rd highest-grossing film, and Be Melodramatic) will take the stage to discuss the narrative essence of creators in the AI era. Following this, Director Park In-je (Moving) and Director Jo Yong-hee (Pragmata) will hold a special talk to share their know-how on character planning for drama and game media.

Sessions featuring top creators from Korea and Japan are also highly anticipated. SHIFT UP CEO Kim Hyung-tae and Shinji Mikami will hold a special talk, while Yoshinori Kitase and Director Naoki Hamaguchi, who led the original Final Fantasy VII and its remake, will explain the process of reimagining a generation-defining masterpiece.

Furthermore, influential speakers will discuss the integration of storytelling and systems, including Marcin Blacha (VP) and Philipp Weber (Director) of The Witcher series, Greg Kasavin (Director) and Darren Korb (Music Director) of Hades, Harry Krueger (Director) of Returnal, and Pierre Shorette (Writer) of The Wolf Among Us.

Lee Dong-geon (Yumi's Cells) and animator Kim Hye-sook (Inside Out) will discuss anthropomorphic narratives. Lee Nak-jun, the author of Trauma Center—which recorded 3.5 billion cumulative views and was adapted into a successful Netflix series—will hold a talk with Ryan Green, the director of That Dragon, Cancer, to deliver the profound message that "the most deeply personal and sincere experiences become the best narratives that move the universal human heart." After the lectures, a free networking "Roundtable" will be held, allowing all participants to communicate freely and complete the business exchange experience. 50% of the total lecture sessions have been revealed, with the final lineup to be announced in September.