Source: 2026 IndieCraft Organizing Committee

The 2026 IndieCraft Organizing Committee announced on the 13th that a record-breaking 417 companies applied for this year's event, the highest number since the event's rebranding in 2019. By category, 295 companies applied for the domestic/community division and 122 for the challenger (university student) division, marking an increase of approximately 90 companies compared to the previous record of 326 in 2024.

Key factors behind this success include the first-place prize money, which more than doubled to ₩40 million, the exhibition linked with Seongnam City's largest cultural event, 'GXG,' and the creation of practical business opportunities through the 'Connect Fair - K-Game Export Consultation.'

The organizing committee will conduct document reviews until May 21 and plans to announce the final 50 domestic companies and 20 challenger teams selected for the offline exhibition at the end of May. Selected developers will be granted eligibility for the export consultation and receive training in AI-based platform data analysis programs.

Additionally, sponsors will provide various commercialization benefits, such as free usage credits for UModeler's AI 3D solution 'PicoBerry' and in-game fonts from Morisawa Korea. The final top three developers will be selected during the '2026 GXG' linked exhibition held from September 11 to 12, based on a combination of scores including evaluations from a user panel, and will be awarded prize money.

Lee Deok-hee, Head of the Strategic Industry Division at the Seongnam Industry Promotion Agency, stated that these results demonstrate that IndieCraft has established itself as a platform where developers can find practical growth opportunities. He added that the agency would actively support domestic indie developers in their efforts to enter the global market, leveraging Seongnam City's infrastructure. Hwang Sung-ik, Chairman of the Korea Mobile Game Association, also expressed his commitment to discovering K-indie games with global potential through a fair evaluation process. Final selection results can be found on the official websites of the Korea Mobile Game Association and IndieCraft.