Source: Korea AI Game Association

The Korea AI Game Association announced that it will operate 'Indie Arcade,' a domestic indie game exhibition brand, in conjunction with '2026 PlayX4,' a global game exhibition hosted by Gyeonggi Province.

'Indie Arcade' is an offline exhibition brand led by the association. Since its debut in 2018, it has reached its 8th year and established itself as a flagship program that supports domestic indie game developers in exhibiting and promoting their titles. The event will take place over four days from May 21 to 24, 2026, at KINTEX Exhibition Center 1 in Ilsan, running from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM daily.

The exhibition will feature a variety of domestic indie games across diverse genres, showcasing creative content to visitors and industry professionals alike.

The event is designed as a user-centric program where developers and players can interact directly and exchange feedback on-site. To foster industry growth and networking, the association will host the '2026 Indie Play Awards' on the first day, May 21, to recognize the year's outstanding indie games. This will be followed by a networking party at 7:00 PM, bringing together developers, publishers, and industry stakeholders to explore business opportunities and share insights.

Meanwhile, the association expressed concerns regarding recent changes to exhibition support policies for indie games. It pointed out that the shift from a fully subsidized model to one requiring developers to cover a portion of participation costs has increased the burden on small teams and individual developers.

An association official noted that these financial burdens could lead to reduced participation opportunities within the indie game ecosystem. The official emphasized that continued policy support and guaranteed exhibition opportunities are essential for indie games, which serve as the foundation for creativity and diversity. The association plans to continue expanding opportunities for indie game developers to engage with the market through 'Indie Arcade'.