Source: BIC Festival Organizing Committee

Submissions for 'Connect Pick,' the non-competitive category of the global indie game festival 'Busan Indie Connect Festival 2026 (BIC 2026),' will open on April 15 at 3:00 PM. BIC 2026 is co-hosted by the Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon), the Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency (President Kim Tae-yeol), and the Busan Indie Connect Festival Organizing Committee (Chairman Joo Sung-pil, hereafter BIC Organizing Committee). Connect Pick is a non-competitive program designed to prioritize exhibition and engagement with attendees, allowing a wider variety of indie games to reconnect with gamers through the BIC platform.

Unlike the General and Rookie categories, Connect Pick accepts titles that have been released for over a year or have been exhibited at previous BIC festivals. This allows developers to showcase games already on the market or previously introduced at BIC, providing them with broader exhibition opportunities. The submission period runs from April 15 to May 26, with both the start and end times set for 3:00 PM KST.

The submission process has also been simplified. While a link to a gameplay video is mandatory for Connect Pick, submitting a game build or store link is optional. By reducing the burden of submitting a separate game build, the committee expects more developers to consider participating in BIC 2026. In contrast, the competitive categories require the submission of a playable game build for evaluation.

The selection process for Connect Pick is also unique. While the General and Rookie categories are evaluated by a panel of professional judges, Connect Pick selections are determined by votes from 'Big Connectors,' the official BIC supporters. This approach is significant as it incorporates the perspectives of gamers and attendees—who possess a deep passion for and understanding of indie games—into the selection process. Connect Pick is expected to feature titles that resonate strongly with audiences, and the BIC Organizing Committee plans to use this to further expand the touchpoints between developers and gamers.

As a non-competitive category, Connect Pick entries are not eligible for awards. The BIC Organizing Committee stated that it plans to operate Connect Pick in a way that allows a wider variety of works to reach attendees, distinct from award-based competition. Detailed eligibility requirements and exhibition regulations can be found in the submission guidelines on the official website. Selection results are scheduled to be announced between the fourth week of June and the first week of July.

BIC 2026 will host an online festival from August 7 to 28, with the offline event taking place from August 14 to 16 at Hall 2 of BEXCO in Busan. The hybrid online-offline format is expected to serve as a vibrant venue for domestic and international developers and gamers to interact.

Joo Sung-pil, Chairman of the BIC Organizing Committee, stated, "Connect Pick is a category that introduces indie games in a way that differs from award competitions, allowing us to showcase titles from the perspective of the gamers themselves. We hope this provides an opportunity for older titles or past BIC exhibits to meet with attendees once again."

Further details are available on the official BIC website and social media channels.