East meets West: First Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Korea unites global game leaders in Goyang
- The first PG Connects Korea Summit united over 500 attendees for a focused day of high-end networking, bridging the gap between East and West.
- Four themed tracks featured over 30 high-profile speakers providing cutting-edge content on topics ranging from the latest trends and technology, through monetisation to global growth strategies.
- A vibrant mix of local, regional and global companies attended, including leading names like NCSoft, Krafton, Com2uS, Garena, Tilting Point, and many more.
Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Korea represents the latest expansion into a new key location for the 2025 PGC conference series. It sat alongside the pre-existing Contents Universe event and a summit from the Korean Game Developers Association, run by local partners Opener and Zempie.
On October 31st, over 500 delegates, 230 companies and organisations from 20 countries representing three different continents gathered for a day of industry insight and high-quality networking.
Korea's position as a global top-five games market, generating over $12 billion annually, was underscored by the presence of leading companies at the event.
Industry giants such as NCSoft, Krafton, DevSisters, Neowiz, Nexon and Com2uS were joined by leading media THISISGAME, exciting growth companies such as Supercent, NC AI, and Artive Sound and a large showing of indie developer talent collectively demonstrating the strength and diversity of Korea's local game ecosystem.
Although Korean companies dominated, regional and international representation was also impressive, with companies such as Garena, Electronic Arts, Tilting Point, Xsolla, Microsoft, and Wizards of the Coast among the participating lineup.
From local veterans to international technology trailblazers, PG Connects Summit Korea served as a powerful portal connecting Eastern and Western industry professionals, laying the groundwork for worldwide, cross-sector connections, collaborations and innovations.
Bridging East and West through ideas and innovation
Four dynamic content tracks delivered insight that cut across continents and platforms, from global market trends to monetisation, user acquisition and growth strategies. Sessions explored how game developers can break through and thrive in the Korean market, which is quickly shifting from mobile powerhouse to emerging opportunities in PC, console, and cross-platform.
Industry leaders shared practical tactics, and panels went into the challenges of entering new markets, adapting business models, and scaling in a world increasingly shaped by live ops, AI tools, and transmedia IP. Discussions were genuine, data-driven, and optimistic about Korea’s role in shaping the future of global games.
For many Western companies, the summit opened the door into one of the world’s most sophisticated and fastest moving games markets. For Korean companies, it was a rare opportunity to sit down with international experts face-to-face, compare strategies, and explore partnerships that could accelerate international reach.
Steel Media CEO Chris James commented: “I’m genuinely delighted to have delivered our first PGC Summit event in Korea, and it’s been a genuine honour to connect with and support the ecosystem here.
"The penultimate event of a PGC 2025 global world tour was our fifth in Asia, but it also marks the opportunity to return to a country I’m personally very fond of and to connect with many old friends and new.
"The Korean games industry has been an inspiration to our business since the earliest days - when we eagerly followed the innovation of games such as Nom and Skipping Stone (even partnering on a giveaway of the latter), and I’ve been fortunate enough to visit many times for events such as G-Star, PlayX4 and Busan Indie Connects.
"This certainly won’t be our last visit here and we hope to build on this in the coming years and grow an event that supports the local community and provides a friendly ‘landing point’ for international companies wanting to engage with one of the top five global games industries.
"Our mission remains, to seek out new games markets and celebrate the incredible companies and professionals targeting unrealised opportunities and innovation through our global events and media channels.”
Taking the temperature of the industry
The data from the first PG Connects Summit in Korea paints a clear picture of a diversified industry. Around 46% were focused on mobile, while 58% on PC/Mac, and 22% on console, plus showings for instant/social games, XR, cloud, web3 and other formats too.
Decision-makers dominated the floor with 52% of attendees holding senior leadership roles, including 25% at C-Level, while over 50% were game makers. This mix of expertise made for conversations that were both visionary and actionable, the kind that spark partnerships, prototypes, and future launches.
While the summit sessions captured the strategic pulse of the global games industry, the Big Indie Zone showcased its creative heartbeat. The dedicated area was buzzing from morning to evening as independent developers from Korea and beyond demoed their projects and also got the chance to connect directly with publishers through curated Connector SpeedMatch sessions.
The Audience Choice Award once again proved to be a highlight, drawing crowds eager to vote for their favourite playable builds and celebrate the spirit of innovation that defines the indie scene.
Meanwhile, the Very Big Indie Pitch brought together a diverse lineup of mobile, PC, and console creators, each given just a few minutes to sell their vision to an expert judging panel. This fast-paced event highlighted the creative spirit driving Korea's indie development scene.
Assessed and judged by an expert panel, the winners were:
- 1st place: Oh! Robot: Legendary Mechanic by Garage Arts
- 2nd place: Blood High! By Allaf Games
- 3rd place: Darklord Saga: Puzzle Action RPG by NU Soft
Additionally, Hit the Healing turned out to be the fan favourite, crowned the winner of the Big Indie Zone Audience Choice Award.
Looking ahead
Following the successful debut of PG Connects Summit Shanghai in July 2025, PG Connects Summit Korea was the second instalment of a broader series of events with a shorter and sharper format, designed to promote local and regional engagement.
Focusing on local ecosystems while maintaining a global view, those summits make the best of Pocket Gamer Connects accessible to new audiences, while supporting and connecting every part of the global games industry.
Kicking off the 2026 events tour, PG Connects London takes place on January 19th to 20th. With over 3,000 delegates, 950 companies, 25% extended meeting space across two iconic venues, two major partner summits, multiple key fringe events and unlimited organic networking opportunities, it’s the one must-stop event for any games industry professional looking to hit real impact and results in the new year.
Companies
Events
