Busan is good

Busan Metropolitan City–Smilegate Collaborate to Develop an In-Game “Busan Map” to Expand the City’s Global Brand Presence

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that on November 14 at 13:20, it will sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the global game company Smilegate Co., Ltd. (hereinafter “Smilegate”) at BEXCO to promote the global expansion of Busan’s city brand and create social value through the development of a next-generation in-game “Busan Map.”

This agreement has been established to leverage gaming as a cultural content medium for Busan and Smilegate to promote the city’s brand globally, while also seeking to revitalize the local economy and create social value by integrating the tourism and gaming industries.

Smilegate is a leading global game development and content company representing the Republic of Korea. Since its establishment in 2002, the company has expanded its business across diverse fields including game development, publishing, platforms, entertainment, investment, and social contribution.

Its major titles include the first-person shooter game Crossfire, which has amassed 1.1 billion global users, and the MMORPG Lost Ark, currently serviced in more than 160 countries. In particular, Lost Ark won six awards at the 2019 Korea Game Awards and achieved a Steam concurrent user record of 1.32 million in 2023, reflecting its immense popularity among global gamers.

As of 2024, Smilegate recorded 1.5222 trillion KRW in sales and employs approximately 3,500 people, standing as a company that leads the status of the Korean gaming industry not only domestically but also in the global market.

The city and Smilegate plan to jointly develop a next-generation in-game “Busan Map” so that gamers worldwide can naturally experience Busan’s urban landscape and identity. They will incorporate Busan’s representative tourist attractions and cultural elements into both in-game and external content to stimulate tourism demand and create a virtuous cycle that contributes to the local economy.

Furthermore, cooperative projects will be pursued to revitalize the local economy and nurture young talent. The city will support the linkage between the gaming and tourism industries, while Smilegate will expand participation opportunities for young talent in Busan in the game development and content production process, jointly building a foundation for the growth of a promising local game ecosystem.

Vice Mayor for Administrative Affairs Lee Jun-seung stated, “Through cooperation with a world-class game company, we will expand Busan’s brand value in the global market and create a new model of city promotion that combines gaming and tourism,” adding, “We will also actively contribute to creating social value, including nurturing young talent and supporting cultural underprivileged groups.”