Global game fair G-Star 2013 ends with phenomenal success
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Korea’s biggest video game exhibition, G-Star 2013, ended with phenomenal success, having attracted the largest ever number of spectators. The four-day event was held from November 14 to 17 at BEXCO in Busan and broke more records than simply attendance.
According to the G-Star Organizing Committee, a total of 188,707 people visited the show. This, alone, makes it a fruitful event. But there were also some 512 companies from 32 countries from around the world who set up 2,261 booths, including 1,026 booths in the business-to-business (B2B) section, the highest number of booths ever.
For the first time, the B2B booths occupied the whole of BEXCO’s new exhibition hall and the number of buyers who participated in the event, at their expense, rose 66 percent from last year’s numbers, to 1,397. Game industry insiders said they were surprised to see such a large B2B space this year and were impressed by the increased number of foreign companies present at G-Star.
BEXCO is packed with visitors who come to see the newest video games on offer at G-Star 2013. A total of 188,707 people attended this year’s game fair. (photo courtesy of the G-Star Organizing Committee)
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo Jinryong (second from left) tries out some of the new games on display at the G-Star 2013 opening ceremony on November 14. (photo courtesy of the G-Star Organizing Committee)
Among Korean game companies present at the fair were Nexon, Neowiz Games, NHNent, Incross, Kakao, ActozSoft and CJ E&M. Foreign firms included ChuKong, Sega, Tencent, COG and Ubisoft.
There were also many business deals made during the fair. Out of some 3,935 export related talks that were held, 167 export contracts worth some USD 147.88 million were signed.
“I’ve received eight business offers from many places including Japan, Vietnam, China as well as Europe and the Middle East,” said Hong Mun-cheol, CEO of Galaxygate. “I am going to sign contracts one by one, soon.”
“G-Star matches other major game exhibitions around the world in terms of its size and operations,” said Lee Hyeong-geun, CEO of DconFactory. “I was impressed with the small networking parties where people exchanged information and business cards that were going on in and around Haeundae Beach in Busan.”
At the business-to-consumer booths, there was obviously an increased number of mobile games on display, what with the spread of smartphones. Korean company Nexon showcased the online game “Dota2” as well as “Legion of Heroes” and “Peria Chronicles,” which the company plans to roll out later this year. The middle of the exhibition hall, where visitors were allowed to play new games, was crowded with an endless line of gamers eager with anticipation. There was also the Nexon Invitational Super Match in which overseas professional gamers were invited to battle each other playing “Dota2” in front of the crowds.
Gamers enjoy the newest video games at G-Star 2013. (photo courtesy of the G-Star Organizing Committee)
A visitor enjoys a racing game at G-Star 2013. (photo courtesy of the G-Star Organizing Committee)
On center stage, Daum Communications showcased “Black Desert,” a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) that will be released by the end of this year. Daum also introduced two new games: the first-person shooter “PlanetSide2” and online golf game “Winning Putt.”
Among foreign companies, Wargaming.net showed off its “World of Tanks” and “World of Warplanes” while Blizzard Entertainment introduced for the first time in Asia the expansion pack of “Diablo III: Reaper of Souls.” Nintendo displayed console game machines and its new game “Monster Hunter IV.”
The G-Star Conference was held for the first time this year with a series of opening speeches and presentations by Korean and non-Korean game industry professionals.
Brandon Iribe, CEO of Occulas Virtual Reality, gives his opening remarks. (photo courtesy of the G-Star Organizing Committee)
“Thirty to forty years ago, people thought virtual reality was just a science-fiction but now there are products that have nearly overcome the limitation of 2D images,” said Brandon Iribe, CEO of Occulas Virtual Reality, a maker of virtual reality headsets. “From now on, we will fully solve such limitations and be able to make it possible for people to truly feel ‘we are really in the game.’”
Poster for G-Star 2013 (photo courtesy of the G-Star Organizing Committee)
The source of news: Korea.net
