As Korea's largest game exhibition, G-Star 2025, was held on the 13th, the organizer promoted this year's G-Star as "44 countries, 1,273 companies, 3,269 booths," stressing the expansion of overseas participation. But on site, the assessment that it was a "global exhibition in name only" was stronger. Nexon, Smilegate, Kakao Games, and Pearl Abyss all skipped the event, and in the industry, the view was that "with new titles already unveiled at Gamescom and Tokyo Game Show, there is no reason to also attend G-Star." In particular, while the number of overseas game companies increased, most did not bring new titles, and many sections of the exhibition hall were sparse except for certain domestic corporations' booths. Critics said the core elements needed to leap into a global game show are still missing.
◇ Only "Aion 2" drew crowds, an empty overseas hall…global participation without "new titles"
This year's BTC hall was run mainly by domestic corporations such as NCSOFT, Netmarble, WEBZEN, KRAFTON, and Gravity, with overseas developers including Blizzard, Bandai Namco, Sega/Atlus, and Warhorse Studios participating. Visitors to the exhibition commonly pointed out the "thin content" of this year's G-Star.
Kang Dong-hyun, 31, who lives in Busan, said, "Last year was fun because console demos were active, but this year it was centered on PC and mobile, so it felt less fresh," and added, "Most new PC and mobile titles can be seen by video, so there is little reason to come to G-Star to experience them." A person surnamed Lee, 27, who came from Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, also said, "There are fewer participating game companies than two years ago, so there wasn't much to enjoy, which is disappointing."
In reality, the on-site atmosphere was marked by polarization, with crowds flocking only to a few popular booths. The NCSOFT "Aion 2" booth saw wait times of up to four hours, and KRAFTON's "Palworld Mobile" was also congested, with waits of more than 150 minutes.
By contrast, Exhibition Hall 2, which housed the overseas section, had many empty spaces despite the global exhibition title. Booths were quiet, and even Atlus, considered one of Japan's three major RPG makers, showcased older titles as-is like "Persona 5," drawing almost no visitors. On site, many reacted that "the number of participating overseas corporations has increased, but most of the booths are essentially at the fan-service level."
A person surnamed Choi, 36, who lives in Gijang County, Busan, said, "I came with high expectations as an Atlus fan. But they are demoing older titles I've already played, which is disappointing," and added, "It's good that many overseas game companies came, but there are no new announcements or fresh hands-on opportunities at all." Blizzard, which returned to G-Star for the first time in 12 years, drew a relatively steady crowd with an "Overwatch Busan Map Experience Zone," but it, too, remained a fan-service booth without any new titles.
A representative from a domestic game company who visited G-Star said, "G-Star in November is unfavorable for game companies in terms of timing. It's a period when new titles have already been revealed overseas or when companies are busy preparing for early next year's launches, so it strongly feels like 'participating with booths just for show,'" and added, "If, like this year, more corporations come without new titles and only bring existing games, G-Star's presence will further diminish."
◇ "Trapped in a fixed format…an urgent need for structural overhaul"
Experts pointed to G-Star's structural problems, diagnosing that "a sweeping overhaul is needed to leap into a global exhibition." They noted that if G-Star remains stuck in "numbers-focused promotion" as it is now, the expansion of overseas corporate participation will find it hard to shake off criticism as a "global exhibition in name only."
Kim Jeong-tae, a professor in the Department of Game Studies at Dongyang University, said, "G-Star has remained in a standardized structure for more than 20 years. Even though the host has changed, there is a lack of new attempts or reflection of industry opinions." He added, "The core of global game shows is still console-based. Tokyo Game Show and Gamescom are structured so that console holders like Sony and MS lead the schedules and announcements, which draws global game companies, but Korea is mobile-centered, so there is little incentive for overseas companies to come."
They also cited geographic factors as a limitation. Kim said, "Holding it in Busan is physically hard to access for overseas buyers. From Incheon Airport to a domestic flight and then on to Busan is a burden for global companies," stressing, "A serious review is needed to relocate to the Seoul metropolitan area, such as Pangyo, Guro Digital Complex, or KINTEX."
Wi Jeong-hyeon, president of the Korea Game Society (a professor at Chung-Ang University), offered a more blunt assessment. Wi said, "There is major confusion over whether G-Star is a fan-service event or a business-centered event," and added, "It is also a problem that it is perceived like a festival for high school seniors right after the college entrance exam. Neither the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) nor the organizing committee is moving beyond the status quo, and there is no sign of a will to leap into a global game show." Wi continued, "Holding it in Busan is a political decision, not an industrial one, and it cannot provide the environment needed to attract foreign companies."