The Korea Creative Content Agency will team up with major industry groups to fully subsidise tool usage fees to support an artificial intelligence transition in South Korea's game industry.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and KOCCA signed business agreements with the Korea Mobile Game Association, the Korea Game Developers Association, the Korea Artificial Intelligence Game Association and the Korea Game Industry Association. They will 추진 the "AI transition (AX) support programme for game production environments," they said on May 18.

The programme was 마련됐다 to respond to rapidly changing production environments driven by intensifying global competition and the spread of generative AI. It also aims to ease the burden on companies using AI. KOCCA and the groups plan to use it to strengthen the global competitiveness of the K-game industry.

KOCCA conducted a demand survey with the Mobile Game Association, the Game Developers Association and the AI Game Association in March. The survey found the biggest difficulty in adoption was the burden of subscription fees, cited by 81.9 percent. Applications will be accepted from May 18 to 27 through the three associations.

Support will vary by company headcount: about 200 companies with 1 to 2 people (up to 5 million won), about 150 companies with 3 to 10 people (up to 10 million won), about 100 companies with 11 to 20 people (up to 20 million won), and about 50 companies with 21 to 50 people (up to 50 million won).

Eligible applicants are companies in game-related businesses, excluding companies selected this year for KOCCA's game production support programme. Selected companies can receive support covering 100 percent of the supply price of domestic development tools and 90 percent for overseas tools. KOCCA also plans to spread best practices by providing copyright and legal guidance and holding a performance-sharing event.

Heads of each association said in unison they hoped the programme would lead to a tangible boost in competitiveness for small and midsize developers.

Hwang Seong-ik (황성익), chairman of the Mobile Game Association, said, "To globalise K-games and strengthen development capabilities, we will support without gaps so it can be a big help from solo developers to small and midsize studios, together with various game industry groups."

Shin Yong-hoon (신용훈), chairman of the Game Developers Association, said, "I hope this programme will ease the burden on game developers using AI tools and help improve production efficiency. We will actively support K-game development so it can flexibly respond to rapidly changing environments and build global competitiveness."

Hong Young-gi (홍영기), vice chairman of the AI Game Association, said, "Given the field's characteristics, with a high share of one- to two-person sole proprietors and indie studios, we will help ensure it becomes practical support that can be felt on the ground."

Jo Young-gi (조영기), chairman of the Game Industry Association, also said, "We hope it will help improve production environments and strengthen development competitiveness for small and midsize companies that feel burdened by adoption, and we will cooperate actively."

Yoo Hyun-seok (유현석), acting president of KOCCA, said, "This programme is seed money to raise AI readiness in game production environments and create conditions for successful adoption." He added, "We will continue to actively support strengthening the global competitiveness of K-game content by leading its use in the game industry."