South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) said on Thursday they will hold the "Game Academy Showcase 2026" from Jan. 13 to 14 at the DoubleTree hotel in Pangyo, Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province.

The event will unveil 13 original games developed by trainees expected to lead the future game industry. It will present attempts that go beyond genre boundaries, including action, roguelike, adventure and puzzle titles, based on various platforms such as PC, Xbox and virtual reality. Visitors will be able to try the games and communicate with developers on site.

A special lecture looking at trends in the global console market will also be held. The keynote speech will be delivered by Idea Factory CEO Yoshiteru Sato, who will present on the importance of console game intellectual property and global strategy. Square Enix technical producer Ben Taylor will then speak on differences among the console markets in North America, Europe and Japan and on technological evolution. Sessions covering hands-on console development in South Korea will also be offered to provide insights to aspiring developers.

The organisers will also run job and startup consulting booths to help aspiring talent plan their careers. Any visitor interested in game development will be able to receive specific advice through one-on-one consultations with experts.

Kim Namgeol, head of KOCCA's Game New Technology Division, said it would be an opportunity to connect the potential of future talent with the industry and expand a vision toward the global console market. He said KOCCA would continue systematic support to nurture key talent needed at the scene.