[Edaily Reporter An Yu-ri ] Domestic game companies are shifting their offline focus away from “G-STAR.” New global titles are being unveiled at overseas game shows such as Gamescom in Germany or the Tokyo Game Show in Japan, while subculture games are increasingly heading to anime and character events. Major intellectual properties (IPs) with strong fan bases are even hosting their own events to meet users directly.

Analysts note that as the share of overseas revenue grows and the gaming user base becomes increasingly segmented by genre and region, there is less reason for game companies to participate in G-STAR, a general-purpose game show, than there was in the past. Offline strategies are shifting toward companies directly selecting venues that best suit their specific objectives—from new title unveilings to global marketing and managing existing fan bases.

According to the gaming industry on the 28th, #NC and KRAFTON(259960)are participating in “Gamescom 2026,” the world’s largest gaming expo held in Cologne, Germany, to showcase new global titles. Gamescom opened on the 26th and runs through the 30th.

NC set up a booth in the Business-to-Business (B2B) hall to introduce its new lineup and expand into overseas markets. At the “Opening Night Live” pre-opening event held on the 25th, NC confirmed the official global release date for “Aion 2” as October 5. The company also unveiled a new cinematic trailer for “Cinder City” and revealed “Like or Die,” a new team-based survival first-person shooter (FPS), for the first time.

KRAFTON set up a booth at Hall 9 of the Koelnmesse. At the event, KRAFTON showcased five new titles: △PUBG: Deadnet △NO LAW △Project Zeta △Age Twister △Tarae: Unbound. The company engaged with global users through hands-on experience zones and on-site programs that highlighted the unique characteristics and worlds of each title.

At the Tokyo Game Show (TGS), which will be held in Japan next month, a large number of game companies specializing in subculture (anime-style) IPs will be exhibiting. These include NEXON Games’ IO Division’s *Paraydolia*; Netmarble Corporation’s *Shangri-La Frontier: The Seven Strongest Species* and *I Alone Level Up: Karma*; and *Pearl in Blue*, a story-driven subculture collectible RPG. Smilegate is showcasing “Future City: The Invisible Future” and “Dead Account: Two Blue Flames” this year.

Subculture games are also actively making their way into animation and character events such as AGF (Animation Game Festival) and Comic World. At the AGF held last December, the percentage of participating game companies increased by 50% compared to the previous year.

The trend is also extending to overseas subculture events. Last month, Smilegate participated in “Anime Expo,” North America’s largest subculture event, held in Los Angeles. At the time, Smilegate’s “Future City” demo zone drew so much interest that wait times averaged nearly three hours.

The new RPG “Astrae Oratio,” published by NC and developed by Dynamis One, participated in Japan’s “Comic Market” last August and achieved a “sold-out” status for its merchandise. Astrae Oratio also plans to expand its reach to global users at the Tokyo Game Show this coming September.

Game companies with major IPs also make use of their own showcases. Nexon’s “MapleStory” and “Blue Archive,” for example, hold separate offline events to reveal update information and feature performances, merchandise sales, and user participation programs. Unlike comprehensive game shows where they must share attention with other companies’ new titles, these events allow them to fill the space exclusively with their own IP and expand their engagement with fans.

Conversely, amid a slowdown in the domestic gaming market—marked by declining game usage rates—attendance at “G-STAR,” once the country’s largest gaming event, has dwindled. The first list of Business-to-Consumer (B2C) exhibitors released by the G-STAR Organizing Committee did not include any major domestic game companies other than Webzen Inc.(069080).

A gaming industry official stated, “As far as I know, none of the major game companies—including the ‘3N+K’ (Nexon, Netmarble Corporation, NCSoft, and KRAFTON)—have yet confirmed their participation in G-STAR,” adding, “While the G-STAR event holds symbolic significance, companies seem to be weighing their decisions by considering participation costs, marketing effectiveness, and the release schedules and nature of new IPs.”