“Develop games without worrying about rent or maintenance fees” ... SBA supports small game studios

[Financial News] The Seoul Metropolitan Government is set to provide development space to ease the startup burden on early-stage game developers with limited funding and staff. It will cover rent and maintenance fees in full, reducing fixed costs, and provide equipment needed for game development as well as opportunities to connect with businesses. The aim is to help small studios develop games steadily and build a foundation for growth.
 According to the Seoul Business Agency (SBA) on the 29th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and SBA are recruiting companies to move into the Seoul Game Content Center Game Lab, located at S-Plex Center in Sangam-dong, Mapo District, Seoul.
 The Seoul Game Content Center Game Lab is an incubating space designed to ease the cost burden on early-stage game developers and let them focus on development. A total of six seats are available in this recruitment round, provided as open, fixed desks in a shared-office format.
 Eligible applicants are small and medium-sized game development companies nationwide with five or fewer employees listed in their four major social insurance enrollment records, as well as prospective entrepreneurs. Each company may apply for up to three seats.
 The key feature is that all fixed costs for the workspace are covered. Tenant companies can use the development space without paying rent or maintenance fees. The initial occupancy period is one year, and following an extension review, tenants may use the space for up to three years.
 Support is available not only for workspace but also for game production and commercialization. This includes loans of mobile game testing devices, as well as opportunities to network and attend seminars. Applicants can also receive additional points in the selection review for the SBA Game Team Support Program.
 The initiative is intended to reduce early-stage developers’ costs of securing workspace while helping them build their commercialization capabilities through exchanges with external developers and related companies. It is also significant in that workspace support is linked with other initiatives to foster the game industry.
 Companies interested in moving in can apply online through the ‘Business Application’ section of the SBA website by November 10. The recruitment notice and further details are also available on the website.
 Mun Gu-seon, head of SBA’s Creative Industry Division, said, “We will support promising small and medium-sized game developers so they can make the leap into promising companies with global competitiveness.”
[email protected] Kim Hyun-chul Reporter