G-Star is South Korea’s largest gaming trade show, and this year’s event, which took place from November 16–19 in Busan, promised to be a memorable one. With over 1,000 companies from 42 countries gathering at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center (BEXCO) to operate 3,200 booths, G-Star 2023 was by far the largest event ever, according to the organizing committee.

The nearly 200,000 attendees – 7% more than G-Star 2022 – spent four days enjoying everything the event had to offer, from new game industry insights and innovative gaming experiences to expert talks on the latest trends. Read on to see what we got up to and learned at G-Star 2023.

Mistplay's booth at G-Star 2023

At our debut Mistplay booth, we connected with over 400 game developers and industry insiders over coffee, snacks, and popular Korean vitamin drinks. Guests experienced our app’s loyalty program benefits firsthand and received a special Mistplay-branded humidifier as a token of appreciation, evoking the unique “Misty” feeling we’re known for.

Mistplay’s networking party at The Back Room

Mistplay, in collaboration with Persona.ly, curated an unforgettable evening at The Back Room (TBR) that drew in over 450 attendees and left participants with cherished memories of a fantastic Friday night in Busan.

Goni party VIP dinner at Paradise Hotel Busan

The festivities extended to the Goni party VIP dinner at Paradise Hotel Busan. Mistplay greeted 30 industry leaders and partners, and engaged in conversations about Korea’s gaming industry – and where it’s headed next.

4 key trends discussed at G-Star 2023

1. Game developers are seeking to diversify game platforms and genres

Unlike previous events where everyone was buzzing about mobile games, top Korean gaming companies like NCSOFT and Krafton unveiled new games covering different genres and platforms, a fresh strategy to help them become more competitive in today’s global gaming markets.

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2. Subculture games are on the rise

Subculture games, known for anime-style graphics and characters, are becoming increasingly mainstream in Asian and Western markets alike, with sales in Europe and North America increasing by 70% between 2019 and 2023. The inaugural Subculture Game Festival at G-Star featured a goods market, special stage programs, and outdoor events, further solidifying the genre’s prominence.

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3. AI is being adopted to enhance gameplay 

AI has been a hot topic for game industry players over the past few events, and this year is no different. At G-Star 2023, you could find many conversations around how AI and machine learning are being used to enhance gameplay, improve game design, and create more immersive gaming experiences.

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4. Remakes of classic games are coming

Remakes of classic games emerged as another hot topic at G-Star 2023. Developers, despite facing challenges in graphic and game model adjustments, are gearing up to revive and reinvent classic games from the past, anticipating them to be the next big trend in the gaming industry.

👀 Related reading: Mobile gaming trends of 2024: Top 7 developments set to define the year

Where will we go next?

Wondering what’s next for Mistplay? With events like G-Star, ChinaJoy, and MAU behind us, we’re looking forward to another innovative and exciting year ahead in 2024. While gearing up for your own 2024 mobile growth strategy, check out the 2023 Mobile Gaming Loyalty Report, which delves into quantifying loyalty and provides major insights for publishers to adopt a loyalty-first approach in driving lifetime value (LTV).

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