The 16th Launch Workshop of the SGM Indie Game Division 2024-07-05

Opening the Door to Indie Game Creation Through Communication and Collaboration

From June 27 to 28, the 16th Launch Workshop of the Smilegate Membership (SGM) Indie Game Division was held. Fifteen indie game development teams, who will be participating in the SGM program over the next six months, gathered in one place. During the workshop, participants showcased their in-development games and exchanged feedback. The event also provided time for interaction between past SGM participants and the current 16th cohort. Here's a look into the vibrant scene of the launch workshop, filled with creative passion and determination. 

A Heart-Pounding First Encounter

At Smilegate Future Lab Sinchon, located on the campus of Sogang University, the faces of passionate creators were full of excitement and anticipation as they stood at the starting line of a new challenge. What kind of brilliant creations would the 16th cohort of SGM, each entering the world of indie game creation with unique dreams, bring to life?   

SGM focuses on supporting the growth of young creators and expanding the ecosystem of indie game development. Rather than stopping at simply providing “creation support,” SGM fosters a healthy creative environment by encouraging ongoing interaction between past and present cohorts. Even after completing the program, SGM continues to offer various opportunities for continued development. Any youth team of one or more members aspiring to complete an indie game project is eligible to apply to the SGM Indie Game Division. This year, after surpassing the highest competition rate to date, the 16th cohort includes 15 teams: ‘Nesiya’, ‘Salmonhead’, ‘White Kite’, ‘Igegegaeim’, ‘Etriel Athanasia’, ‘Badarang’, ‘SYLOPON’, ‘Ortus Games’, ‘Lizard Smoothie’, ‘Drabbit Studio’, ‘Studio Sogae’, ‘Team. Chef’, ‘BBB’, ‘Mayfly’, and ‘Writers’.

A Time to Share Truths and Build Connection 

The launch workshop began with an ice-breaking session. Upon entering, participants received word cards and formed teams with others who had similar words. Divided into groups of seven to eight, the creators introduced themselves, quickly creating a friendly atmosphere that made it hard to believe they were meeting for the first time.

Before the event began, participants had written down two “personal truths” on Post-its. After the introductions, they gathered with their teams to share these truths in conversation. As Yunjoo Song, a manager at Smilegate Future Lab, suggested, “Let’s use these truths to get to know each other,” the space soon filled with lively chatter. Stories that were hard to share elsewhere came pouring out. One participant shared a hilarious episode from their game development experience, prompting laughter, while another shyly confessed, “This is my secret…” revealing a more serious side. The openness of the session fostered expectations for stronger teamwork moving forward. 

Communication with Past Participants, a Valuable Asset for Creative Growth

Following the morning program, each of the 15 teams had five minutes to introduce their team and game. Having grown closer through the earlier “truth sharing” session, participants cheered and showed enthusiastic support for each team. After the introductions, the first peer learning session took place, during which teams played each other’s games and exchanged candid feedback. They also reviewed their own dreams, goals, and development milestones. 

Throughout the launch workshop, young creators had valuable time to review their own games and test others’ games alongside fellow developers pursuing the same dream. The “Senior-Junior Meet-up,” where past and current participants held group discussions, was especially well received. Many participants expressed that meeting and learning from experienced creators in person was a great help to their development as game creators. 

The 16th cohort of SGM is scheduled to participate in various events such as Open Beta Day (OBT), the Peer Learning Project, and Burning Beaver. This significant first step toward the dreams of young indie game creators is expected to lead to even greater growth in the future.

Interview: Junho Hong of Igegegaeim & Chanwook Choi of Etriel Athanasia

Igegegaeim Team – (Back row, from left) Seungheon Ham, Nayeon Kang (Front row, from left) Junho Hong, Jinho Kim 

“Growing Little by Little Through Constant Communication”

Q. Could you briefly introduce your team and game?  

Junho Hong Our team is Igegegaeim, and we are developing a game called ‘KKCKC’ It’s an action roguelike game that has been in development since September 2022, where players defeat enemies using only the keyboard.

Chanwook Choi Our team is Etriel Athanasia, and we are creating a stylish action Metroidvania game called ‘Over the Horizon.’ The story follows a protagonist who sets out to find their missing parents, only to get caught up in a massive conspiracy. The game focuses on stylish and acrobatic action movements. 

Q. What motivated you to join the 16th cohort of the SGM Indie Game Division?

Chanwook Choi I’ve seen mentors and acquaintances grow significantly through the SGM program, and we also wanted to join if the opportunity arose. Luckily, we received an Encouragement Award at this year’s Indiego, which allowed us to bypass the document screening process for SGM. We applied with the hope of taking another step forward as indie game creators through SGM. 

Junho Hong Our team is made up of middle school classmates. We maintained our friendship through games even after entering high school. It all started when we decided to create a game for our portfolio in our final year. After that project, we dreamed of making a full-fledged game. We started developing ‘KKCKC’ in late September of that year. We applied to SGM with the hope that it would help our team grow even further.  

Q. How did you first learn about SGM, and what were your expectations before applying?

Junho Hong I knew that Smilegate runs many programs for indie game creators beyond SGM, such as Burning Beaver, Indiego, and “Smart Demo Life,” and I had the chance to participate in all of them. The passionate support from the Smilegate Future Lab staff gave me a lot of positive energy. So I expected that participating in SGM would be a great help in growing as an indie game creator. 

Chanwook Choi I learned from the indie game community that SGM offers a variety of support programs for creators. I was particularly drawn to the networking aspect—connecting with seniors and juniors and sharing experiences. I most looked forward to this. Especially, receiving feedback from those who have already walked the path of indie game development is an experience that is truly priceless. 

It’s also meaningful that we can help other teams in return. I hope to share the hardships we’ve faced during development and grow together with fellow creators. 

Etriel Athanasia Team – Tak Donguk, Yongjun Lee, Chanwook Choi, Kyungmin Park 

Q. In what ways do you hope the 16th SGM Indie Game Division program will help your team?

Chanwook Choi I hope this experience will broaden our team members' perspectives. I believe there is no ceiling when it comes to development skills, so we must keep improving ourselves. Through this opportunity, I want to meet a variety of people, gain new ideas, and broaden our outlook. I think this will naturally enhance each member’s individual abilities. I’d like our team to eventually pass on the experience we gain from SGM to the next generation.

Junho Hong What we thought would help our team the most was the physical workspace. Since our members live in different areas, it was hard to meet offline. Thanks to the office space provided by the Future Lab, we now have a central location to gather. We’re looking forward to communicating more smoothly from now on. Having an environment where we can work together will be the most helpful thing.

Q. What are your goals or plans after completing the 16th SGM Indie Game Division program?

Junho Hong I once attended the BIC Festival and met other indie game developers. One of them told me that SGM alumni identify their batch number and maintain strong bonds. I really envied that. After the 16th cohort, I also hope to keep in touch with future participants and actively engage in the indie game ecosystem. 

Chanwook Choi To sell as many copies of our game as possible (laughs). Our goal is to hit 1 million in sales. If we reach that milestone, we want to give back to our juniors through programs like Indiego, just as we’ve received help from our seniors.