Beaver Rocks 2025: The Electric Energy of an Indie Game Ecosystem Shaking the World 2025-12-26

From December 5th to 7th, Beaver Rocks 2025 took place at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul. The event came alive with the enthusiasm and passion of thousands of people who share a love for indie games.

From creators showcasing their meticulously developed indie titles to industry experts tracking the latest development trends and gamers looking for their next favorite play—everyone was a protagonist at this year’s Beaver Rocks. 

The Smilegate Newsroom team visited the scene, which welcomed approximately 15,000 visitors over the three-day period.

A Feast for Every Taste: Diverse Indie Games for Everyone

Now in its fourth year, Beaver Rocks is South Korea’s leading indie game and culture festival. This year featured a total of 281 indie games through both on- and offline exhibitions, including 82 teams present at the physical venue. The audience spanned a wide spectrum, from devoted game fans and students considering future careers to young families with strollers and visitors from overseas.

A standout feature this year was the "RGB" exhibition concept, designed to enhance visitor convenience. Games were categorized into three zones:

• Red Zone: Challenging, high-difficulty games.

• Green Zone: Titles with broad, mainstream appeal.

• Blue Zone: Easy-to-pick-up games accessible to everyone.

Every visitor received a “Guide & Quest Book,” which helped map out exhibition routes and game information while encouraging exploration through simple missions.

A wide array of genres awaited players, including the video-editor-inspired puzzle platformer ‘Video Editor’, the roguelike action game ‘Witch’s Garden’, and the AI-driven conversational game ‘Suspicious Convenience Store’. Visitors shared enthusiastic feedback, noting, “The overall quality exceeded expectations,” and “The game concepts felt fresh and intriguing.”

Special exhibitions also drew significant crowds. “Beaver Jam with Naver Webtoon” highlighted indie games based on popular IPs such as My Daughter is a Zombie, The Sound of Your Heart, and Coco, a Timid Tiger, while “Out of Index (OOI)” showcased experimental titles that challenged conventional game design.

A Living Ecosystem: Active Communication Between Creators and Users

The most striking scene at Beaver Rocks 2025 was the natural flow of communication at every booth. Going beyond a traditional showcase, the event evolved into a shared space where creators and visitors explored and refined games together.

After playing, visitors left detailed notes and engaged creators with insightful questions such as, "What was the design intent behind this scene?" or "Do you have plans for the next update?" In return, creators shared behind-the-scenes stories and the challenges they faced during development.

Interaction was not limited to creators and visitors alone. Developers actively connected with one another, exchanging stories about their motivations, working environments, and areas for improvement. These exchanges fostered empathy, encouragement, and a sense of solidarity, bringing tangible vitality to the indie game ecosystem in real time.

The stage programs further elevated the festive atmosphere. Crowds gathered for gameplay stages and signing sessions with popular influencers like Suryun-Suryun, zzamtasooa, and Kim Seong-hoe, as well as a live dubbing show by voice actress Kim Ye-rim, who played the role of "Joy" in ‘KPop Demon Hunters’.

Talks by Seung-hyun Yoo, CEO of Wonder Potion (SANABI), and Anthony Lai, CEO of TapBlaze (Good Pizza, Great Pizza), also drew strong interest. Following the lecture, Anthony Lai personally visited exhibition booths to engage in one-on-one conversations with indie creators. The practical feedback and heartfelt encouragement shared during these interactions left a strong impression and served as meaningful motivation for many participants’ next challenges..

A Celebration of 15,000 Fans: What Awaits Us Next Year?

The journey of Beaver Rocks 2025 concluded on the final day with the "Beaver Featured 2025" awards ceremony. The prestigious "Beaver of the Year" titles—voted on by the participating exhibition teams themselves—were awarded to ‘Video Editor’, ‘Project Revenant’, and ‘Lunaraxia: Magpies Sing of the Apocalypse’.

With a total of 15,000 visitors, Beaver Rocks 2025 became both a stage for creators to grow and a festival where audiences discovered the diverse appeal of indie games. As the event draws to a close, anticipation is already building for what new forms and experiences Beaver Rocks will bring next year.