Busan backs AI transition for small, indie game developers

The Busan Metropolitan Government and the Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency announced Wednesday they will run the "2026 Game Development AI Transformation (AX) Support Project" to help small and independent game companies in the region improve development efficiency and content competitiveness.

The project is part of a regional specialized content development support initiative run jointly by the city and the Korea Creative Content Agency. It was designed to bring AI technology into game production and ease the burden on small and indie studios that lack staff and resources.

AI use is spreading rapidly across the full game development cycle — from planning and programming to graphics and quality assurance — but small and indie studios in the region have struggled to apply it to actual projects due to a shortage of specialists, funding and technical know-how.

In response, the agency will go beyond basic theory education or one-off consultations, offering hands-on support that directly applies AI to games currently in development and helps companies build their own in-house capabilities.

A key feature of the project is the formation of an expert panel organized by game development specialty, with each participating company matched one-on-one with an expert suited to its development stage and technical needs.

The assigned expert will assess the company's development status and workflow, identify areas where AI can be applied, and propose actionable solutions for the project. Advanced consulting and practical training will follow, so companies can continue using AI independently after the support period ends.

Participating companies will receive support to apply AI across the entire production process — from prototyping and scenario generation in the planning stage, to code refinement and bug fixes during development, character and background art asset creation in the design stage, and quality assurance automation. The program will also cover AI service platform fees needed for game development, with the aim of boosting practical adoption.

Lee Jae-deok, acting head of the Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency, said the agency would "actively support small and indie game companies in the region to lower the barriers to AI adoption, internalize AI capabilities as a source of competitiveness, and develop game content that can compete in the global market."

Applications are accepted by email (bgc@bipa.kr) until 4 p.m. on Aug. 7. Further details are available on the agency's website at bipa.kr.