A public forum discussing the cultural and social value of games is set to take place at G-Star 2025.

Smilegate announced on the 5th that it has been invited to present at the '2025 Game Culture Forum: Games for Everyone' (hereinafter referred to as the Game Culture Forum), hosted by the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA). This forum, held at BEXCO in Busan from the 14th to the 15th, serves as a platform for debating the cultural and social significance of gaming. Key organizations, including the Netmarble Cultural Foundation, KOCCA, and the Korea e-Sports Association, are joining forces to lead discussions on accessibility for disabled gamers and the expansion of esports culture.

The Smilegate D&I Office, invited by KOCCA, will share their practical experiences as a team dedicated to accessibility and diversity. On the first day, during the 'New Values Opened by Games' session, team leader Hannah Choi will present on 'Smilegate's Practice of Game Accessibility for Inclusive Game Design and Stakeholder Participation.' She plans to introduce the company’s ongoing research into improving accessibility for disabled players and discuss concrete examples of the real-world changes they are driving.

Joining her on stage is Ji-soo Han, Korea's first accessibility tester with hearing and speech impairments. She intends to share her personal experiences, discuss the current state and limitations of game accessibility, and offer insights gained from her hands-on work in pushing for improvements.

Min-jung Baek, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer (CDIO) at Smilegate, noted, "Inclusive content with improved accessibility delivers the intrinsic fun and value of games to a wider audience, ultimately leading to business results like new user acquisition and market expansion. Smilegate will continue to integrate accessibility perspectives throughout content planning and production to ensure our games can be enjoyed by everyone."

Since its inception in 2021, the Smilegate D&I Office has been striving to create an environment where everyone can enjoy games, regardless of national borders, age, or disability. Their multi-faceted efforts include building and distributing accessibility knowledge tailored to the domestic market and establishing new roles for accessibility testers.