Kakao Games participated as a sponsor for the 2026 Youth eSports Festival, hosted by Smilegate Hope Studio, on the 11th, providing local children and teenagers with opportunities to experience gaming culture and explore career paths.

The 2026 Youth eSports Festival is a social contribution event designed to help children and teenagers in regions with limited access to gaming culture experience eSports and explore careers in the gaming industry. Kakao Games has served as an official sponsor for the Youth eSports Festival for three consecutive years since 2024.

The event was organized to allow children and teenagers who advanced to the finals through preliminaries at local community child centers to gather at the Daejeon eSports Arena to compete in eSports and experience various gaming content and related professional fields.

Kakao Games operated the 'Visiting Friends Game Land' program for approximately 400 children and teenagers who attended the event. The program featured a 4D VR bus for immersive gaming experiences, wheelchair sports games to improve disability awareness and promote an inclusive gaming culture, and a photo zone for commemorative pictures.

Cho Jung-yeon, head of the ESG/Value Enhancement Office at Kakao Games, stated, "We hope this experience serves as an opportunity for children and teenagers interested in the gaming industry to contemplate their career paths and nurture their dreams," adding, "Kakao Games will continue to support various activities so that local children and teenagers can experience diverse gaming cultures and explore their career paths."