Major domestic game companies that will not participate in this year's G-Star are set to attend AGF (Anime Game Festival) 2026 in large numbers. The event has grown from a small gathering used to promote subculture games into a large-scale exhibition featuring numerous major game companies.
According to IT industry sources on the 28th, NC will participate in this year's AGF as a main sponsor, exhibiting its new subculture title "Astra Oration (Asora)." The company plans to secure an exhibition space of 150 booths, the largest among participating companies, and operate a game demo zone. It will also unveil merchandise such as an art book featuring Asora's worldview and initial character settings.
Nexon will make its first public release of the Korean-language demo version of its new subculture title "Paraidoria" at AGF 2026. The company will set up a booth recreating Tashogarekan, a key location within the game, offering visitors the opportunity to explore various in-game spaces and directly experience their unique atmosphere. It will also showcase voice-recognition-based interactive content.
NC and Nexon are placing high expectations on their respective new subculture titles. NC is confident after Asora received a better-than-expected response at TGS (Tokyo Game Show) 2026. Having chosen subculture as one of its future growth strategies, NC aims to build a fanbase before launch through AGF. Nexon also hopes Paraidoria will continue the success story of "Blue Archive." After confirming the game's popularity at TGS, the company intends to have it evaluated by domestic subculture fans at AGF.
Shift Up will hold a 4th anniversary event for "NIKKE: Goddess of Victory (Nikke)" at AGF 2026. The Nikke 4th anniversary event is considered one of the most anticipated content pieces at this year's AGF. Shift Up also drew significant attention at last year's AGF with a booth recreating the game's worldview and various merchandise. As a pre-event for AGF, Shift Up will launch on-site mission events in the Seoul Yongsan iPark Mall area from the 30th of this month to November 1, followed by a pop-up store at Musinsa Store Seongsu from the 6th to 9.
In addition, Smilegate will exhibit "Chaos Zero Nightmare (Kajena)" and "Mirae: The Invisible Future (Mirae)" at AGF 2026. Kajena will feature a live performance of its 1st anniversary theme song, while Mirae plans to operate a cosplay stage and visitor experience programs. Netmarble will exhibit "Fate/Grand Order," and Neowiz will exhibit titles such as "Browndust 2" and "Goyang-iwa and Soup."
Domestic game companies are heading to AGF rather than G-Star to expand globally beyond the saturated domestic market by diversifying genres. The decision reflects a judgment that AGF, where participation rates from overseas game companies are lower compared to G-Star, offers a more reliable opportunity to connect with subculture fandoms and gauge the commercial potential of titles in development. Subculture fandoms are characterized by high loyalty and purchasing power, meaning games that achieve success tend to have long lifespans.
An industry official said, "The subculture genre has been popular for a long time, but it seems to be surfacing more recently and being mentioned more frequently." The official added, "It does not seem like the popularity of subculture will simply last for a few years and then end. It appears that even more game companies will challenge themselves in the subculture genre going forward."
Meanwhile, AGF is a subculture event centered on animation, games, and virtual content, scheduled to be held from the 4th to 6 at KINTEX in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province. It is known that 100,000 visitors attended last year. The game expo G-Star will be held from the 19th to 22 at BEXCO in Busan.
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