Following on from the news that the Electronic Entertainment Expo is to be downscaled, Korea's GSTAR event is billing itself as a fine replacement.

Last year GSTAR had over 150,000 visitors with 160 exhibitors showing their wares to both public and press.

Press release

Mr. Ki-Hwa Hong, the chairman of GSTAR Organizing Committee said that the drastic downsizing of E3 would enable GSTAR to expand in size and content as well as establish an exhibition identity.

With the success of the last year's show, GSTAR, focusing on online games emerging as highly growing game industry, has become the 'real marketplace' where generates good results for both exhibitors and visitors, unlike the other game shows that cause low success against the spiraling cost of attendance, in the midst of severe competition between the video console and packaged game companies.

This year again, GSTAR concentrates on not only building up a pleasant business environment but also intensifying the business supporting programmes such as one on one business meetings, conferences, IR seminars.

The local game industries welcome this business support and express their strong expectation that GSTAR will be a perfect business event for overseas game companies seeking for the entry into the growing Asian game market, under the situation that overseas game exhibitions like E3 are going down, and also it will be a gateway to get into overseas game market for local game companies.

Positioned as Game Attraction Park that entertains visitors GSTAR, to position itself as attraction park in the game sector, also forms various public events like amateur game league, game music festival and celebrity's show to attract more visitors ranging from gamers to families over four days beginning from Thursday.

In the last year's show, GSTAR recorded 160 exhibitors and over 150,000 visitors even at the first time event. It really showed how much interest poured down to game industry.

Playing a key role in nation's economy as a value added industry GSTAR has been supported by central and municipal government since its first event because the Korean government believes that GSTAR contributes to the national economy by providing employment, increase of income and expansion of regional infrastructure.

"We will make every effort to contribute to raise global competitiveness as well as decline the nation's trade deficit by providing opportunities to meet international companies with high technologies and new business models for local game companies and IT companies ." said GSTAR Organizing Committee Director Moon-Kyung Chung.