The GAME LINKER 2025 Summer Developer Exchange, a joint event between the Taipei Game Show and the Asia Pacific Game Summit, concluded recently. The event attracted over a hundred developers and industry professionals, and also signaled Taipei Game Show's commitment to expanding its global presence over the coming year, collaborating with local independent game teams on the international stage. As the exchange continues, registration for the Indie Game Award 2026, Asia's largest independent game award, has officially opened.
Organizer Taipei International Game Show announced that it will be bringing nearly 30 Taiwanese development teams to key trade shows such as BitSummit in Japan, BIC Festival in South Korea, SXSW Sydney in Australia, gamescom asia x Thailand Game Show in Thailand, GameOn in Lithuania, and WEPLAY EXPO in Shanghai. This will not only help them gain exposure through on-site exhibitions, but also connect with global industry resources and create more possibilities for collaboration.
To encourage outstanding creators worldwide to take on new challenges, the Indie Game Award 2026 is also open for submissions. From now until August 8th, independent game developers worldwide are welcome to register. Eight award categories are available: "Best Game," "Best Narrative," "Best Audio," "Best Art," "Best Game Design," "Best Innovation," "Best Mobile Game," and "Best Student Game." Over 19 entries have been received over the years. Winners will receive cash prizes, exclusive exposure, and a free trip to the 300 TGS show, showcasing their skills to players and publishers worldwide.
This forum also featured sharing of practical exhibition experiences and entrepreneurial resources, including the Ministry of Economic Affairs' Industrial Development Administration's "Implementation Plan for Strengthening Investment in Strategic Service Industries," which opens up opportunities for game teams to obtain government funding through venture capital. It also emphasized that participating in physical exhibitions and engaging face-to-face with players and publishers often yields more tangible results than online exposure, and is crucial for team promotion and development.
Development teams such as Ye Kai Guan and Arcade Galaxy noted that participating in the TGS series not only helped them expand their overseas markets but also gained practical experience and media attention. Fumu Cultural and Creative, hailing from the tabletop gaming industry, also shared their experience integrating games with local culture and social issues, transforming their creations into vehicles for cultural dissemination.
To help developers strengthen their presentation and presentation skills, lecturers from industry and academia also recommend grasping the 5W1H principle and adjusting content according to the audience to enhance external communication and self-marketing capabilities.
The 2026 Taipei International Game Show will be held at Hall 1 of the Nangang Exhibition Center from January 29th to February 2st. Registration is now open. Zones including the B1B Business Zone, B1C Gamer Zone, Indie House, and Board Game Paradise will all be featured simultaneously. Whether you're preparing to launch a game or a rising star, TGS offers the opportunity to shine.
Indie Game Award 2026 registration page:
https://tgs.tca.org.tw/indie_award.php
Taipei International Game Show official website and social media platforms:
https://tgs.tca.org.tw/
https://www.facebook.com/taipeigameshow
