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Xsolla establishes Asia-Pacific HQ in Busan to grow another global dev hub

As with Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia, Xsolla wants to provide Busan's game industry with the resources and connections to expand its reach.

Justin Carter, Contributing Editor

November 20, 2024

1 Min Read
Graphic for Xsolla's partnership with the government of Busan, South Korea.
Image via Xsolla.

At a Glance

  • Xsolla will work toward making Busan into a "global hub for game development and technological innovation."

Xsolla has entered another "strategic agreement," this time with the government of Busan. The game commerce firm has teamed with the Busan Metropolitan City (BMC) and Busan Digital Asset Nexus (BDAN) with the aim of building an Asian-Pacific (APAC) headquarters in the South Korean city.

As part of the agreement, Xsolla will work toward making Busan into a "global hub for game development and technological innovation." This marks the company's newest international partnership in 2024, as it's previously teamed with the governments of Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia to build game development academies.

Busan will have a similar "cutting-edge talent development center" to provide creators with mentorship, resources, and funding opportunities. Xsolla and BDAN also intend to focus on "exploring advancements in Web3 technologies to drive regional economic and digital growth."

"This partnership is a testament to Busan’s incredible potential as a center for games and technology," said Xsolla's global strategic partnerships VP Rytis Joseph Jan. "By collaborating with BDAN and Busan City, we aim to create opportunities for local talent and businesses while contributing to the economic and technological growth of the region."

No schedule listed for Busan

Interestingly, Xsolla's Busan plans do not appear to have a timetable for turning the city into a prominent game development hub. For both Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia, the commerce company explicitly stated it wanted those countries' development academies to create new jobs or be a prospective location for the larger game industry by 2030.

Still, this deal with Xsolla is said to "demonstrate Busan’s potential to become a global leader in the gaming and digital industries," according to mayor Park Hyung-Joon. "We look forward to collaborating with Xsolla and BDAN to strengthen our city’s digital competitiveness and foster new economic opportunities."

About the Author

Justin Carter

Contributing Editor, GameDeveloper.com

A Kansas City, MO native, Justin Carter has written for numerous sites including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. In addition to Game Developer, his writing can be found at io9 over on Gizmodo. Don't ask him about how much gum he's had, because the answer will be more than he's willing to admit.

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