Game industry pioneers donate for startups
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Gamers Foundation President Namkoong Whon, second from left, poses with former game industry executives after they agreed to donate 250 million won ($225,000) for game development startups at the foundation office in Pangyo, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. They are, from left, Neptune CEO Jeong Wook; Namkoong; former Joymax CEO Kim Chang-keun; and Bear Better CEO Kim Jeong-ho. / Courtesy of Gamers Foundation
By Yoon Sung-won
Four first-generation businessmen in the local game industry donated money to assist small- and medium-sized game companies, Wednesday.
The Gamers Foundation, an organization supporting small game companies, said four former executives in the game industry contributed 250 million won ($225,000) to the foundation.
The donors are Bear Better CEO Kim Jeong-ho, Maum Golf CEO Moon Tae-sik, former Joymax CEO Kim Chang-keun and Neptune CEO Jeong Wook.
They expressed their wishes for a sound and fair business environment for the local game industry.
“As people who have worked for the local game businesses, we decided to make a donation to the Gamers Foundation, hoping for the growth of local game industry,” the four former executives said in a joint statement, announcing the donation at the foundation in Pangyo, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday.
“We hope our initiative will prompt many other donations and aid to encourage game industry startups and help their dreams come true.”
For the donation, Moon offered 100 million won, while three others donated 50 million won each.
All four donors worked at the same local game company NHN Hangame as founding members or executives in the initial stages of the company.
The company was acquired by the nation’s largest web portal operator Naver in 2000 and then became an independent corporation called NHN Entertainment in 2013.
Bear Better is a social enterprise which mainly hires people with developmental disabilities and has diverse business portfolio ranging from printing, bakery and flower delivery. Neptune is a mobile game development company specialized in sports games and received investment from the nation’s largest game company Nexon last year.
The Gamers Foundation said the donated money will be used to subsidize local game development startups and to finance activities to promote the rights of employees in the game industry.
“The foundation appreciates the donors’ support for the growth of the local game industry,” said Gamers Foundation President Namkoong Whon. “We vow to use the donation to provide more opportunities for game development startups and will be a shot in the arm for the game industry.”