The second edition of the Adaptive Esports Summit will take place on October 16 and 17, 2026, at the Daejeon Contents Fair. Hosted by the Daejeon Information & Culture Industry Promotion Agency (DICIA) and Daejeon Metropolitan City, and organized by WAAG and MAUM E&A Co., the event returns after a successful debut, expanding its programming to a full two-day schedule.
Dedicated to closing the accessibility gap in esports and empowering gamers of all abilities, the summit will feature interactive showcases of the latest adaptive gaming technologies, a series of panel discussions featuring global leaders in accessibility, technology, and esports, keynote speeches, and more.
A major highlight this year is the “Serious Game” competition, sponsored by the AbleGamers Charity Foundation, involving Woosong, Mokwon, and Baejae universities. The competition features 10 student teams developing original adaptive games centred around Microsoft’s Adaptive Controller.
“Inclusive esports relies on continuous innovation, which is why bringing game development into the spotlight was crucial for our second year,” said Sidney Yun Joong Kim, CEO MAUM E&A Co. “We are helping to build the foundation for a future where every gamer, regardless of ability, has a place in competitive esports.”
Featured speakers include Bryce Johnson, Co-Inventor of the Xbox Adaptive Controller and Principal Researcher for Accessibility & Inclusive Design at Microsoft; Tara Voelker, GAConf co-director and former Accessibility Lead at Netflix and Microsoft; and Can Yang, CEO of DRX.
The summit will also feature the Adaptive Street Fighter 6 Tournament, designed specifically to encourage active participation from gamers with disabilities.
As a reminder: Riot Games Allocates $500,000 to Support Esports and Technology in US Schools as Part of Worlds 2026