Brazil has been named the official partner country of gamescom 2023, the world’s largest video game event and Europe’s leading business platform for the industry.
The Brazilian games market is one of the most important in Latin America, with revenue for digital games hitting an estimated $2.3 billion in 2021, with almost 75% of the population playing games frequently. The country is home to over 1000 game development studios, which represents an increase of 169% compared to 375 in 2018. Mobile gaming is a large part of this success, with a Newzoo report in May 2021 estimating that mobile would contribute $1.1 billion to the country’s gaming market throughout the year.
“It is a historic moment for Brazil. In recent years, we have seen incredible results from the national games industry and gamescom’s tribute crowns all the work that has been done by Brazilian studios and professionals,” said games industry association Abragames president Rodrigo Terra. “ It is an honour for Abragames to lead this project and experience this unprecedented recognition up close.”
Jorge Viana, president of The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency, also known as ApexBrasil, stated “We, from ApexBrasil, are partners of Abragames and believe in the Brazilian games industry, which is experiencing an important moment, there are 1009 development studios in our country.”
The power of emerging markets
Markets such as Latin America and Africa are becoming increasingly important to the games industry, with mobile gaming leading the charge. Mobile game development offers a quicker turnover time and lower development costs than other platforms, while the accessibility of mobile devices compared to PCs and consoles help ensure greater availability and a lower entry barrier than other platforms.
“We are very pleased to have Brazil as the partner country of gamescom 2023, making it the first ever partner country from South America,” said Game Association managing director Felix Falk. “This shows once again that gamescom is the home of the international games industry connecting countries and continents through gaming. The Brazilian games industry has grown strongly and is very well networked internationally. Brazil and South America contribute to a vibrant and colourful games world which we will celebrate together at gamescom in August.”
“Gamescom is the leading international event for the whole gaming community,” said Koelnmesse president and CEO Gerald Böse. “Partnering with different countries for each gamescom and showcasing their vibrant gaming scene has always been and remains a vital part of our ambition to bring together this global, immensely dynamic industry. In 2023, we are very pleased to have Brazil as Latin America’s most important gaming market on our side.”
A Newzoo report in 2022 analysed the Brazilian gaming market.
