As I walked through Gamescom Latam, I couldn’t stop staring at the wide array of displays where people would stop and try games while they walked in and out of the bigger stands. Seeing the presence of big hitters like Assassin’s Creed, Fortnite, and Pokemon next to the latest Latin American indie video games gives a sense of integration that works quite nicely without making you feel overwhelmed, thanks to a new venue that doubles the previous one in size.
But with such noticeable growth, does this event still retain its signature indie vibe? To talk more about the event, its evolution, and its influence on Latin America as a region, we sat down for a chat over the next few days with the folks of Gamescom Latam and Abragames, the Brazilian Game Developers Association.
“Of course! you’re able to see the indies everywhere now,” says Gustavo Steinberg, CEO of Gamescom Latam. “Last year we packed them all together, which still made people feel a bit iffy about reaching that sector and trying those games, but this year we integrated them into the event more directly.
”Having them in the middle of the corridors helped to create some sort of narrative for the attendees, showing different categories as you walk through the venue, so now you can’t help but feel curiosity about them as you walk, which helps people discover the talent this region has to offer.”
Steinberg had previously mentionedthat, as the show’s previous iteration, the BIG Festival, transitioned into becoming Gamescom Latam, the event felt more professional than it had before, thanks to a significant jump in the scope of the event and the organization that came with the partnership. This year makes both the 2023 and 2024 editions pale in comparison, and that kind of growth always comes with its perks.
“I think every year we attempt to make it even better than the year before, and I’d say we’re doing a good job,” Steinberg says. “The changes will reflect that effort, hopefully.. Moving around the event is easier, there are a lot more booths, and the lines are more efficient for both attendees and the B2B (Business To Business) section.
“The investors and publishers who get interested in coming here are not always the same,” he adds, “but every year we feel a bigger presence and bigger names want to show up. B2B meeting requests remained in the same range, but every year we succeed at connecting developers with publishers, and that’s always the goal.”
“[Abragames is] not as much in charge of the event organization as we used to [be], but we got amazing feedback from last year, which allowed us to experiment a bit in the way we let developers and publishers interact with each other,” explains Rodrigo Terra, president of Abragames. ”We implemented a system of speed meetings, so if you’re a dev looking to have a business meeting, you can do those more quickly now, which is always helpful.”
Back during the BIG Festival 2023, Rodrigo had expressed how the interest in the regional growth was attracting bigger names to Brazil, and the partnership with Gamescom came unexpectedly. Long gone are those times, as we can now see companies like Bethesda, Nvidia, and Bandai Namco showing interest in being here for the event, with Nintendo even having a Latin American Switch games section.
“So much has happened in the last two years since our partnership with Gamescom started, and it’s no surprise, although we are still kind of mesmerized,” says Patricia Sato, executive manager of Abragames. “Especially since last year, we have seen a lot of curiosity and attention turned to Brazil and Latin America. Everyone’s asking stuff like ‘So, what is happening over there, what’s the deal? How are you growing so much?’ and that’s amazing for us.
“Abragames has been around for 20 years, and we saw a lot of growth over the years, but especially during this last decade of promoting Brazilian games abroad,” she adds. “We started with only twelve companies exporting talent, and now we have lots of new IPs and studios appearing in the region, so this is more than an opportunity for us to showcase our culture – the event has matured and now brings visibility to Latin America as a whole.”
“The government is also very present,” Terra says. “We have received the Secretary of Technology, Secretary of Culture, and seeing the state of Sao Paulo so well represented helps us to get more help from the state, for example, with more funds for the grants we have.
“Last year, the government also passed legislation to provide a legal framework for the gaming market and encourage other companies to invest in the gaming industry, so the perception changed a lot, and the event is a reflection of what’s happening in the industry,” he adds. “The whole thing will take some years to properly impact us, but it started to show that fostering the industry is now a federal focus.”
This isn’t just a matter of seeing the occasional triple-A publisher dipping their toes in new waters anymore, but a need for them to be present in an important region for the industry that only gets more prominent every year. But with other gaming events, like GDC or PAX, or even the other Gamescom shows, what makes Gamescom Latam feel unique for both developers and attendees?
“Well, that’s the games we have here, of course,” says Steinberg. “We have the best talent of Latin America, and here in Gamescom Latam, you can try games you can’t see anywhere else. I feel this is true to all the Gamescom events, and now for us too; the people who visit from all the different countries will find games that they won’t find anywhere else, and the talent who make those make it unique for everyone who comes here.”
As I was exiting the event on my last day there, I couldn’t help but notice a massive balloon with the familiar Team Rocket ‘R’ on it. Inside, people were taking a shot at the Doom: The Dark Ages demo. An Argentinian game, Grizzly Man, had gotten the ‘Best Game: Latin America’ award just two days ago at the show. Not in the US, not in Europe, but here, in my home. Look at us.
