This is some very interesting music.
gamescom, the biggest gaming event in the world, is starting a new event in Latin America. From June 26th to 30th, gamescom latam is going to take place in São Paulo, Brazil, providing a unique opportunity for gaming fans and for the digital entertainment industry from Brazil, the whole Latin America and beyond. To make it the biggest games festival of Latin America gamescom latam will merge with BIG Festival where 50.000 people already attended in 2023.
The event will be called gamescom latam, in reference to Latin America, and adds up to the family of already existing gamescom formats – the original, in Cologne, Germany, and gamescom asia, which takes place in Singapore.
BIG Festival was already the main hub for the games industry in the region, having welcomed more than 1,700 professionals in its B2B area in 2023. Now, with the new partners, gamescom latam will become one of the industry’s biggest business and launch platforms in the world.
The partnership is the result of the union of heavyweights from the world of games and entertainment:
- Koelnmesse, one of the world’s leading trade fair organizers, with more than 80 events each year in several countries. Organizer of gamescom in Cologne and Singapore.
- game, the German Games Industry Association brings together the entire video game ecosystem, from development studios and publishers to esports event organizers, educational institutions and other related entities. Brand owner and co-organizer of gamescom.
- BIG Festival, the largest games festival in Latin America.
- Omelete Company, leader in the pop culture segment in Brazil, creator of CCXP, the biggest Comic Con in the world, and Game XP, the biggest game park in the world, among other events.
“The creation of gamescom latam corresponds to the recognition by the world’s largest gaming companies of Brazil and Latin America as central territories. It is also an important alignment between two events that already had the same nature: for both gamescom and BIG Festival, celebrating the world of games and gaming communities by showing the newest releases, the best games and so much more to fans. It is for this reason that BIG Festival will continue to exist as one of the areas within gamescom latam, attracting the best independent games from around the world as we have been doing since 2012, but now within a platform with much expanded visibility”, says Gustavo Steinberg, CEO of BIG Festival and now of gamescom latam.
“We are very much looking forward to bringing gamescom to Brazil together with our partners. Latin America and especially Brazil are exciting emerging markets: the community and the games industry are growing strongly, and gamescom latam is set to become the home for both plus many guests from all over the world. Because gamescom 2023 in Cologne clearly showed that: The international games industry needs events. We are happy to have an unique and powerful set of partners to make this happen” says Felix Falk, managing director of game – The German Games Industry Association.
“gamescom latam in São Paulo comes to consolidate Omelete Company’s leadership and strategic commitment to developing audiences and epic experiences for the Games market. We create connections and strategic plans for brands that will enter the world of games, now consolidating the market with what will be the biggest event in Latin America.”, says Pierre Mantovani, CEO of Omelete Company.
“With our events abroad, we accompany our customers to the most important growth markets worldwide,” explains Koelnmesse CEO Gerald Böse. “After gamescom asia, gamescom latam is by no means a competitor to the successful original event in Cologne, but rather an ideal addition to our international portfolio.” The share of international business in Koelnmesse’s turnover is in the double-digit range and has been growing continuously for years.
gamescom latam will have the strategic support of the state and city governments of São Paulo, which value the importance of games in today’s culture and economy.
“Once again, São Paulo will host one of the biggest events in the digital entertainment industry in the world”, says the Governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas. “With gamescom latam, we reinforce São Paulo’s commitment to generating opportunities for young people, promoting economic development with more jobs and income, promoting digital culture and the creative industry, leveraging the expansion of these sectors in Brazil”.
“The city of São Paulo is the capital of the gaming sector in Latin America. Hosting gamescom reinforces the city’s vocation and the work we are developing to strengthen this production chain”, highlights the mayor of São Paulo, Ricardo Nunes.
gamescom latam is going to be held from June 26th to 30th, 2024, at São Paulo Expo.
Partnership Highlights:
· gamescom latam: The iconic gamescom, famous for being the biggest gaming event in the world, will now have its first edition in Latin America, in São Paulo. This innovation offers fans the chance to celebrate games together: experiencing the latest novelties, releases and trends in the industry, as well as shows and firsthand demos.
· BIG Festival: Since 2012 this is known as the fastest growing gaming event in Latin America. Part of its commitment always was to promote the gaming scene. The BIG Festival will continue to exist at gamescom latam as a competitive festival for independent games from around the world. Independent game creators and developers will have the opportunity to network, showcase their games to the public, and establish valuable contacts.
· Industry Meeting Point: The event offers a crucial platform for the global games industry in the first half of the year, with networking, collaboration with the region’s industry and game launches. Industry professionals, from developers and distributors to influencers and investors, will have the opportunity to share knowledge, form partnerships and shape the future of digital entertainment.
· The city of games: São Paulo, which already hosts the biggest events in some segments, will become, during the days of the event, the capital of games in the region; The idea is to create an atmosphere with signage, panels on transport and massive publicity to welcome people from all over the world who will come to participate in the event.
About BIG Festival
BIG Festival (Best International Games Festival) takes place since 2012 and is the most important games festival in Latin America. Its mission is to strengthen the gaming ecosystem in Brazil – showing the best games in the world at the festival, game launches from renowned publishers, business meetings, awards, great press coverage, speaking sessions and the presence of the main players in the region, as well as publishers and investors from around the world. BIG Festival will become an area within gamescom latam, including the competitive games festival and the awards ceremony.
About game – the German Games Industry Association
We are the association of the German games industry. Our members represent the entire video game ecosystem, from development studios and publishers to esports event organisers, educational institutions and other related entities. We are co-organisers of gamescom, the world’s biggest event for computer and video games. We are a shareholder in the Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body (USK), the Foundation for Digital Games Culture, the esports player foundation, devcom and the collecting society VHG, as well as co-host of the German Computer Game Awards. Serving as a central point of contact for media, as well as political and social institutions, we provide comprehensive expertise in areas including market development, game culture and media literacy, and address any inquiries or concerns. Together we are making Germany the heart of gaming worldwide. With games, we enrich the lives of all people.
About Koelnmesse
Koelnmesse is an international leader in organising trade fairs in the gaming and entertainment segments. Hosted in Cologne, Germany, gamescom is the world’s largest event for computer and video games and Europe’s largest business platform for the games industry. gamescom brings together passionate gamers, trade visitors, and exhibitors from across the world with a highly effective approach – in person at the venue and digitally from anywhere in the world. This makes gamescom the premier B2C, B2B, and B2G gaming event. In addition to the event at its Cologne headquarters, Koelnmesse is strategically expanding its portfolio internationally: In Singapore, gamescom asia provides an additional powerful industry platform for the rapidly growing Asia-Pacific games market, comprehensively combining supply and demand. Koelnmesse Brasil is a subsidiary of Koelnmesse GmbH in São Paulo, dedicated to promoting and organising world-class trade fairs and events in Brazil. The mission is to bring global innovation, knowledge and business opportunities to various industries.
About Omelete Company
The largest conglomerate dedicated to pop culture fans in Brazil, Omelete Company uses its website, social networks and partners to reach more than 15 million people every month eager for news from the worlds of cinema, TV series, games, music and comic books, with texts, videos and posts on social media. The brands Omelete, The Enemy, CCXP, Game XP, BIG Festival, Gaules, Baiano and CCXP Awards are part of the Omelete Company.
NEXT EVENTS:
gamescom latam, São Paulo, Brazil, 26 – 30 June 2024
gamescom, Cologne, Germany, 20 – 25 August 2024
gamescom asia, Singapore, 17 – 20 October 2024
