Global gaming convention Gamescom is starting a new event in Latin America. Taking place from 26 – 30 June 2024, gamescom latam is going to take place in São Paulo, Brazil, providing an 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. Organiser 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 organisers, educational institutions and other related entities. Brand owner and co-organiser 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,” said Big Festival CEO Gustavo Steinberg. “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.”
“We are very much looking forward to bringing gamescom to Brazil together with our partners,” said The German Games Industry Association managing director of game Felix Falk. “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.”
“With our events abroad, we accompany our customers to the most important growth markets worldwide,” explained 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 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.”, said Omelete Company CEO Pierre Mantovani.
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.
- Big Festival: Since 2012 this is known as the fastest growing gaming events 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.
