Empowering Southeast Asian Developers: Gamescom Asia's Visionary Platform

Gamescom is expanding its global footprint with its Asian edition, set to take place in Singapore this October. Following a successful inaugural Gamescom Latam and the original trade show's return to Cologne, 2024 will be the first year all three events will run in full force. Gamescom Asia aims to be a unifying platform for Southeast Asia's gaming industry, which is currently fragmented. Project director Daria La Valle has been working on Gamescom Asia since 2019 and has experienced the challenges firsthand, including the COVID-19 pandemic that forced the event to pivot online in 2020. La Valle notes that Singapore was chosen as the event's location due to its neutral ground, excellent internet connectivity, and stable government support. The city-state is also home to several international gaming companies, including Ubisoft, Riot Games, and Bandai Namco. The 2022 edition of Gamescom Asia was the first large-scale event to take place during the pandemic, with 2,000 attendees and daily COVID testing. The event has since grown, with the 2023 edition gathering over 34,000 visitors from 67 countries and 136 exhibitors. This year, Koelnmesse expects 40,000 attendees and over 150 exhibitors. The event will feature a larger space for indie developers, with over 80 games showcased, as well as a section for independent artists and a cosplay competition. Capcom will be holding a Street Fighter 6 esports event, and Shawn Layden will be keynoting on the B2B side. The event's main objective is to bring together Southeast Asian developers and provide them with a platform to connect with publishers and investors from around the world. Gamescom Asia's Invest Circle and pitch competition will return this year, providing opportunities for developers to network and showcase their games. La Valle notes that one of the biggest challenges for developers in Southeast Asia is localization, adapting games for different cultures and languages. Gamescom Asia aims to address this challenge by providing a platform for the industry to come together and connect with the global gaming community.