Gamescom Expands to Latin America in 2024 with BIG Festival Merger

The world's largest gaming event, Gamescom, is launching a new initiative in Latin America, building upon the existing foundation of the popular BIG Festival in Brazil. The Gamescom team is collaborating with BIG Festival organizers to merge the event into Gamescom Latam, the third event under the global brand following the introduction of Gamescom Asia in 2021. The inaugural event will take place from June 26 to 30, 2024, in São Paulo, Brazil, as a result of a partnership between Koelnmesse, Game, BIG Festival, and Omelete Company. According to Game managing director Felix Falk, the ongoing success of Gamescom demonstrates the need for events that bring together the entire gaming ecosystem, including developers, publishers, investors, and service providers. While Gamescom in Europe already attracts hundreds of thousands of attendees and millions more online, Falk emphasizes the importance of a local presence for the event's success. BIG Festival founder Gustavo Steinberg notes that his event will continue to exist as part of Gamescom Latam, primarily as the stage for the indie games competition and awards ceremony, showcasing games from around the world and regional talent. The partnership aims to connect local talent with global publishers and investors, capitalizing on the region's growing consumer market. The event will feature an industry meeting point for networking and plans to transform São Paulo into a 'city of games' during the event. With Gamescom Asia's proven track record and BIG Festival's existing attendance of 50,000 people, the potential for Gamescom Latam is substantial. The organizers expect a significant increase in international attendance, building upon BIG Festival's existing global reach and Gamescom's strong international reputation.