Nearly 60 Belgian studios, developers, and gaming industry professionals are heading to Cologne, Germany, this week for Gamescom, the largest European video game trade fair.
For the first time, Belgium will have two separate stands at the event: one representing Wallonia, and another combining Flanders and the Brussels region. Around 30 studios, developers, and organisations will showcase the nation’s emerging gaming talent across the two pavilions.
This division aims to enhance efficiency, according to Jean Gréban, coordinator of Walga, Wallonia’s gaming industry federation. “Flanders has larger studios, while Wallonia mostly comprises start-ups or student projects,” he said. “Our goal in southern Belgium is to gain visibility, improve developer skills, and build connections with new markets, such as Brazil or Asia.”
Standing out remains a key challenge for Belgian developers, as thousands of new video games hit the market each year. In 2024, nearly 18,000 new titles launched on Steam, a leading PC gaming platform, and that number could exceed 20,000 this year.
“We’re focusing on independent games, which are far less financially risky than AAA titles like GTA VI,” Gréban noted. “We’re also making strides in self-publishing and promoting our games. Our strategy is to think local first and then expand globally.”
Although Gamescom opens to the public from Thursday to Sunday, most Belgian studios will prioritise the professional trade fair starting on Wednesday.
