Gamescom Latam asserts its position as the leading gaming event in the Americas in the absence of E3

São Paulo, Brazil, hosts the inaugural Gamescom Latam, drawing over 100,000 attendees and featuring prominent gaming industry companies.

Announced earlier in the year, this event is the product of a collaboration between Gamescom and the Brazil Indie Games Festival (BIG Festival). It commenced with an exclusive business day on Wednesday, June 26, and will continue until Sunday, July 30.

Gustavo Steinberg, CEO of Gamescom Latam, shared with GamesIndustry.biz that attendance has doubled in comparison to last year, with expectations of over 100,000 visitors at the São Paulo Expo Centre this week.

Steinberg also highlighted the participation of more than 1,000 companies, including Nintendo, Xbox (via ID@Xbox), Ubisoft, Warner Bros, Epic Games, and Roblox, along with a BIG Festival section showcasing various indie games.

PlayStation is present at the event with booths featuring games from Sega, Plaion, and Square Enix, despite skipping the main Gamescom event in Cologne this August.

"We are the only global games event in South America," Steinberg stated, noting the significance of such an event in the region.

"With the absence of E3, we now stand as the largest gaming event in the Americas," he added.

The CEO emphasized the recognition of Brazil's gaming market's significance by these publishers.

He cited data from Abragames, pointing out that Brazil ranks as the fifth largest market in player numbers and tenth in game expenditures globally.

"With a population exceeding 200 million, of which 70% play games, and being the largest country in the Southern hemisphere, our industry presence here is substantial. It makes perfect sense for them to participate," he further explained.

Steinberg continued by mentioning the need for broader awareness and marketing efforts around Gamescom Latam among the general public in Brazil, although hardcore gamers are already familiar with the event.

"The industry's understanding of our significance assures us that if quality content is present, the audience will follow," he concluded.

A comprehensive interview with Steinberg, discussing future developments of Gamescom Latam, will be published next week.