Back to the Gamescom LATAM which took place last week in São Paulo.
The panel Digital Bridges: Brazil-Belgium Cooperation in Game Development" featuring Jean Gréban (Walga.be), Rafael Rubim de Medeiros Teixeira (MitoGames), Juliana Brito (Indie Hero + GameJamPlus), and Ana Seidl (Dare Consultoria) was the highlight of the event for WALGA.
In addition to the many possibilities for collaboration between our ecosystems that were presented to the public, it was also an opportunity to congratulate Rafael Lontra, who received the award for best Brazilian game pitch for his game "Tupi, the Legend of Arariboia".
This game is also a bit Belgian, as it's thanks to the Master de la Haute Ecole Albert Jacquard that Rafael has been following for almost two years, and the skills he has acquired that have enabled him to raise the quality of his playing and his pitch. This adventure began many years ago, thanks to the support of Julie Dumont of the WBI in São Paulo. After a first participation in the Meet&Build in 2022 with Julie's support, it's the precious help of theAwex which enabled him to move to Wallonia and set up both his company and enroll in the Master's courses. WALGA coordinated and monitored his installation project from day one.
Participation in this panel has crystallized all the work and joint efforts of recent years.
This first success story will undoubtedly inspire other Brazilian players to consider Wallonia as a partner for developing their business in Europe. This is also what was presented during numerous meetings over 3 days, notably with sector associations from the States of Bahia, Ceará, Rio Grande Do Sul and Sao Paulo, which enabled us to gain a better understanding of how our respective ecosystems operate and to identify avenues for collaboration. More advanced work with representatives of the State of Bahia since meetings as part of the Princely Economic Mission last November is taking shape with visits and meetings in Salvador de Bahia this week, with the aim of establishing a bilateral collaboration agreement and a delegation to the Meet & Build 2025.
These contacts will also support the steps taken towards a federal agreement supported by Abragames and its president Rodrigo Terra to provide financial support for studios and projects, in particular through the Tax Shelter and Belgian-Brazilian video game co-production.
WALGA will continue to build bridges between the two countries and facilitate collaborations with the support of Awex and WBI. Next step: an even bigger Brazilian delegation at Meet & Build. Special thanks to Eliana Rossi and its team for the organization of Gamescom LATAM 2025 and the opportunity to present this Belgian-Brazilian panel.
Perhaps we'll be back next year with our first WALGA stand and a delegation of our academic and corporate members.
#VideoGameIndustry #GamescomLatam #Meet&Build
