Gamescom LATAM CEO Gustavo Steinberg Says “Brazilian Developers Have Fire in Their Eyes”

The third edition of Gamescom Latam has just taken place, the local version of the world’s largest game event held in São Paulo, which brings together many indies from Latin America and the rest of the world. However, the genre has grown and also features booths with unreleased AAA games, an unprecedented milestone for the event.

To better understand the LATAM method The game development environment has been changing for the past few years, I had the opportunity to speak with Gustavo Steinberg, CEO of the event. According to Gustavo, Brazil has become a safe place in the world of layoffs and high costs, offering both indie games made with great creativity and artistic appeal, and professionals who can work as co-developers at any level and in any studio.

Q: This is the third edition of Gamescom Latam. It used to be the BIG Festival. What prompted this change? Why this reformation?

We have come a long way. We’ve been doing game events for 15 years, but we used to focus on indie games and business. After the pandemic, we decided to expand to B2C and started a trail alongside Omelete to grow the B2C side of the event.

Halfway through, we saw an opportunity because of the type of event we already had. It has B2B, it has B2C. It’s an industry event focused on game developers, but clearly with an eye towards gamers. Finally we were able to make a deal, a joint venture with Gamescom, which is the biggest gaming event in the world. They have already launched a program in Asia and have a large one in Germany. Therefore, we opened Gamescom here to create more business opportunities and give the Brazilian community access to original gaming content, working with publishers with whom we have been building relationships for more than a decade.

Q: Recently, Abragames and Apex Brasil have commented on several campaigns and initiatives to promote the Brazilian industry, bringing not only Brazilian and LATAM games to the world but also professionals as co-developers. Why do you think Brazil and LATAM are ready for the world stage?

We are on that path. We work closely with Abragames. Brasil Games is the international brand of Abragames, and Apex is the one financing the export project of Brasil Games. Apex already supports the Abragames project, which is also implemented with our support, and here we build the entire B2B section in direct cooperation with Abragames. Therefore, we have been encouraging and preparing the national development market to expand abroad for 15 years. Now, it’s finally paying off. We were able to highlight Brazil, putting it on the map not just as a consumer, but as a producer of games.

Q: In a previous interview, you said that the Brazilian industry is taking action because, with a lot of uncertainty and layoffs, the global situation is very aggressive. However, the Brazilian industry is now stepping up to help ease the burden, saying LATAM is a safe haven for the gaming industry. How can sports companies look to Brazil to find fresh air in such a dire situation?

Because we’re still growing up here, right? We’re growing, but more than just growing from a developer perspective, there’s a willingness to make games and a level of dedication that you don’t find anywhere else, at least not yet. I travel to many international markets, and the people here have fire in their eyes. They are hungry, and they seize every opportunity that we offer and seek opportunities in international markets.

There is an ever-growing technological and artistic potential here to develop much cooler games at lower prices than abroad. But it’s not just about the price. The level of quality and the type of game that people can develop. They are not AAA games, but they are very cool indie games.

Q: On Wednesday, we had the BIG Festival, the biggest indie awards in the world. The idea is that it doesn’t just benefit games made in LATAM. For example, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won the Best Game category. Do you feel that this award has an impact on the visibility of LATAM indie games around the world?

That’s right! See, BIG Festival has always been international. At first, during the first two years, people criticized me: “Oh, you give awards at international games.” But when a Brazilian wins at the BIG Festival, they are instantly recognized around the world. It’s just that we’re in Brazil, but the BIG Festival is the biggest indie game festival in the world. There is the IGF, which is very important because it is American.

Question: Does it have more investment?

Not more investment. He’s American, that’s all. It is because it is in the United States, which is the center of the capitalist world. But we have a very important compatibility. Kepler, who did Clair Obscur: Expedition 33comes to the BIG Festival and has been sending performances here since 2013. We have known Kepler for a long time. This time, they brought the actor, Maxence Cazorla. People have told me that we cannot give them (Clair Obscur) award. How can we know? The game was originally played by two people. If the Brazilian game explodes, we already have a platform to show it to the world.

Q: Last year, I interviewed Shuhei Yoshida, and he is a big fan of the BIG Festival. He just loves it.

And now the head of the third team at PlayStation is here, Héctor Fernández. The head of third party and second at Nintendo is here, the head of third party at Xbox is here. Everyone is here.

Q: This is the third edition of Gamscom LATAM. What do you think are the main plans for future plans? What do you see yourself developing here at Gamescom Latam to bring more community, both B2C and B2B?

We are smaller than Gamescom in Germany, naturally. There is no such pavilion in Brazil. But we are already half the size of CCXP. On average, we are equal to other major events. However, we are a pure gaming event, an industry event. We have 60 versions in this category, including five AAA titles. We have a world premiere. It has never been in Brazil before.

Q: Phantom Blade Zero?

Phantom Blade Zeroa man. AAA game like no one has seen before (community). Here’s the first place anyone can see the one-hour demo. Control: Resonant will have new information today with a special trailer. We are a festival, an international event that is part of the world calendar. What do I want from the event? For it to continue. What do I need to improve? My connection. But we will be packed. Today, there are more people than last year. Yesterday was the same. We’ll see how tomorrow goes.

Q: What message would you like to send not only to gaming fans but also to global developers, companies and individual creators, about Gamescom Latam?

This is a celebration of sports. Any platform, any size game. You have it Marvel Tokon next to BIG Festival indie games. When we first started doing that, it was weird. Now people are used to it because there is no longer a wall between indies and big games. We believe in games as a form of human expression. It’s a lot of fun, but above all, it’s a form of artistic and cultural expression. The most current thing in human expression and art in the world today is the gaming industry. Come to Brazil.