gamescom asia, the satellite event of the world’s largest video games festival, gamescom, concluded successfully in Singapore last week. Held from 19-22 October in Singapore at Suntec Convention and Exhibition Centre, the event saw record-breaking attendance across trade and public visitors with more than 34,000 visitors, 136 exhibitors and country pavilions from 67 countries, setting a new standard as the largest combined gaming event in Singapore.
Full steam ahead for Asia’s gaming scene
Mathias Kuepper, Managing Director of Koelnmesse Singapore, the organiser of gamescom asia, said: “With the successful debut of our physical Entertainment Zone, gamescom asia has created a holistic experience for business and public attendees, complete with game try-outs, previews and more. The strong showing of exhibitors and visitors has ignited Asia’s enthusiasm for appreciating and consuming top-notch gaming content. We can’t wait to show what gamescom asia in 2024 and beyond can bring to the world stage.”
Mr Alvin Tan, Minister of State, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Trade and Industry, said: “gamescom asia 2023 represents another milestone in the growth and development of the gaming and esports industry. It is a celebration of the incredible talent, creativity, and vibrancy in our gaming community. We are proud that Singapore can offer the community with such a space to gather, interact, and make the future happen.”
Trade Zone sees expanded offerings and wider industry engagement
Opportunities were abound for the industry as the Trade Zone saw a 30-percent surge in attendance with more than 4,200 trade attendees, solidifying its position as the largest, most prominent B2B gathering for video game professionals in the region.
The returning Developer-Publisher-Investor Speed Networking programme doubled in interest with some 200 participants earning valuable facetime with prospective publishers and investors.
At the Trade Conference, held on 19 and 20 October, attendees gleaned valuable insights from over 80 global industry experts, across three extended tracks, with more than 40 talks and panel sessions covering the latest gaming trends, nuances in navigating Asia’s gaming ecosystem, game design and development case studies, business strategies, and marketing principles. Content creators in gaming and executives representing platforms, talent agencies and game publishers also converged at the inaugural Content Creators Summit, held on 20 October.
Other side events included a Pitch Competition held in collaboration with Global Top Round (GTR) and witnessed a stellar turnout with over 60 game studio applications and 10 finalists contesting onsite for three esteemed categories that recognised brilliance in the gaming world. Three winning teams include: Best Pitch by Kaigan Games Entertainment from Malaysia, Best Game Design by FairPlay Studios from Thailand, and Most Anticipated Game by Vermila Studios from Spain.
Ultimate excitement as gamers play on at the entertainment zone
gamescom asia’s Entertainment Zone was kickstarted by PRIMETIME on the evening of 19 October, streamed online to a global audience on YouTube, Facebook and Twitch. The show featured exclusive first looks, game premieres, and teasers from the ASEAN region and beyond. Hosted by Mike Ross in English, Dejet in Bahasa Indonesia, and Mint in Thai, PRIMETIME got excitement levels soaring as a prelude to the main event.
Open from 20 to 22 October, the Entertainment Zone’s physical exhibition showcased a spectacular assembly of gaming heavyweights alongside the best of Asian gaming, including international and regional game publishers and indie studios, and local heroes gathered to bring the ultimate gaming experience on the ground. 4Divinity, Arc System Works, CAPCOM, Epicsoft Asia, Make Waves, Neopets, PlayStation, SEGA, and Ubisoft, were a few of the many exhibitors that showcased highlights in the first B2C Entertainment Zone.
Gamers were spoilt for choice with over 100 game titles up for play – from trying out yet-to-be published games, competing in community tournaments, and taking home amazing prizes. The excitement peaked with the CAPCOM Pro Tour 2023 Offline Premiere Singapore, a heart-pounding live event that saw Japanese fighting game sensation Gachikun conquer the Street Fighter 6 arena while audiences roared in unison. Attendees enjoyed the full spectrum of gaming goodness, both analog and electronic, in new Zones: an Indie Zone by Indie Wavemakers boasting over 30 games from studios worldwide, a Retro Games Zone by Retro City invoking nostalgia with classic titles and custom arcades, and a Board Games Zone by Origame that brought together new groups and an alternative tactile experience.
The Entertainment Zone Main Stage saw a star-studded line-up of guest appearances, performances, and entertainment. Key highlights included a stage appearance by Monster Hunter series Producer Ryozo Tsujimoto joined by gaming influencers The Jooomers, Tashbunny, and HighGai, the Cosplay Fashion Show where 35 finalists brought their favourite characters to life and struck their best pose on stage, a captivating voice actor panel featuring Molly Zhang, Craig Lee Thomas, Su Ling Chan and Emily Sun, who lent their voices to the main characters in Honkai: Star Rail, and a live DJ performance of epic game soundtracks by Gerard Marino, principal composer for the original ‘God of War’ series. Fans were treated to Meet and Greet Sessions with star cosplayers like Charess and Kitz Cua, and the voice actors from Street Fighter 6 and Honkai: Star Rail.
In both the Trade and Entertainment Zone, the all-new Indie Wavemakers area, jointly developed by Eliphant and sponsored by Xbox, served as a bridge between independent developers and publishers to obtain feedback on their latest games. The Entertainment Zone also included the Indie Wavemakers Awards, which honoured the achievements and creativity of established indie studios such as BattleBrew Productions and SSun Games. Attendees also took home exciting prizes by voting for their favourite games.
On 22 October, STUDIO rounded up gamescom asia on a high with extended demos, awesome indies, and a special feature of close to 30 Southeast Asian games curated by 20mpodcast’s Arief Johan and Virtual SEA’s Kenzie Du. STUDIO was hosted by YOSUKE in English, Dejet in Bahasa Indonesia, and Mint in Thai.
The next edition of gamescom asia will return from 17 – 20 October 2024 in Singapore at the Suntec Convention & Exhibition Centre. For more information on the event, visit gamescom.asia or follow gamescom asia on major social media platforms.
