Gamescom Asia is evolving. This year, the third event in the annual Gamescom calendar has swapped Singapore for Bangkok after merging with Thailand Game Show, in a bid to deliver a showcase organizers claim will be the largest in the region.
The hope is that the new-look event, dubbed Gamescom Asia x Thailand Game Show, will deliver a robust B2B and B2C spread that unites professionals, publishers, and players. But how are organizers working behind the scenes to deliver on that promise?
We caught up with Koelnmesse project director Daria La Valle, who oversees the event, to find out.
### Connecting East and West
Speaking to *Game Developer*, La Valle explained that the goal of uniting Gamescom Asia and Thailand Game Show is to facilitate widespread knowledge sharing between the East and West.
She describes Asia as a “fragmented market” that can be difficult for outsiders to parse, and notes that it can be just as tough for Asian developers to make inroads in Western markets. Therein lies an opportunity.
“Ultimately, it’s not about one region doing better than the other, it’s about global success as the world of gaming converges globally,” says La Valle.
“Throughout the past few years, Gamescom Asia x Thailand Game Show has grown to be the largest B2B show for the games industry in Southeast Asia, with a track record of bringing top international expert speakers to the region.”
### An Ongoing Chase for Growth
La Valle claims that expanding the event in service of that mission is an “ongoing chase” that requires organizers to be candid about their own successes and shortcomings to ensure meaningful evolution in service of exhibitors and attendees.
“Take for instance the case of Gamescom Asia launching during COVID,” she explains. “We’re not going to pretend that didn’t put us on the back foot and made things really difficult. Despite that, each year we’ve grown in scope, size, and level of participation in both B2B and B2C.”
This year, there is a significant growth element for B2C as the show takes place in Thailand. La Valle says that maintaining a space where developers from around the world can come together to collaborate is crucial.
“To iron out issues they see in the industry, form partnerships, and grow together. We’re extremely aware of cost pressures for both exhibitors and attendees,” she adds.
### Why Move from Singapore to Bangkok?
Discussing the move from Singapore to Bangkok, La Valle explains that expanding the event’s B2C offering would have been difficult had Gamescom Asia stayed in Singapore.
“With Singapore being a relatively small market, there was only so much growth that could be achieved on the B2C side. We still have a strong relationship with the Singapore government and are really grateful for the support they’ve given the show in its early years.”
The question then was: how to make the B2C portion of the event thrive?
“With a bigger and better consumer show, that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. The Thai games community is a fantastic one; from gamers to devs, they’ve welcomed us with open arms.”
### Supporting Local Developers
La Valle also insists that Gamescom Asia x Thailand Game Show will actively support local developers to ensure they aren’t overshadowed in their own backyard when the game industry’s major players come to town.
This pledge follows concerns raised by some Brazilian developers at Gamescom LATAM who claimed mistreatment by organizers in an open letter addressed to Gamescom management.
“Indie devs have been key to our success from day one. We’ve always had a dedicated indie area, hosted by some of the region’s leading devs,” said La Valle.
“This year, we have more than 200 developers exhibiting across our dedicated indie areas and country pavilions. There’s really no risk of indies getting sidelined at Gamescom Asia x Thailand Game Show.”
### Addressing Cost Pressures
La Valle acknowledges the costs associated with event attendance and emphasizes the organizers’ efforts to provide value.
“We’re extremely aware of cost pressures for both exhibitors and attendees, and we strive to provide the most value. The way we do this is by putting together the best possible show and creating opportunities for people to meet, come together, and collaborate.”
She adds, “A good outcome for the event is one where people can learn but also network. We invest heavily in parties, mixers, and dedicated spaces where people can find each other.”
“Cost pressures are compounded in Asia as a very cost-conscious environment, and we price things accordingly. Ultimately, we bring in a great audience and put together a great event, and that shows in the fact that we have several repeat exhibitors from the indie dev community who’ve been with us for several years. We’ve literally seen them and their games grow.”
### Looking Ahead
The proof, of course, is in the pudding.
Stay tuned to *Game Developer* for more Gamescom Asia coverage straight from Thailand over the coming weeks.
https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/-it-s-about-global-success-gamescom-asia-x-thailand-game-show-director-outlines-vision-for-new-look-event
