Gamescom Asia is evolving. This year, the third event in the annual Gamescom calendar has swapped Singapore for Bangkok after merging with the 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.
Speaking to *Game Developer*, La Valle explains that the aim of uniting Gamescom Asia and the 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 those beyond its borders to parse, and observes that it can be just as challenging for Asian developers to break into Western markets.
“Therein lies an opportunity,” La Valle says. “Ultimately, it’s not about one region doing better than the other, it’s about global success as the world of gaming converges globally.”
Over 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.
Expanding the event to serve that mission is an “ongoing chase,” requiring organizers to be candid about their own successes and shortcomings to ensure meaningful evolution for both exhibitors and attendees.
La Valle reflects on the event’s launch during the COVID-19 pandemic: “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 moves to Thailand. To continue achieving its goals, La Valle emphasizes the importance of maintaining a space that attracts developers from across the world to come together, collaborate, address industry challenges, form partnerships, and grow collectively.
“We’re extremely aware of cost pressures for both exhibitors and attendees,” she adds.
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. “Singapore is a relatively small market, which limited the B2C growth potential. 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.”
She continues, “How can we make the B2C portion of the event thrive? With a bigger and better consumer show, that’s going to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. The Thai games community is a fantastic one—from the gamers to the devs—they’ve welcomed us with open arms.”
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 industry’s major players come to town. This pledge comes months after some Brazilian developers at Gamescom LATAM publicly 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,” says 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.”
In addition, La Valle underscores the organizers’ awareness of the costs associated with event attendance. They are striving to deliver value through initiatives such as offering free business visitor tickets to those who pre-register and providing special rates to some trade bodies worldwide.
“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 the most opportunities for people to meet, come together, and collaborate,” La Valle explains.
“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.”
She adds that these cost pressures are compounded in Asia’s very cost-conscious environment, so pricing is adjusted accordingly.
“Ultimately, we bring in a great audience and put together a great event. That’s evident from 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.”
The proof, of course, will be 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
