gamescom latam 2026 breaks attendance record in São Paulo

By AI, Created 9:56 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – gamescom latam 2026 drew more than 154,000 visitors to São Paulo from April 29 to May 3, a 17.5% increase from last year. The event also expanded its B2B reach, with more than 13,000 business meetings and an estimated US$180 million in new business on the horizon.

Why it matters: - gamescom latam 2026 reinforced São Paulo’s role as a regional hub for the games industry. - The event combined consumer reach, publisher attention and business matchmaking in one venue. - More than 13,000 business meetings could translate into an estimated US$180 million in new business in the coming months.

What happened: - gamescom latam 2026 ran from April 29 to May 3 at Distrito Anhembi in São Paulo. - The third edition drew more than 154,000 visitors, the highest attendance in the event’s history. - Attendance rose 17.5% compared with the previous edition. - The show featured more than 400 games, including over 60 new releases. - Organizers said 175 exhibitors from 23 countries, more than 700 studios, 1,100 B2B companies from 59 countries, 1,230 brands and 122 partner institutions took part.

The details: - The business program generated more than 13,000 meetings among companies, publishers, studios and other industry professionals. - The event’s B2B activity is expected to create more than US$180 million in new business in the months ahead. - More than 1,000 game development studios are distributed across Brazil, according to Eliana Russi, Partner and Head of B2B at gamescom latam. - Russi said gamescom latam’s role is to connect investors, buyers, publishers, accelerators and studios from around the world and to help boost IP exports from Brazil. - The exhibitor list included Arc System Works, Big Uncle Games, Blizzard Entertainment, Capcom, Electronic Arts, Level Up! Games, Nintendo, PlayStation, Remedy Entertainment, Riot Games, Roblox, SEGA, Skybound Entertainment, Supercell, The Pokémon Company and Warner Bros. Games. - Visitors could play hundreds of titles, including early hands-on versions of major and independent games. - Featured titles included LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, Invincible VS, Phantom Blade Zero and Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls. - Non-endemic brands at the event included Banco do Brasil, Bauducco, Claro, Fanta, Piticas and Seara. - The program included more than 300 hours of content. - More than 500 speakers took part, including over 120 international guests. - Speakers included Brendan Greene, Charles Marcolim, David Wise, James Salmon and Maxence Cazorla. - More than 2,000 creators and influencers attended, along with more than 1,000 cosplayers. - The agenda featured panels, workshops, competitions and meet-and-greet sessions. - Highlights included updates on CONTROL Resonant, the finals of the CONMEBOL eLibertadores 2026 and Mortal Kombat tournaments organized by Retro League. - The event also debuted Versus One, a new competitive circuit focused on fighting games. - The gamescom latam countdown broadcast announcements and exclusive content in English, Spanish and Portuguese through partnerships with Flow Games, Latin American Games Showcase, MCR Agency and Webedia. - gamescom latam highlights by FYNG also expanded event coverage.

Between the lines: - The event is increasingly serving two audiences at once: fans looking for playable previews and companies looking for deals. - The large international exhibitor and speaker turnout suggests gamescom latam is gaining weight beyond Brazil. - The emphasis on indie games, fighting games and creator programming points to a broader strategy to keep the event relevant across different parts of the gaming ecosystem. - Gustavo Steinberg, CEO of gamescom latam, said the event’s business-first roots have expanded into a broader experience hub for fans.

What’s next: - gamescom latam organizers are already pointing to the 2027 edition in São Paulo. - The broader gamescom calendar continues with gamescom dev in Cologne from August 23 to 25, gamescom in Cologne from August 26 to 30, and gamescom asia x Thailand Game Show in Bangkok from October 29 to November 1. - gamescom latam BIG Festival will keep its role as a showcase for independent games after receiving more than 960 submissions from 75 countries in 2026. - The 2026 BIG Festival selected 81 finalist titles across 18 categories, with 451 submissions from Brazil and 28 finalist projects from other Latin American countries including Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico and Uruguay.

The bottom line: - gamescom latam 2026 delivered record attendance, stronger business activity and wider international reach, making the São Paulo event look more established as a major games industry gathering.