Which countries around the globe are becoming popular destinations for gaming? They might not be quite where you think! Find out more here!
When we speak of the countries that are leading the way in game development, you will often see the same names coming up over and over. For example, Japan and the US are market leaders in game development and that is unlikely to change any time soon. However, we are also seeing some other countries experience a boom that could make the industry a more level playing field overall.
Spain
The Spanish gaming sector is rapidly increasing. In cities like Valencia, many companies are beginning to open shop and develop new and innovative titles for their audiences. This is proving to be a popular destination for new start ups for several reasons.
Spain has a much lower cost of living than other countries, even in some of the bigger cities like Madrid. This means that people are able to operate businesses here and enjoy a good quality of living all at the same time. Even the more expensive cities such as Barcelona can still be fantastic choices for the right people.
Start ups can choose to target English or Spanish-speaking European markets, but there is also the potential to appeal to the markets in Latin America. With new opportunities constantly emerging in the Spanish markets, this is a great place to watch the gaming industry grow.
Finland
Finland is another country that has proved that it has a fantastic market for gaming that is only going to be set to grow. The capital of Helsinki is bustling with start ups and plenty of opportunities are arising for people who want to make a living in this sector.
Gaming has been a long-standing tradition in Finland for years so it is unsurprising that they have seen a move towards the mobile market flourish. Though there have been many changes to the models of paid mobile gaming over the years – first with a one-payment download and then with the rise of the free-to-play model – the Finns have managed to stay with the trends while innovating and pushing even further.
In particular, the Finnish iGaming industry is booming and is only set to increase. Anyone who wants a clear picture of what the Finns are able to put out in terms of gaming expertise need only turn to the iGaming industry to see their power.
Singapore
The Asian gaming market is massive. Though big countries like China, Japan, and South Korea dominate the market, there is a lot of interest in some of the other smaller markets, such as that surrounding the city-state of Singapore.
eSports are huge across Asia and there is a lot of development being put forward to help establish teams and game developers across various countries. This is certainly true in Singapore where a lot of money has already been invested. The aim here is to set up not just credible game developers that can trade on an international level, but also several high-ranking eSports teams that can play in many of the big tournaments around the world.
These tournaments include ones within individual sports, such as the various Counter Strike: Global Offensive tournaments that take place, but also tournaments that would allow competitors to represent Singapore itself in competition. For example, the Southeast Asian Games added eSports to the sports included in the Southeast Asian Games. There have also been several discussions as to whether or not eSports should be added to the Olympics. With so many opportunities to compete arising, it is unsurprising that we are seeing investment pouring into places like Singapore in response.
A Global World of Gaming
It is clear that you no longer have to be based in one of the top countries for gaming in the world to be able to have any degree of success in creating games. There are so many opportunities for game developers all over. With high-speed internet and cloud solutions offering connectivity like never before, we are able to come together and work on games even if we were situated in remote destinations all over the world.
This high level of ease of interaction is likely to lead to some amazing opportunities for gaming in the future. If you are searching for some of the biggest and most exciting launches in the future, you are just as likely to find them emerging from a small developer as you are from one of the major players.
The world of gaming is definitely shifting, and it makes it an incredibly exciting place to keep up with. If you are interested in the gaming markets, make sure you check out what is happening in some of the smaller players as well as the big ones. We can never tell where the next internet-breaking game is going to come from!
