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NEWSLETTER – November/December

Editorial

The year 2024 went by so quickly, and our schedule kept up with the pace! Abragames was part of many events, carried out incredible projects, established important partnerships, and laid the groundwork for the upcoming year, which promises to bring many innovations, hard work, and results that will further contribute to the growth of the industry.

The Brazil Games Sectorial Project, a partnership between Abragames and ApexBrasil (Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency), took our studios to different countries, showcasing Brazil and its talents at the world’s leading gaming events. Additionally, Brazil Games launched its new website, packed with updates, including a brand-new logo for the Project!

We accomplished a lot, but we’re already looking ahead to what’s coming next. We hope you have a wonderful holiday season and kick off 2025 with us!

Gamescom latam 2025

Gamescom Latam BIG Festival 2025 is now open for registration!

This year, registration will close on December 15, 2024. Don’t miss the deadline—registration is free!

Learn more: The BIG Festival (Best International Games Festival), held annually since 2012, is the premier independent games competition in Latin America.  Each year, the 100 best and most innovative games from around the world are selected and showcased for the public to play firsthand. 

Since 2024, the BIG Festival has been part of gamescom latam, which will take place from April 30, 2025, to May 4, 2025, at the Anhembi Convention Center in São Paulo. This will undoubtedly be an excellent opportunity for developers to connect with industry professionals, participate in panels, gain visibility in international media, and compete for awards.

Who can participate?

  • Games do not need to be fully completed but must be playable and evaluable by the Selection Committee.
  • Unreleased games or those released within up to two years before the first day of the event (released on or after April 30, 2022) will be accepted.
  • There is a special category exclusively for unreleased games.
  • Those who registered by the initial deadline, December 15, and wish to change their game, presentation, etc., can take advantage of the new date to make the desired updates.

Check out the full regulations here.

Don’t miss the deadline, which closes on January 15, 2025.

Selected games will have a booth in the B2B area of gamescom latam for the public to test. Additionally, finalists will be featured on a special Steam page and shared with gamescom latam’s partner influencers for promotion.

There will also be opportunities for finalist games to be showcased on stage and in interviews with the festival’s media partners.

Click here to submit your game and be part of this experience.

“Brasil Tá Pra Game” Award

The “Brasil Tá Pra Game” competition announced the winners who will promote the country’s tourist destinations through digital games

An initiative promoted by Embratur and Abragames, it had 51 competitors and awarded three projects from São Paulo, Bahia, and Rio de Janeiro.

Learn more: Embratur, through EmbraturLAB, in partnership with the City of Rio de Janeiro and the Brazilian Association of Game Developers (Abragames), awarded three out of ten pre-selected digital games in the “Brasil Tá Pra Game” competition, which involved 51 participants from across the country. The ceremony took place at the Gamer Arena of Engenhão in Rio de Janeiro, which was packed with digital game enthusiasts.

The game “Língua” by Estúdio Guilherme Giacomini from São Paulo took first place, followed by “Árida” by Estúdio Aoca Game Lab from Bahia. In third place was “Aleijadinho Virtual” by Studio KwO from Rio de Janeiro. The winner received a prize of R$70,000, while the second and third-place winners earned R$40,000 each.

Currently, more than half of game developers in Brazil work in the international market, generating over 70% of their revenue abroad. These figures motivated Embratur and Abragames to create the award, recognizing the potential of games as a tool to promote Brazil abroad.

Rodrigo Terra, president of Abragames, highlighted the importance of the competition for the sector: “The partnership between Abragames and Embratur is essential to expand and solidify Brazil as an industrial, cultural, and tourist powerhouse, presenting our stories, landscapes, society, and creativity through games.”

He added, “Brasil Tá Pra Game showcased games that approach our culture, history, and identity in a modern, youthful, and universal way. Valuing games that promote the rich Brazilian culture and the national digital industry is exercising soft power in the 21st century, while also improving communication with potential tourists, who are also gamers.”

Check below everything you need to know about the winning games:

Língua follows the adventure of Beto, a boy who lives in the Brazilian Northeast backcountry. When the last animal from his small farm disappears, he decides to explore the Brazilian caatinga and stumbles upon a magical part of his world. Along the way, Beto encounters folkloric characters and helps them with an important mission, which will lead him on a hybrid journey between magic and reality!

An adventure game with versions for PC and mobile, Árida tells a story of survival and adventure in the Brazilian backcountry. Face the drought to explore the driest regions, gather resources, and uncover clues about the fate of the young Cícera.

Affected by a severe drought, the characters find solace in rumors about a promised land deep in the sertão. It is said that there, “the drought doesn’t exist. The hills are made of couscous, and the rivers are made of milk.” They decide to embark on a pilgrimage in search of this mythical place.

  • Game “Aleijadinho Virtual” by Estúdio Studio KwO (Rio de Janeiro)

An interactive immersion into the life and work of Brazil’s greatest colonial artist, Aleijadinho Virtual combines virtual reality (VR) with an augmented reality (AR) exhibition. The project offers a unique opportunity to closely explore the legacy of the Patron of Arts of Brazil, transporting players to historic cities in Minas Gerais, such as Ouro Preto and Congonhas, where the artist lived. With 3D digitalizations of his works and churches, players can admire every detail of his artistic contributions in a one-of-a-kind experience. Aleijadinho is portrayed faithfully in historical research, using a contemporary approach that addresses current issues, such as his racial background. In the augmented reality exhibition, players can interact with his works in high-definition holograms, using their phone’s camera for an innovative experience.

Highlights
The judging panel highlighted the high quality of the submitted games, exceeding expectations. During the evaluation process, two projects stood out and were awarded statuettes during the ceremony at Arena Gamer: Teleforum and Maranhão Encantado. Here are the details:

Highlight for Technical Quality – “Teleforum”
Studio: Monumenta Collab (Federal District)
Teleforum creates a dense and disturbing atmosphere of horror by telling the story of two reporters who visit the house of a widow to produce a sensationalist story about the death of her husband, which occurred live the night before. The game explores themes such as obsession and media sensationalism, highlighting the emotional impact on the interviewed character. The narrative unfolds cyclically, full of mysteries and secrets.
Recognized for its exceptional design, the game won the Best Design, Best Narrative, and Best Audio categories at SBGames 2023 and was featured in Panorama Brasil at GAMESCOM Latam 2024.

Highlight for Promotion of Brazilian Regional Culture – “Maranhão Encantado”
Studio: Trapcat (Maranhão)
Maranhão Encantado is a puzzle game that invites players to combine charms (representations of Maranhão and Brazilian legends) to unlock new charms and advance in the game. With easy-to-learn gameplay but challenging to master, the game provides an engaging experience while promoting the cultural richness of Maranhão and Brazil.

Embratur’s president, Marcelo Freixo, emphasized that the award was part of the entity’s strategy to promote Brazilian tourism through audiovisual content, focusing on the growing games market. According to Freixo, digital games have enormous potential to influence consumer decisions and position Brazil as an innovative and attractive tourist destination.

Indie Games Fund

Meet the 10 indie game studios selected for the Indie Games Fund 2024

Ten studios from Latin America have been selected to receive US$ 2 million in funding and practical guidance from Google Play experts.

Learn more: In November, the Partner Day Latam event took place, where the studios selected for the Google Play Indie Games Fund were announced. Ten studios from Latin America were selected to receive US$ 2 million in funding and practical guidance from Google Play experts. This support will help the selected founders and their teams continue to expand their businesses, enhance their game development capabilities, hire more people, and reach a larger global audience through Google Play.

Our associated studios, Mad Mimic, Minimol Games, and Plot Kids, have been selected to receive funding and practical guidance from Google Play!

Minimol Games (Brazil) – Game: Chessarama

Minimol Games, located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is an indie studio known for creating innovative and accessible games that combine strategy and puzzle elements. Founded in 2019, the studio has launched 31 titles for PC and consoles, with Chessarama being its standout project. Chessarama reinvents classic chess by transforming its pieces and moves into a variety of engaging puzzles and strategy games, each with unique themes, ranging from medieval battles to peaceful rural life. Designed to appeal to both chess enthusiasts and newcomers, Chessarama offers a fresh and exciting way to experience the timeless game.

Plot Kids (Brazil) – Game: Play Together TV

Founded in 2014, Plot Kids is a Brazilian game development team with a history of creating engaging games for the whole family. Led by Leonardo Bilck and Luiza Guerreiro, Plot Kids has launched several projects over the years, always committed to promoting connection through play. Its latest project, Play Together TV, was inspired by the joy of shared moments between friends and family. With Play Together TV, players can use their mobile phones to compete in quick, interactive mini-games on a shared screen, creating memories that last long after the game ends.

Mad Mimic (Brazil) – Game: Dandy Ace

Mad Mimic is a Brazilian indie developer that has successfully launched games such as No Heroes Here, Mônica e a Guarda dos Coelhos, and Dandy Ace. Dandy Ace is an intense, action-packed roguelike experience that follows a fabulous magician on his journey to combine and use magic cards while battling enemies, collecting treasures, and trying to defeat the Green-Eyed Illusionist, Lele, who trapped him in a cursed mirror. The primary reference for the development of Dandy Ace was Alice in Wonderland, along with a mix of various other roguelikes.

Check out all 10 winners here.

“Cinema nosso” Studio

Os Quatro da Candelária” is a series directed by Luis Lomenha, founder of Cinema Nosso and Jabuti Filmes. 

The series, directed by partners of Abragames, premiered on Netflix and has already become a huge success across the country.

Learn more:“Os Quatro da Candelária” is a fictional miniseries consisting of four episodes that portrays the 36 hours leading up to the night known as the Candelária Massacre.

Four survivors whose lives were impacted by this tragedy gave their testimonies, which helped shape the tone and narrative of the series: Jesus (Andrei Marques), Douglas (Samuel Silva), Sete (Patrick Congo), and Pipoca (Wendy Queiroz). For those who may not remember, the massacre occurred in 1993 at the square in front of the Candelária Church in downtown Rio de Janeiro, when eight children and teenagers who were sleeping there were executed.

The miniseries blends reality with fiction, and to develop the project, Luis Lomenha and his team interviewed survivors of the massacre, addressing not only the crime but also their dreams, while revisiting the childhoods of the child victims and portraying them in a humanized manner. Although crime is a central element of the narrative, the story also incorporates elements of fantasy and magical realism.

If you’d like to learn more, you can find additional details HERE!.

Public Policies for Our Sector

Check out our president, Rodrigo Terra, speaking to TeleViva about Public Policies for the sector
In his conversation with TeleViva, Terra highlighted the connections between games and traditional audiovisual media, such as films and series.

Learn more: Our president, Rodrigo Terra, recently spoke with TeleViva about the current state of the Brazilian gaming market. With over a thousand studios now operating in the country, the sector experienced a remarkable 169% growth between 2018 and 2022. Brazil is recognized as one of the most promising regions in the global gaming industry, ranking as the largest market in Latin America, the fifth-largest worldwide for mobile games, and the tenth overall.

The gaming sector emerged in the late 1970s, rooted in academic experiments on the West Coast of the United States—an area that also fostered the rise of the Silicon Valley ecosystem. This strong connection to technological innovation became a defining characteristic of the industry. Over the years, the sector evolved significantly, and by the 1990s, California-based studios recognized the potential of games as a complementary medium to the film industry. In this context, major Hollywood companies began investing in gaming, aiming to extend their intellectual properties beyond cinema.

Meanwhile, Japan developed a keen interest in the gaming sector and began establishing dedicated divisions for game development. While the concept itself was not new, it was between the late 1990s and early 2000s that the industry truly consolidated. During this period, new players like Microsoft entered the scene, driving significant market renewal. This era marked the establishment of a modern ecosystem for game distribution across both PCs and consoles, explained the president.

In 2024, the gaming sector marked a significant milestone with the signing of the Legal Framework for Games, which introduced notable advancements. Among its key benefits are the recognition of games as both software and cultural assets, the clear classification of companies and professionals in the field—benefiting both studios and independent workers—and the promotion of new talent. The framework also facilitates access to essential tools for work and formalizes the use of games in areas beyond entertainment, such as education and therapy.

During his conversation with TeleViva, Rodrigo Terra highlighted the connections between games and traditional audiovisual media, such as films and series. He noted that, while these are distinct forms of media, they share many overlapping characteristics. Addressing the specific goals and guidelines for the gaming sector, the president of Brazil Games underscored the importance of implementing public policies tailored to the industry. He advocated for its regulation, the establishment of long-term structural policies, and the enhancement of Brazil’s soft power, drawing inspiration from strategies successfully applied in cinema and TV series.

As a field with immense cultural potential, Terra argued that the gaming sector deserves substantial public investment, modeled after successful approaches in other countries. He also acknowledged the crucial role of ApexBrasil (the Brazilian Agency for Export and Investment Promotion), which has been a steadfast supporter of the sector for over a decade.

Check out the full article

Workshop on Construction with Sebrae Nacional

This month, the Workshop on the Construction of the Work Plan for the Technical Cooperation Agreement in Games took place.

In partnership with Sebrae Nacional, Brazil Games was in Brasília with representatives from all regions of the country.

Learn more: With the participation of our president Rodrigo Terra, the manager of the Brazil Games Program Patricia Sato, the Director of International Relations and Governmental Affairs Raquel Gontijo Menezes, and Eros Silva representing ApexBrasil, Brazil Games took part in the Workshop for the Development of the Work Plan for the Technical Cooperation Agreement in Games.

The workshop aimed to unite representatives from across Brazil to collaboratively design a strategic action plan focused on enhancing the competitiveness of micro and small game developers nationwide.

For more information, visit Brazil Games’ social media channels.

The Final Exam 

In “The Final Exam,” players learn about five essential bills designed to prevent tragedies.

Webcore Games, in partnership with DRUID Creative Gaming and Flutu Music, developed a game for the new campaign by the NGO Change the Ref and Energy BBDO Chicago.

Learn more:  In The Final Exam, players are confronted with the challenge of surviving a school shooting, while also learning about the harsh reality of mass shootings in the United States. The game encourages players to advocate for meaningful change by supporting legislation aimed at increasing gun control.

The campaign targets a broad demographic, from Generation Z to older generations, including parents, students, and activists. In the game, players must navigate a school during a shooting, exploring environments carefully recreated using real-life incident data.

The game is designed to provide an immersive, realistic experience, with attention to detail in sound design, alarms, and items left behind, all meant to mirror the grim reality of a school shooting. As players explore, they encounter information embedded in books and boards that highlight the frequency and impact of school shootings in the U.S.

The primary objective is to educate players who may be unfamiliar with the movement to prevent gun violence, illustrate simple actions that can save lives and present key political measures that can lead to change. Throughout the game, players are introduced to five crucial legislative proposals, each with the potential for real-world impact. To escape the school and complete the game, players must collect these laws, which are:

  • Assault Weapons Ban
  • Safe Storage Law (Ethan’s Law)
  • High-Capacity Magazine Ban
  • Background Checks for All Gun Sales
  • Raising the Minimum Age to Purchase Firearms

Come and join the fun!

About Abragames

Founded in 2004 by a group of game development companies, Abragames, the Brazilian Association of Game Developers, emerged as a non-profit organization with the goal of strengthening the national game development industry. Abragames’ mission is to coordinate, strengthen, and promote the Brazilian digital game industry through representation and dialogue within both the national and international ecosystems, fostering an understanding of all elements within our value chain. Additionally, Abragames promotes events and partnerships aimed at advancing the state of the art in game development in Brazil

About Brazil Games

The Brazil Games Export Sector Project is a non-profit program created by Abragames (Brazilian Game Developers Association) in partnership with ApexBrasil (The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency). Its aim is to strengthen the Brazilian digital gaming industry by providing training and creating new business opportunities for Brazilian companies in the international market. Here’s how to participate in the Brazil Games Project: See here.

About ApexBrasil

The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) works to promote Brazilian products and services abroad and attract foreign investments to strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy. In order to achieve its goals, ApexBrasil carries out several trade promotion initiatives aimed at promoting Brazilian products and services abroad, such as prospective and trade missions, business rounds, support to the participation of Brazilian companies in major international fairs, visits of foreign buyers and opinion makers to learn about the Brazilian productive structure, among other business platforms that also aim at strengthening the Brazil brand. The Agency also acts in a coordinated way with public and private players to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to Brazil with a focus on strategic sectors for the development of the competitiveness of Brazilian companies and the country.

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