Video games add US$1.2 billion in revenue in the country

Today the international fair Gaming & Technology GAT Expo 2022 ends in Cartagena, a space that sought to address, through the academy and exhibitions, the new trends of the video game industry in the country and the region, in which the growth of online competitions or ‘e-sports’ stands out.

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According to figures from Newzoo, an international consultant, video games in the country generated revenue of more than $1.2 billion in 2021much more than sports betting.

For Martín Ruiz, an expert in the video game industry in Colombia, the gaming sector is experiencing exponential growth, mainly boosted by the pandemic. Additionally, the expert pointed out that the massification of smartphones and the facilities that these devices have provided to users on the subject of gambling has triggered more people to want to participate.

“It is important to note that in 2019 the size of the gamer market in Colombia was approximately US$400 million with an annual growth of 8%. According to figures from business reports to ProColombia, video game exports reached US$160,000 between January and May 2021, which meant an increase of more than 600% compared to the same period in 2020Ruiz explained.

He added that videogames in Colombia have an active market of between seven million people and a potential market of 15 million users, “people who have had some kind of approach to an online game. 82% men, and the remaining 18% a captive market of women. The ages of the competitors range between 14 and 27 years of e-sports”, added Ruiz.

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José Cardona, CEO of Polygonus, a company specialized in making video games, highlighted that, without a doubt, another of the lines of the gaming business that has been growing in the country is everything related to e-sports, since the world panorama has left evidence how tournaments, including advertisers and live streams, can be monetized through online platforms. In addition to the local development of video games that has been opening up a field in Latin America and in the world.

“This is something that is being seen internationally and that Colombia is entering with great force. Likewise, the development of video games is increasingly gaining strength. We are currently developing two video games, in each of them between 35 and 50 people are working full time for the next two years.Cardona said.

It should be noted that the Polygonus company has been standing out in the region for training local talent who wants to learn about video games, software development and video game audiovisual production.

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JOHANA LORDUY