Power-Up: Activities and Experiences at Gamescom Asia 2024

Gamescom Asia 2024 was a gaming wonderland with zones that catered to every type of player. The exhibition floor was buzzing with indie developers, solution providers, and big-name publishers showing off their latest creations. Indie devs, especially from Thailand, Singapore, and Hong Kong, made up a huge part of the floor. Most were smaller studios pouring their hearts into early-stage projects, hoping to score partnerships or investments that could bring their dreams to the finish line.

Overall, exhibitors came from 19 countries, with a mix of game studios, publishers, solution providers, and industry associations. Countries like Singapore and Thailand were well-represented, along with notable groups from Spain, the United States, Japan, and South Korea. This variety added to the international feel of the event, creating the perfect atmosphere for cross-border connections.

Meanwhile, the sessions and talks were like picking up power-ups on a quest. With three stages running nonstop, the panels covered everything from building gameplay hooks to marketing strategies, offering knowledge to help studios level up. And for serious business, there was the Biz Lounge, where we teamed up with potential collaborators, planning new missions and partnerships. The Entertainment Zone was where the real action was, with the latest game releases to try out and even a game tournament that kept the adrenaline flowing.

Biz App: The Ultimate Sidekick

One of the best tools of the event was the Biz App—think of it as your ultimate sidekick in this challenge. This app wasn’t just a schedule; it was a compact social network for attendees. You could use it to check the agenda, browse sessions, connect with other attendees, and even book meetings. It was like having an in-game HUD to keep track of who you wanted to meet and where you wanted to be. For those on the move, it made keeping up with the fast-paced event a total breeze.

The Vibe: Gaming Atmosphere to the Max

If there was ever a way to design an event by gamers, for gamers, this was it. Gamescom Asia 2024 felt like a massive LAN party crossed with an epic IRL MMORPG, and Suntec Convention Centre was the perfect battleground. With neon lights, giant screens, and themed setups around every corner, the event space felt like it was built for grinding XP. There was a buzz in the air as gamers, devs, publishers, and industry enthusiasts mingled—casual but focused, just like a guild gathering.

Conversations were easy and engaging, with everyone talking shop, sharing ideas, and laughing over shared gaming experiences. And when things got intense—like during panel discussions on game dev challenges—it felt like a raid group coming together to fight a big boss. It was pure community energy, and every conversation felt like a critical hit.

Final Thoughts: Achievements, Loots, and One Missing Quest

Gamescom Asia 2024 was an XP-filled experience from start to finish. From insights on the trend of web-based gaming and transmedia branding to strategies on community engagement and monetization, the event offered serious strategies for any studio looking to expand. The sessions felt like a tutorial of the latest gaming trends. I came away understanding the return of web gaming, the power of transmedia storytelling, and what it takes to build a strong community across cultures. These lessons are solid building blocks as we at Hansem Global think about localization strategies to bring unforgettable experiences to players worldwide.

If Gamescom Asia 2024 had one uncompleted quest, it was localization. While we had tons of insights on dev and marketing, there was surprisingly little focus on game localization. It would have been great to see more representation from localization providers in both the sessions and exhibition space. As we know at Hansem Global, bringing games to life across different languages and cultures is a major part of going global. Giving localization its rightful spotlight would add an extra layer to an already amazing event. Here’s hoping next year’s event levels up on this front!

While we didn’t land any instant contracts, Gamescom Asia 2024 opened a whole new world for Hansem Global in the game localization universe. With new insights and connections, we’re ready to bring our A-game to help studios make their mark in the global market. This event feels like just the start of our new journey, and we’ve got plenty of ‘mana’ left to keep leveling up through the challenges ahead. “Until next time, ggwp!”