Events like the Latin American Games Showcase, featuring over eighty titles, and Gamescom Latam, which drew 154,000 visitors, highlight a burgeoning game development scene across Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Costa Rica, and Mexico. Despite facing an audience gap compared to major European events, the region is producing a diverse array of original games, including the RPG Family Reunion, the naval battler Black Sailors, and the action-roguelike Talaka.
Outsourcing as a Foundation
The prevalence of outsourcing, or 'external development,' is significant in Latin America. Major publishers like Microsoft and Nintendo have representatives present at industry events, engaging with studios in rapid-fire, 20-minute business-to-business meetings. This work-for-hire model is often driven by economic factors, with developers undertaking projects like QA or concept art for lower costs and payment in stronger currencies like the US dollar. For many, this provides essential cash flow, as exemplified by Fábio Rosa, co-founder of indie studio Coffeenauts, who stated, "Because of money! Because we need to get the cash flow going." This reliance on external projects is common, with Rosa noting that for many Brazilian studios, developing their own games is a secondary pursuit.
This external development has also contributed to a maturation of the industry. Paulo Santos, game designer for Talaka, observed that the market has grown considerably over the past decade, leading to a greater pool of experienced talent capable of shipping console games. This accumulated experience, he believes, translates into more polished and creative titles.
Cultural Identity in Game Design
Beyond the economic drivers, a distinct trend is the incorporation of local cultures, histories, and mythologies into original game concepts. Talaka, for instance, draws inspiration from Brazilian landscapes and mythology, featuring enemies based on historical figures like Pierre Labatut and incorporating orisha, the divine spirits central to Afro-Brazilian religions, as sources of in-game buffs. Similarly, Black Sailors, developed by Mandinga Games, explores the premise of self-freed slaves during the Brazilian War of Independence, drawing heavily on the African diaspora and Afro-Brazilian culture. The game integrates historical African kingdoms like Dahomey and Oyo as inspirations for crew recruitment and features elements of Brazilian Catholicism and Yoruba, Bantu, and Fon beliefs. Lead dev Tiago de Melo Prudente emphasized the importance of showcasing the singularity of these diverse heritages, which he feels have been historically erased or simplified in Brazilian education.
Other notable examples include Sunny Trails, a turn-based RPG set on a Brazilian island; A Cat in the Cangaço, a deck-building autoshooter inspired by Brazilian woodcut printing and cordel literature; and Gaucho and the Grassland, a farming simulator developed by Epopeia Games that celebrates Brazilian cowboy culture. Epopeia's upcoming isometric action-roguelike, Bravo, Gaspar!, continues this trend with a soundtrack and armaments inspired by native South American animals, such as the 'Toucutter' and the 'Coffeebara.'
Navigating the Market and Gaining Exposure
While these culturally rich games resonate strongly within Brazil, replicating that success internationally can be a challenge. Gustavo Scandiuzzi da Silveira, art director at Epopeia, noted that their game Gaucho and the Grassland, a cultural hit in Brazil, did not translate into equivalent international sales. Ivan Sendin Silveira, founder of Epopeia, suggests that Brazilian developers need to adopt a more robust understanding of market analysis and product creation beyond personal passion projects.
Exposure through events and awards is crucial. Fábio Rosa of Coffeenauts credits winning an award at GDC sister show Game Connection America in 2019 as a significant breakthrough, leading to investment from Xbox. Similarly, Leandro Waibe, the solo developer behind Family Reunion, highlights the importance of Argentine events like Expo EVA for playtesting and gaining visibility.
Government Support and Future Prospects
Government initiatives are also playing a vital role. Both Brazilian and Argentinian governments are offering cash grants to game developers. Coffeenauts has benefited from these schemes, with the state government of São Paulo investing in their game Ghostless. Rosa views this as a crucial development, recognizing games as a significant creative export for Brazil, akin to its renowned music and cinema.
Mandinga Games also received a government grant to develop Black Sailors, a grant that allowed Tiago de Melo Prudente to transition to full-time game development. While acknowledging that government efforts are still evolving, he pointed to the recent regulation of the game development profession in Brazil as a positive step, which helps streamline processes like acquiring development kits. However, a notable absence across Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Mexico is the availability of tax credits specifically for game development, a financial incentive offered in countries like the US, UK, and Canada. Despite this, the talent and creative output from Latin America suggest a promising future, with developers eager to offer more than just outsourced services.