Video games in Belgium

Nowadays, Video games in Belgium is a topic that has gained more and more relevance in today's society. For years, it has become a matter of interest to both experts and the general public. Its impact manifests itself in different ways, from the personal to the global level, and has generated debates and reflections on its implications. In this article, we will explore various facets of Video games in Belgium and analyze its importance in different contexts, with the aim of offering a complete and enlightening vision of this topic that is so relevant today.

This article is about the video game market and culture in Belgium.

Consumer availability

Distribution

Distribution in Belgium is usually done by publishers that cover the entire Benelux, although some of the publishers' offices are located in Belgium. Since not every publisher has a separate office for the Benelux, certain publishers take care of multiple labels, including those of other publishers.

Rating

Belgium supports the PEGI rating system but there is no legislative basis. PEGI was developed and is owned by the Interactive Software Federation of Europe which is based in Brussels.

Sales

In 2011, the Belgian consumer bought 6.54 million games. More than 84% of those games were console games. The sales generated a revenue of 220 million euro, which means they stayed stable compared to 2010.

Belgium's appearance in video games

Belgium as a setting

Belgium is not often used as an originally created setting for video games, although it does appear in some types of simulation games.

World War II games

The famous Battle of the Bulge is featured in the following video games:

  • Battle of the Bulge, various wargames simulating the battle.
  • Call of Duty: United Offensive, the American campaign is set during the Battle of the Bulge.
  • Medal of Honor: European Assault, the final campaign is set at the start of the Battle.
  • Bulge '44 (HPS Simulations) An operational level strategy wargame, covering many scenarios, both historic and alternative.
  • Call of Duty: WWII, Battle of the Bulge, Ardennes map in multiplayer
Racing games

Belgian video game characters

Video games based on Belgian works

Many video games are based on Belgian comic books:

Video game development

Representation

The Belgian Entertainment Association (BEA) is the organization that represents the interests of the music, video and video game industries in Belgium.

The Flemish Games Association (FLEGA) represents the Flemish video game industry, The Brussels-Capital Region Games Association (games.brussels) represents the Brussels video game industry, the Walloon Games Association (WALGA) represents the Walloon video game industry.

Game developers from Belgium

There are 64 game developers registered with the Flemish Games Association. Some of the game development studios in Belgium include:

Company Location Founded Type
Slappy Inc. Kortrijk 2021 VR, AR projects and indie games
AIM Productions Hove 1994 online games, custom games
Visual Impact Brussels 1994 handheld games and localization
Larian Studios Ghent 1996 core games and educational games
Cyborn B.V. Antwerp 1998 multimedia, AV, VR, mobile and core games. Also co-devs.
Hyperion Entertainment Brussels 1999 porting Windows games to Linux, Mac OS and Amiga OS
Nuclide Antwerp 2001 casual and mobile games
Newfort Ghent 2002 (as Endrone) online and mobile games
TerraNovita Software Rumst 2005 indie games
Gabitasoft Interactive Kapellen 2006 indie games
Neopica Ghent 2007 casual games
Playlane Drongen 2007 custom games and serious games
Fishing Cactus Mons 2008 mobile and downloadable games
Sakari Games Antwerp 2008 game content
Balio Studio Mons 2009 casual and core games (licensed properties)
CatLab Interactive Ghent 2009 web and mobile games
PreviewLabs Kontich 2009 rapid prototyping
The Artistocrats BV Hasselt 2009 core games (strategy, wargames)
Vetasoft Studio Mons 2009 social and mobile games
DAE Studios Kortrijk 2010 3D visualizations and serious games
Monkube Brussels 2010 indie games and mobile games
Triangle Factory Ghent 2010 virtual reality, augmented reality and mobile games
Crazy Monkey Studios Kontich 2011 indie games
I-Illusions Brussels 2011 indie games
LuGus Studios Genk 2011 serious games and experimental games
Rusty Bolt Bruges 2011 indie games
Drag ON Slide Mons 2012 serious games and mobile app
Firewolf Engineering Hasselt 2012 game development and visualizations
Sileni Studios Antwerp 2012 browser games
Pandora Technology Belgium 2012 indie games
Abrakam Entertainment Liège 2013 Indie games specialist in CCG games
Daoka Gosselies 2013 motion games and core games
Quantum Game Studio Ostend 2013 indie games
Bunnycopter Leuven 2014 indie games
Glowfish Interactive Kortrijk 2014 core games, VR and visualisations
Studio Raef Turnhout 2014 indie games
eXiin Brussels 2015 indie games
FrostyFroggs Brussels 2015 indie games
Happy Volcano Leuven 2015 indie games
Invisible Ink Studios Wavre 2015 indie games
Pajama Llama Games Ghent 2015 indie games
God As A Cucumber Kortrijk 2016 game development and visualization
Cybernetic Walrus Antwerp 2017 Indie games. Co-dev: graphics, AR/VR/XR. Training provider.
Warcave Games Geel 2017 core games (strategy)
Get Up Games BVBA Sint-Denijs-Westrem 2018 online games
Salty Lemon Entertainment Kortrijk 2018 indie games
like Charlie Bruges 2019 indie games (adventures)
MoonMonster Studios Kortrijk 2019 game development
Earth of Oryn Liège 2021 core games (city-builder/strategy) Based outside Belgium
Fresh3D Pornichet (French studio) 2004 indie games and game services

Defunct game developers

Company Founded Ended Notes
10Tacle Studios Belgium 2001 2008 Founded as elseWhere Entertainment, acquired by German publisher, 10Tacle Studios AG, in 2005. Filed for bankruptcy in August 2008.
AMA Studios 2009 2013 fused with key people from Appeal to form Daoka
Appeal 1995 2002 core games
Bazookas 2012 2022 serious, educational, AR/VR and entertainment games. Inactive in 2020. Website down after 2022.
Belle Productions 1996 2011 serious games and advergames
Hellion Cat 2016 2020 indie games
Hippo Point Interactive 2008 2010 filed for bankruptcy
Tale of Tales 2002 2016 liquidated

Games developed in Belgium

Game publishers from Belgium

Company Location Founded Type
Big Ben Interactive Belgium Tubize 1992 (as Atoll Soft) publishing and accessory distribution
Transposia Ghent 1994 localization and edutainment

Education

University college

Program School City Degree
Digital Arts & Entertainment Howest Kortrijk Bachelor
Bachelor en Techniques Infographiques (Video Games) Haute Ecole Albert Jacquard Namur Bachelor
Communication and mediadesign, profile game art & design LUCA Genk Master

Other

Syntra LIMBURG offers multiple video game courses.

Media

Print media

Magazine Publisher Since
Gameplay (formerly known as PC Gameplay) Tarsonis 1994
Officieel PlayStation Magazine Think Media 1996
9lives (formerly known as Gunk) T.Vgas 2004
Chief Think Media 2007

Television

Programs

Title Channel Since
Gamepower JIM 1996
Gametown TMF 2010

Defunct Programs

Title Channel From Until
Shrimp tv TMF 2001 2003
GUNK TV TMF and VT4(from 2008) 2004 2009
Luna Park RTBF 1993 1996

Defunct Channels

Online media


References

  1. ^ Lenting, Tom (January 2019). "Een aanzet tot de gamegeschiedenis van België". Karel van Mander Academy. Retrieved 2019-09-20. (in Dutch)
  2. ^ "About PEGI? Owners and administrators". PEGI S.A. Retrieved 2012-07-22.
  3. ^ "Belgen hebben meer dan 6,5 miljoen games gekocht". BEA. Retrieved 2012-07-22.
  4. ^ drealmer (April 6, 2009). "Video Game Developers in Belgium".
  5. ^ Vlaamse Game Development Blog (January 15, 2011). "Vlaamse Game Developers".
  6. ^ "DIRECTORY". March 29, 2012.
  7. ^ "Bazookas' official website". bazookas.be (in Dutch). Archived from the original on December 4, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  8. ^ "Schools- GameCareerGuide.com". www.gamecareerguide.com.
  9. ^ "Werken in de gamesector". Departement cultuur, jeugd, sport en media. Retrieved 2012-07-22.