Visit

Can Portugal Become Europe’s Next Gaming Powerhouse?

Portugal is rapidly evolving from a traditional exporter of technical talent into a burgeoning hub for original intellectual property.

• Portugal's gaming industry has experienced significant growth, with total turnover for domestic companies rising from approximately 5 million to nearly 100 million between 2018 and 2024.
• The primary challenge for Portugal’s gaming sector is transitioning from a talent exporter to a hub for original intellectual property (IP), which requires local studios to scale their own successful products rather than relying solely on foreign investment.
• Large-scale studio acquisitions often lose value over time due to a failure to align strategic goals post-merger, a trend observed by Jefferson Valadares during his tenure at Fortis Games and his analysis of Electronic Arts' historical M&A activity.