New Market Data Points to Evolving and Resilient Belgian Games Industry

The Belgian games industry demonstrates significant resilience and growth, as evidenced by a 17% increase in total annual turnover to €82 million compared to 2019. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the sector maintains a positive outlook, with 60% of companies anticipating further revenue growth and 47% expecting to increase their full-time equivalent staff counts in 2021. This performance is supported by a maturing ecosystem, where nearly half of all active companies have been established for five years or more.

The industry remains geographically concentrated, with 71% of companies based in Flanders, followed by 20% in Wallonia and 9% in Brussels. While Flanders remains the primary hub, the province of Hainaut has emerged as a notable growth area. The sector is characterized by a high degree of creative output, with approximately 80% of studios developing their own intellectual property. However, the ecosystem remains fragile, as 85% of companies employ ten or fewer people, and nearly half rely on work-for-hire projects to sustain their independent development efforts.

Methodologically, the analysis focuses on 84 active and registered video game studios, publishers, service providers, and incubators. This scope excludes educational institutions, research programs, and game departments within non-gaming entities to ensure better comparability with broader European market data. Looking ahead, the industry identifies a critical need for structural investment, public support measures like tax shelters, and increased private capital to secure long-term stability and compete more effectively with neighboring markets such as France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.