State of the Belgian Games Industry Survey: 2019

The Flemish Games Association (FLEGA) initiated a comprehensive survey in 2019 to quantify the performance and growth of the Belgian games industry. Despite observing a trend of continuous expansion over the preceding five years, the organization identified a lack of precise, granular data regarding the sector's economic health. The primary objective of this initiative was to aggregate financial and operational metrics to provide an accurate, evidence-based overview of the industry’s status, which was intended for presentation at Gamescom in August 2019.

The scope of the survey encompassed all professional entities operating within the Flemish, Brussels, and Walloon regions. Eligible participants included game developers, publishers, platform operators, event organizers, service providers—such as those specializing in middleware, localization, and quality assurance—as well as educational and research institutions focused on gaming. To ensure data integrity, the survey explicitly excluded non-development sectors, including retail, media, government, and peripheral services like legal, marketing, or recruitment agencies.

Methodologically, the survey utilized a bulk-analysis approach to ensure participant anonymity, with the exception of major industry players. By collecting standardized data on business types, workforce size, and financial performance, the association aimed to move beyond anecdotal evidence of growth. The resulting insights were designed to serve as a foundational resource for stakeholders to better understand the scale and trajectory of the local gaming ecosystem.