Belgian Games Industry Market Data: 2023

The 2023 market data for the Belgian games industry highlights a period of significant structural expansion and resilience during the 2022 calendar year. The sector experienced a 21% increase in the total number of companies, reaching 133 entities, which represents the largest footprint in the industry’s history. Employment figures also saw positive momentum, with the workforce growing by 16% to reach 1,085 full-time equivalent positions.

While annual turnover experienced a marginal 3% decline to €85 million compared to 2021, this figure remains 21% higher than pre-pandemic levels recorded in 2019. The slight dip is attributed to lingering development delays caused by the pandemic, though the influx of new studios and increased hiring suggest a robust pipeline of upcoming releases. The industry remains heavily concentrated in Flanders, which hosts 67% of all Belgian game companies and exhibits a more mature ecosystem, with 46% of its firms operating for more than five years.

The industry landscape is characterized by a high volume of small-scale operations, as 90% of companies employ ten or fewer people. Only 13 firms are classified as mid-sized or large, underscoring a reliance on a fertile startup environment. Entertainment remains the primary development category, while console and streaming platforms have gained market share at the expense of mobile, browser, and XR platforms. Among console hardware, the Nintendo Switch leads in popularity, followed by PlayStation and the Xbox Series S/X. Overall, the data indicates a growing, albeit fragile, ecosystem poised for future turnover expansion.