Video games in Belgium

Last updated

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

Contents

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. [1]

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. [2]

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. [3]

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:

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

Also see external links. [4] [5]

There are 64 game developers registered with the Flemish Games Association. [6] Some of the game development studios in Belgium include:

CompanyLocationFoundedType
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 & 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 & serious games
Monkube Brussels 2010 indie games and mobile games
Triangle Factory Ghent 2010 virtual reality, augmented reality and mobile games
LuGus Studios Genk 2011 serious games & experimental games
Rusty Bolt Bruges 2011 indie games
Drag ON Slide Mons 2012 serious games and mobile app
Firewolf Engineering Hasselt 2012 game development & 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 dev & co-dev: core games, VR & 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 & 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 & mobile apps
CaptureAge Mechelen 2019 Spectating tools, co-dev
like Charlie Bruges 2019 indie games (adventures)
MoonMonster Studios Kortrijk 2019 game development
Elivard SRL Liège 2021 core games (city-builder/strategy)
Slappy Inc. Kortrijk 2021 VR, AR projects and indie games
Based outside Belgium
Fresh3D S.A.R.L. Pornichet (French studio) 2004 indie games and game services

Defunct game developers

CompanyFoundedEndedNotes
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. [7]
Belle Productions 1996 2011 serious games and advergames
Edisys SCRL 1993 1995 core, shareware games. Parent of game firm, Copysoft. Games & Magic Touch label likely sold to MA, US IT service firm, American Computer Technologies.
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

CompanyLocationFoundedType
Big Ben Interactive Belgium Tubize 1992 (as Atoll Soft)publishing and accessory distribution
I-Illusions SPRL Brussels 2011 publisher & dev: indie games
Oro Interactive Aalst 2020marketing & publishing support
Rogueside NV Geel 2010 publisher & dev: indie games. Ex-Crazy Monkey Studios (2010-2020).
Transposia Ghent 1994localization & edutainment

Education

[8]

University college

ProgramSchoolCityDegree
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. [9]

Media

MagazinePublisherSince
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

TitleChannelSince
Gamepower JIM 1996
Gametown TMF 2010

Defunct Programs

TitleChannelFromUntil
Shrimp tv TMF 20012003
GUNK TV TMF and VT4(from 2008)20042009
Luna Park RTBF 19931996

Defunct Channels

Online media


Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Provinces of Belgium</span> Subdivisions of Belgium

The Kingdom of Belgium is divided into three regions. Two of these regions, Flanders and Wallonia, are each subdivided into five provinces. The third region, Brussels, does not belong to any province, nor is it subdivided into provinces. Instead, it has amalgamated both regional and provincial functions into a single "Capital Region" administration.

Articles related to Belgium include:

Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI) was a video game developer and publisher of over 100 games from its founding in 1979 to its dissolution in 1994. The company focused on computer wargames then later added role-playing video games. SSI published the Panzer General series and the official video game adaptations of Dungeons & Dragons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flemish Movement</span> Regionalist movement in Flanders, Belgium

The Flemish Movement is an umbrella term which encompasses various political groups in the Belgian region of Flanders and, less commonly, in French Flanders. Ideologically, it encompasses groups which have sought to promote Flemish culture and the Dutch language as well as those seeking greater political autonomy for Flanders within Belgium. It also encompasses nationalists who seek the secession of Flanders from Belgium, either through outright independence or unification with the Netherlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flemish Region</span> Northernmost federal region of Belgium

The Flemish Region, usually simply referred to as Flanders, is one of the three regions of Belgium—alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region. Covering the northern portion of the country, the Flemish Region is primarily Dutch-speaking. With an area of 13,626 km2 (5,261 sq mi), it accounts for only 45% of Belgium's territory, but 58% of its population. It is one of the most densely populated regions of Europe with around 500/km2 (1,300/sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PEGI</span> European video game content rating system

PEGI, short for Pan-European Game Information, is a European video game content rating system established to help European consumers make informed decisions when buying video games or apps through the use of age recommendations and content descriptors. It was developed by the Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE) and came into use in April 2003, replacing many national age rating systems with a single European system. The PEGI system is now used in 41 countries and is based on a code of conduct, a set of rules to which every publisher using the PEGI system is contractually committed. PEGI self-regulation is composed by five age categories and nine content descriptors that advise the suitability of a game for a certain age range based on the game's content. The age rating is not intended to indicate the difficulty of the game or the skill required to play it.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to video games:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flemish Diamond</span>

The Flemish Diamond is the Flemish reference to a network of four metropolitan areas in Belgium, three of which are in the central provinces of Flanders, together with the Brussels-Capital Region. It consists of four agglomerations which form the four corners of an abstract diamond shape: Brussels, Ghent, Antwerp and Leuven.

Turn-based tactics (TBT) is a sub-genre of strategy video games. They are turn-based simulations of operational warfare and military tactics in generally small-scale confrontations as opposed to more strategic considerations of turn-based strategy (TBS) games. Turn-based tactical gameplay is characterized by the expectation of players to complete their tasks using only the combat forces provided to them in a generally realistic manner.

Real-time tactics (RTT) is a subgenre of tactical wargames played in real-time, simulating the considerations and circumstances of operational warfare and military tactics. It is differentiated from real-time strategy gameplay by the lack of classic resource micromanagement and base or unit building, as well as the greater importance of individual units and a focus on complex battlefield tactics.

Atomic Games, Inc. was an American video game developer based in Austin, Texas, specializing in wargames. The company was founded by Keith Zabalaoui in 1989, and is best known for developing the Close Combat series of real-time wargames, as well as the V for Victory series. In December 2000, due to the cancellation of a project titled Hammer's Slammers, Atomic Games laid off its entire staff, only keeping three executives. Atomic Games was acquired by Destineer on May 6, 2005, while collaborating on Close Combat: Red Phoenix and Close Combat: First to Fight. Atomic Games was developing a third-person shooter, Six Days in Fallujah, in cooperation with Konami, until the latter decided to withdraw from the project in August 2009, causing significant layoffs at Atomic Games. The company went on to finish the game, but never released it. Atomic Games released the game called Breach, which is a multiplayer-only downloadable first-person shooter. Destineer also owned Bold Games, and MacSoft, who also went down with Destineer

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Computer wargame</span> Wargame played on a computer or other digital device

A computer wargame is a wargame played on a digital device. Descended from board wargaming, it simulates military conflict at the tactical, operational or strategic level. Computer wargames are both sold commercially for recreational use and, in some cases, used for military purposes.

The Netherlands' mainstream video games market, not taking into consideration the serious and casual games, is the sixth largest in Europe. In 2008, the Dutch market took up 3.95% of the entire European market in total sales and 4.19% in software sales.

Water supply and sanitation in Belgium is provided by a large variety of organizations: Most of the 581 municipalities of Belgium have delegated the responsibility for water supply and sanitation to regional or inter-municipal utilities. There are more than 62 water supply utilities, including 2 regional, 30 inter-municipal and 30 municipal utilities. Another 100 mostly small municipalities provide services directly without having a legally of financially separate entity for water supply. Water is not scarce in Belgium and water supply is generally continuous and of good quality. However, wastewater treatment has long lagged behind and Brussels only achieved full treatment of its wastewater in 2007. In 2004 the European Court of Justice ruled condemning Belgium's failure to comply with the EU wastewater directive, and the ruling has not been fully complied with so far. Wallonia satisfies 55% of the national needs in drinking water while it counts only 37% of the population. Flanders and Brussels are dependent on drinking water from Wallonia, at a level of 40% and 98% respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panther Games</span> Australian video game developer

Panther Games Pty Ltd is an Australian games developer, best known for the WWII Airborne Assault and Command Ops PC video game series. Panther Games specialises in developing operational level wargames for the PC Wargame market.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment</span> Non-profit trade association

The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment (Ukie) is a non-profit trade association for the video game industry in the United Kingdom (UK). Ukie was founded in 1989 as the European Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), then changed to Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA) in 2002, and to its current name in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National symbols of Belgium</span>

National symbols of Belgium are the symbols used to represent the Kingdom of Belgium. Article 193 of the Belgian Constitution is dedicated to specifying the national flag, colours, coat of arms, and motto. It says the following: "The Belgian nation takes red, yellow and black as colours, and as state coat of arms the Belgian lion with the motto Unity makes strength."

<i>Guadalcanal Campaign</i> (video game) 1982 video game

Guadalcanal Campaign is a 1982 computer wargame developed by Gary Grigsby and published by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI). It was Grigsby's first released game and has been cited as the first monster wargame made for computers.

<i>Decisive Battles of WWII: The Ardennes Offensive</i> 1997 video game

Decisive Battles of WWII: The Ardennes Offensive is a 1997 computer wargame developed by Strategic Studies Group (SSG) and published by Strategic Simulations, Inc.

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.