The 22nd E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo), the most important annual video game industry convention worldwide, ended in Los Angeles on Thursday, June 22, after attracting over 70,000 people including 50,000 professional video gamers, journalists and analysts, in addition to 20,000 fans.
At the E3 this year, the big brands and tech developers of the video game world presented more than 1,600 products and industry giants made several big announcements. Sony announced the return of God of War, the remastering of Crash Bandicoot, and released more details about the anticipated The Last Guardian and a collaboration with the master, Hideo Kojima, on a new project, Death Stranding. In addition, they leaked some details about the Neo Project, a new PS4 console with 4K support.
Microsoft showed new trailers for games like Gears of War 4, Halo Wars 2, Dead Rising 4, Forza Horizon 3 and others. In addition, they showcased the new Xbox One S, highlighting new features as well as a preview about a future console tentatively called Project Scorpio. Nintendo revealed the long-awaited new edition in the Link series, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and the new Pokémon: Sun and Moon, as well as showing off the new Nintendo NX, which will hit the market in March 2017.
Several prominent developers and distributors also announced new releases and projects, including Electronic Arts with Mass Effect: Andromeda and updates for FIFA 17, Beteshda with their remaster of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Ubisoft with new demos for Watchdogs 2.
But the hot topic at E3 2016, according to analysts and the media, was the dawning of a new era: 4K format and Virtual Reality (as we wrote about in our blog ago a few weeks ago). Both Microsoft Project Scorpio and the Sony Neo Project models will be able to play in 4K format. And this year was the year of virtual reality, a feature which many of the games showcased at the E3 include thanks to virtual reality goggles that both Sony and Microsoft have launched.
This constant innovation in the video game industry year after year makes it one of the most profitable segments in the entertainment sector, more profitable, in fact, than the record and film industry combined. Estimates show that industry will continue to grow from $92 billion in 2015 to almost $120 billion by 2019.
The Video Game Industry: Made in Mexico
According to The Competitive Intelligence Unit (CIU), in 2015 the video game market in Mexico reached more than $20 000 billion pesos in sales, an increase of 12.5% over 2014. In addition, the number of gamers, both those that use consoles like computers and mobile devices (the majority in the country), amounts to nearly 65 million users, establishing itself as one of the largest markets in Latin America.
But its not all sales and users, what about game development in Mexico? What is the state of the video game industry in our country?
According to Jorge Lizarraga, one of the organizers of the Electronic Game Show, the most important video game expo in Mexico, the “industry”, as such, is essentially nonexistent. In an interview with Dinero e Imagen magazine (http://www.dineroenimagen.com/2014-09-14/43359), he states that the “industry is incipient, immature, without support and without form.”
Lizarraga says in the same interview that “there can’t be a strong future if Mexican studios start projects and never finish. And success can’t happen if there are only a few research centers and universities pushing game development, with our premiere talents seeking work outside the country. ” When asked about what is what is missing in the Mexican gaming industry, Jorge Lizarraga said that “entrepreneurs, funds and believers are missing. That keeps it from become a real and profitable business, or at least, to retake the lead in the region, which now belongs to Brazil. “
However, in recent years, several Mexican developers and distributors, both independent and established, have launched projects to good reviews and sales, bringing light and hope to an industry that lacks means and support but that has the talent and creativity to be competitive with other countries on the high stakes battlefield that is the video game market.
Some of the companies leading the charge in Mexico include Kaxan Games, creators of Taco Master (the most successful Mexican game to date) and El Chavo, which was released for the Nintendo Wii console, Larva Game Studios out of Guadalajara with games like Backyard Monsters or Lucha Libre AAA: Heroes del Ring, and other developers like Elevator Games and Fat Panda out of the Yucatan, with its hit game, Flatman.
At Mijo! Brand, we believe in Mexican talent and we know that companies in our country are able to be at the forefront of technology. That is why we support, advise and cooperate with any company interested in enhancing its digital development strategies with a talented and experienced team.
Iñigo Alkorta is a Senior Editor at Mijo! Brands, a leading digital agency with offices in CDMX and Puerto Vallarta. For more information, visit or contact us.
