INTERNATIONAL FACTFILE: Brazil

Brazil is one of the most promising markets in South America.

With almost 200m people living there, the audience for video games is colossal and growing demand for the latest technologies means that new releases have as much chance for success as back catalogue titles.

Smartphones in particular are expected to spread, with more Brazilians upgrading to high-end mobile devices and playing the games created for them.

Brazil also has a very strong development community with dozens of local studios – including Brazilian branches of larger companies such as Ubisoft and EA. Unsurprisingly, a significant proportion of Brazil’s developers focus on smartphone games as this has proven to be the most profitable sector of the market.

The interests of these studios, and the Brazilian industry in general, are looked after by trade body Abragames, the Brazilian Association of Developers of digital games. The organisation partners with local firms and tries to maintain a dialogue with the rather reluctant Government.

Just as varied as the development sector is the retail landscape, which is home to a vast range of smaller chains and independents. There is no dominant gaming chain in the region, although well-known online retailers such as PlayAsia.com enjoy strong sales from Brazil.

The country is also starting to embrace digital distribution with Steam firmly established in the region. However, like its High Street counterparts, the digital retailer’s sales are lower than you would hope thanks to high levels of piracy.

There are even a number of pirate games stores that only sell illicit copies of new releases, winning over customers with a more flexible offering than legitimate outlets. Gamers are even allowed to swap titles in store shortly after purchase if they did not enjoy them.

Part of the reason for piracy is that the tax rates are exceedingly high. Titles that are only six months old are often sold for in excess of $100.

THE FACTS
Population: 192,376,496
Currency: Real
GDP (per capita): $12,788
Capital City: Braslia
Languages: Portuguese

KEY RETAILERS
Abrao Games, Action Games, Arena Games, Big Boy Games, Big Shop, Compgames, Chronogames, Datishop, Emoo Virtual, Estao Games, FourGames, Frontline Games, Game Center, Gamemania, Game Square, Game Place, GameTech, Game Store, Geek.Etc.br, GV Games, L3tec, Magic Games, Master Games, MD Games, Megalogame, Megamamute, Megamidia, MM Santos Info, Miranda, Mundo dos Games, Neo Games, On the Box Games, Only Games, Origiami Games, Oops Store, O.R Games, Ovni Games, Pop Informtica e Games, Play Games Brasil, Quarup Games e Modelismo, Revolution Store Games, Shop B, Speed Tech, Sul Games, Super Games, Techno Kitty, Texas Infformtica, UZ Games, Virtua Games, Waz Hardware Store, World Games

BEST DISTRIBUTORS
Alcateia, Incomp, NC Games, Neoplay, Rcell, Zap Games

TOP DEVELOPERS
8D Games, Aquiris, Braza Games, Decadium Studios, Extinto Games, GameBlox Interactive, Give Me Five, Hive Digital, Hoplon, Ilusis Interactive Graphics, Interama, Ludema Game Studio, Napalm Studio, Neptum Studios, Oniria, Ratto Software, Riachuelo Games, Royal Digital Entertainment, Singol Games Educacionais, Stairs, Sword Tales, Uplay Mobile, Vaca Vitria Software, Woot Tech, Zaxistools

PUBLISHERS WITH A LOCAL OFFICE
Disney Interactive Studios, Electronic Arts, Gamemaxx, Microsoft, Sony Computer Entertainment, Ubisoft