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Mexico now boasts the second-biggest games sector in the Latin American region, behind Brazil.
According to a report from Newzoo and GlobalCollect, the country’s games market generated an estimated $1.01 billion in revenue during 2014.
This total comes despite Newzoo’s 2013 Global Games Market Report estimation that just four per cent of Mexico’s population play games regularly – in comparison to nearly a quarter (23.2 per cent) of those in Western Europe.
Latin America as a whole was predicted by Newzoo and GlobalCollect to be the second fastest-growing region globally in 2014, seeing 14 per cent growth – one per cent less than Asia-Pacific’s 15 per cent rise.
Mexico’s strong games market was a primary contributor to this, driven by the increasing dominance of mobile gaming in the country.
eMarketer reports that the smartphone userbase in Mexico grew by more than a fifth (23 per cent) in 2014, with 34.1 million smartphone users now in Mexico.
This ties with Newzoo and GlobalCollect’s observation that games for smartphones and tablets grew by 50 and 75 per cent during 2014, respectively.
Despite this, authors Humberto Cervera and Jacinto Quesnel state in ‘Video Games Around the World’ that EA’s FIFA franchise is the biggest-selling video game IP in Mexico, bolstered by a strong national interest in football.
Regarding development, as of 2013, local games publication Motor de Juegos claimed there are roughly 75 games studios operating in Mexico.
However, with a lack of investment in the sector, these are primarily indie outfits.
Population: 118,395,054
Capital City: Mexico City
Currency: Peso (Mex$)
GDP (Per Capita): $11,320.91
KEY RETAILERS
Camelot Games, Gamer’s Paradise, Gamerush, Mixup, Sanborns, Blockbuster Mexico, Coppel, JJGames, JVL Gaming
KEY DISTRIBUTORS
Gamexpress
TOP DEVELOPERS
Anemona Studio, Artefacto, Neggi Studio, Kaxan Games, Larva Game Studios
PUBLISHERS IN THE REGION
Activision, EA, Microsoft, Sony, Square Enix, Ubisoft
