SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 29th June (EUROPA PRESS) –
Fernando Clavijo, the president of the Canary Islands, has highlighted how the archipelago has established itself as a national focal point in the video game sector, currently ranking as the fourth most esteemed autonomous community in this industry.
The regional Government reported this during the launch of the I Professional Forum ‘Canary Islands Games’ at the Presidency headquarters in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
“The Canary Islands are currently in a favourable position and are highly regarded in the video game and eSports sector, which we should leverage to enhance collaboration between companies and professionals in this field within the islands with key public entities in the Canary Islands, as well as promote connections among professionals from the leading companies in the archipelago,” he emphasised.
As per the recently published Yearbook of the Spanish Video Game Association (providing a comprehensive overview of the video game industry in Spain), the total revenue in 2023 exceeded 2.3 billion Euros, representing a growth of over 15% compared to the previous year.
Additionally, the number of players has also surged by more than 10%, now surpassing 20 million, with around 13,000 direct jobs in this sector.
Migdalia Machín, the Minister of Universities, Science, Innovation, and Culture of the Government of the Canary Islands, reiterated the commitment of the Canary Islands Government to the advancement and expansion of the video game industry in the islands during the event’s closure.
“We recognise – she continued – the enormous potential that this industry holds not only as an economic driver but also as a platform for cultural and artistic expression.”
She also announced that over the next three years, the Canary Islands Government will introduce a series of crucial measures to support the video game sector and seek tax benefits in the Canary Islands to facilitate the growth of local companies and attract foreign investment.
The event brought together major companies in the video game and eSports sector in the Canary Islands, which have developed projects that have received global acclaim.
EVALUATING THE INDUSTRY SITUATION IN THE ISLANDS
This inaugural forum aimed to assess the industry’s status in our community, its requirements, existing public support mechanisms, as well as introduce new initiatives such as expanding tax advantages to the video game sector in the Canary Islands.
Furthermore, it provided the opportunity to explore new projects and trends, foster networking, and exchange experiences and ideas among professionals.
The forum’s agenda included several panel discussions covering various topics, with the participation of renowned professionals in the industry.
The first panel addressed the eSports landscape in the archipelago. Emilio Hurtado, a national-level sector expert, pointed out that the Canary Islands are a regional benchmark in Spain for eSports and events.
However, the issue of professionalisation and investment was highlighted during the panel, with expectations for improvements and growth in the medium term. In conclusion, Javier Franco, director of the Canary Islands Agency for Research, Innovation, and Information Society (ACIISI), emphasised the islands’ significant role, their economic importance, and potential for job creation.
Regarding the second panel, focusing on the industry’s status in the Canary Islands, Luis Torres from Drakhar Studios stated that the archipelago is “one of the premier centres for video game development globally”, owing to its tax incentives and strategic location. These factors led The Game Kitchen, one of Spain’s prominent studios, to establish a base in the islands, as explained by David Erosa.
Torres also noted that video games emerged as an evolution of various tools to create a potent medium for diverse aspects like education. However, he added that the medium’s negative perception, often viewed as a mere “toy”, has hindered its credibility and resolution of other issues.
Highlighting the role of women, Natalia Ridao stressed the importance of “operating from an ethical standpoint, as behind the technology, art, and cultural significance of video games, there are also human beings.”
The forum concluded with a presentation of three ongoing projects in the Canary Islands: firstly, ‘Arico: Tales From the Abyss’ by Foxter Studio, an adventure aiming to be one of the most ambitious video games developed in the islands; ‘Demeter’ by Quantum Box Games, a horror game with Victorian aesthetics set in the original “Dracula” work, to be released for virtual reality devices; and ‘Satori’ by Eteru, a narrative game still in its early stages, aspiring “to deeply engage players emotionally.”
Through the involvement and insights of experts from international companies, the forum revealed the level of talent in the archipelago and the abundance of diverse ideas emerging there.
