BGA Makes Waves at Spain’s Largest Annual Gaming Festival

BGA is excited to make its debut appearance at Own Valencia, the largest video game and entertainment festival in Spain! With a vision to work more closely with the Latam, and Spanish and Portuguese-speaking gaming industry, BGA is active in collaborating with actors in the region. Earlier this month, we teamed up with Own Valencia for a collaboration across web2 and web3 gaming.

This year, the event welcomed thousands of people to experience and enjoy the entire Gaming ecosystem. Well-known brands such as Razer, Tesla, and Samsung were in attendance. BGA was there to raise awareness of blockchain technologies for gaming, meeting attendees at the booth and opening up the conversation on the stage.

Mixing business and consumers across the venue, the event had a perfect balance of panel discussions, hands-on gaming, and a plethora of activities. The energy on the stage and at the LAN party was full of enthusiasm and excitement. On the floor, the BGA booth was a hive of activity with a constant flow of visitors curious to know more about blockchain and how the technology could enhance games. Several of our members were able to participate at the Booth and demo their games to eventgoers.

“The Spanish gaming ecosystem is prominent, progressive, professional, friendly, and open. I was surprised to meet so many quality products, educational companies, big brands, and, most significantly, many governance representatives involved in tech amplifying. It’s a huge sign that their support programs and activities are helping build incredible products and moving the market and ecosystem further.”

Overall, the BGA brand’s presence is becoming stronger. Two stages, a fantastic location, an afterparty, a well-prepared booth, and an organization were on top. So, significant work was done, and I truly enjoyed it. Somebody was always in the booth, helping with tickets, answering questions, etc. I didn’t feel any discomfort, so it’s a really high level.” – Anton Paramonov, Galaxy4Games.

Key Takeaways

Attending regional gaming events such as OWN Valencia enables BGA to reach out to the broader gaming community to raise awareness and promote blockchain for gaming. Through game demos and conversation, BGA and its members can showcase new and enhanced ways to develop and play games. 

The business-to-business attitude was of genuine interest in learning and developing their understanding of integrating blockchain into gaming. The governments of several cities were present, and all of them wanted to be part of the discussion on developing blockchain games. Since each city has a program for Web2 games, they now have a broader understanding of blockchain adoption and how it can enhance game development and user experience. They want to explore further and enter Web3 with force.

The consumer reaction to blockchain technology was one of curiosity. With a small percentage already hearing about and playing web3 games, they enjoyed the games on demo and were interested and enthusiastic to know more.

Members who joined this Spanish gaming event had positive meetings, great interactions, and an overall fantastic experience showcasing to the crowds of industry professionals and gaming enthusiasts in the Spanish-speaking market.

“My experience at OWN Valencia has been incredible. The BGA booth was a great meeting point for all of us who love gaming and technology. Having the opportunity to show what we are doing at Blackmouth Games and meet other professionals in the sector was really enriching.

 Having participated in the BGA panel on gaming and blockchain has also been an enriching point and I believe that these types of actions have a great impact on the communication of this still unknown and sometimes stigmatized industry. Blockchain technology has enormous potential to revolutionize video games, offering more transparency and allowing true ownership of digital assets. I am convinced that it will be the next big step in the gaming industry.” – Joaquin Valverde, Blackmouth Games:

Game Demos at the Booth

Blackmouth Games, World Challenge Game, angelo.app, and YOM showcased their games/services. Ranging genres and platforms, these hands-on demos gave attendees an immersive web3 gaming experience and highlighted how blockchain can be integrated into and enhance video gaming across multiple facets of gameplay. 

On the Stage

Blockchain Game Alliance hosted a dedicated series of discussions in Spanish and English. Kicking off with a keynote presentation by BGA’s Latam and Spanish-speaking representative, Augusto Bernuy, better known as Muke, introduced BGA to the audience in Spanish—a first for BGA and a well-received keynote!

Driving Innovation, Exploring the Future of the Gaming and Blockchain Ecosystems: A conversation with Mariano Rubinstein, Co-founder and CEO of Sura Gaming, and Martin Repetto, Mokens League, about the innovation in the gaming ecosystem, their experience in gaming, and how they see blockchain disrupting the landscape, and what the future holds for game development and player experience. 

State of the Web3 Gaming Ecosystem: Bringing to the stage BGA members Joaquin Valverde, Blackmouth Games, Nigel Carlos, UFORIKA, Anton Paramonov, Galaxy4Games, moderated by Augusto Bernuy, BGA Latam ambassador. How they see innovations in technology, why they have chosen web3 for gaming as they dive into the current challenges, the benefits of asset ownership, how it enhances the user experience, and how they see the industry evolving. 

In addition to the dedicated BGA stage presence, we saw more BGA members across different panel discussions, demonstrating the growing presence of conversations around various aspects of web3 and how the traditional gaming industry can capitalize on those in the ever-evolving gaming landscape.

Game design and monetization, how it is evolving with blockchain technology: Moderated by Christina Macedo, CEO at Ready.GG and BGA Board member, this conversion dives into new technologies, the biggest obstacles in Web2, an evolving gamer base, their expectations from games, content, and how blockchain enables new experiences.

Web3 Marketing: Level Up Your Brand, Engage Players in the Web3 Era with Danyil Shakto, Elixir Games, Alexi Risco, Evil Zepplin, Alfredo Barcena, Ready.GG, and Ricardo Cevellas, Scopely

Summary

The atmosphere was 100% gaming-focused, and there was a strong positive response to blockchain technology. Attendees from consumer and business sectors wanted to learn more, and companies and governments wanted to start positioning themselves to understand and adopt innovative technology as inevitable as web3 gaming.

“OWN Valencia highlighted how Web3 gaming is still very much in its infancy and a very specific niche within the broader entertainment industry, however rapidly catching the attention of major studios and game publishers. The innovation and opportunities emerging in the Spanish gaming ecosystem are evident and growing thanks to the BGA’s efforts in fostering connections between developers, founders, publishers, and top LATAM esports teams. 

“Huge thanks to Blockchain Game Alliance for inviting me to speak at OWN Valencia and also organizing such a fantastic event. Their dedication to promoting Web3 gaming and support was evident throughout the event and Fiesta weekend. Special thanks to Augusto Bernuy for expertly moderating our panel, and muchas gracias, BGA, for an amazing experience and for your continued support in advancing the gaming industry!” – Nigel Carlos, UFORIKA