Minister attached to the Prime Minister’s Office Jiraporn Sindhuprai, together with Surapong Suebwonglee, chairman of the National Soft Power Development Committee, and relevant agencies, joined Gamescom 2025, the world’s largest gaming fair, held from August 20–24 at Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany.
The opening ceremony was presided over by Dorothee Bär, Federal Minister of Research, Technology and Space of Germany.
Jiraporn said Thailand was this year elevated to the status of official ‘partner country’ at Gamescom 2025. This gave Thailand the privilege of setting up a Thailand Pavilion in a prime location at the event for the first time.
The pavilion showcased games from 15 Thai developers, highlighting Thai cultural elements to international gamers.
She added that the fair also provided opportunities for Thai developers to build global business partnerships, particularly through the Cologne Business Mixer, a B2B platform co-hosted by the Thai government.
Gamescom is the world’s largest gaming showcase. In 2024, it drew over 335,000 visitors and more than 1,400 game studios from around the world.
Thailand’s partner country role this year reinforced the nation’s growing reputation and potential in the gaming sector, providing a major platform for Thai developers to demonstrate their talent on the global stage.
Globally, the gaming market was valued at around US$272.86 billion in 2024 and is projected to expand to US$426 billion by 2029, driven by advances in gaming technology, the growing popularity of e-sports, and the expansion of mobile gaming.
Thailand’s gaming industry, meanwhile, was valued at 34.28 billion baht (approximately US$979.66 million) in 2023, accounting for 77.5% of the overall digital content industry.
For the first time, Thailand will host Asia’s largest gaming exhibition, ‘Gamescom Asia × Thailand Game Show 2025,’ from October 16–19 at Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok. Covering over 30,000 square metres, the event is expected to attract more than 200,000 visitors.
The exhibition will feature both B2C (Entertainment Area) and B2B (Business Area) zones, alongside a wide range of activities including high-energy e-sports tournaments, an indie game showcase, cosplay events, and other entertainment, welcoming participants from across Asia and beyond.
