The future of gaming is about to stage its most theatrical entrance in Bangkok. Not in the quiet glow of a basement screen, not in the hush of late-night multiplayer marathons, but in the halls of Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, where two giants of the industry have decided to fuse their worlds. Gamescom Asia, usually pitched as the continent’s sharpest business hub, and Thailand Game Show, the city’s carnival of controllers and cosplay, are colliding for the first time under the banner of Gamescom Asia x Thailand Game Show, with the audacious concept of a ‘world of gaming’.
From October 16-19, the event will occupy over 30,000 square metres, a space that could conceal a small airport, and will attempt to contain both the seriousness of billion-baht deals and the exuberance of neon-lit fandom.
The structure is neatly divided, as if gaming itself were split into two personalities. On one side, the business zone (B2B), open October 16-17, where developers, publishers and investors in smart-casual blazers will trade visions of the future. On the other, the entertainment zone (B2C), running October 17-19, where gamers will crowd around screens for their first look at new titles from CAPCOM, Hoyoverse and Ubisoft, while the indie game zone throws a spotlight on over 80 debut projects. Expect the serious faces of executives, the unselfconscious joy of cosplay competitions and the collective hush before an eSports final.
Somewhere in the middle of all this, there will be moments of star power: Glen Schofield, the creative force behind Dead Space and Call of Duty. And there will be others, less well-known but no less important, testing prototypes in the Thailand game talent showcase with the nervous optimism of musicians at an open mic.
The highlights:
- Business zone (B2B)
The arena for global industry exchange. Expect national pavilions, investment sessions like the Invest Circle and a Pitch Competition offering indie teams from Thailand and ASEAN the rare chance to present directly to heavyweight publishers. - Entertainment zone (B2C)
A clash of the spectacular and the intimate. AAA titles, experimental indie projects, and exclusive gaming gear will share the floor, alongside unrepeatable offers and previews that will not resurface once the lights go out. Around it all, familiar rituals return: the cosplay contest with its elaborate armour and glitter, fan meet-and-greets with streamers whose faces most of us only know from a thumbnail and the unavoidable roar of competitive eSports.
Ticket Info:
Access to the entertainment and game exhibition zone is B200 for a one-day pass, available from September 1 at zipeventapp here or eventnook here. Registration for the Business Zone runs separately via eventnook here.
So mark the dates. The business zone powers on first, October 16-17 at Plenary Hall, 1/F, followed by the entertainment and game exhibition zone, lighting up October 17-19 at Exhibition Hall 2-4, G/F, Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.