Indie developers can now submit their games to compete at Gamescom Latam for free.
BIG Festival opened its call for the April 2027 show in São Paulo on Friday, alongside a separate call for speakers. Both calls are free to enter and close in January ahead of the April 22-25 show at Distrito Anhembi, according to the announcement. Game submissions will close on January 15, and speaker proposals close January 18. The news also marks BIG Festival’s 15th anniversary.
Gamescom Latam is set to take place in late April, from April 22-25, 2027. The conference will be held at Distrito Anhembi in São Paulo, Brazil. One of the world’s largest gaming industry events, Gamescom Latam is the Latin American edition of Gamescom. The event is organized by Koelnmesse, Omelete Company, BIG Festival and Game, the German Games Industry Association.
The Gamescom Latam press release called for independent developers anywhere in the world to submit their games in anticipation of next spring’s event. Selected titles will have the chance to compete for awards, as well as get playtime from visitors at the event. Developers will have the chance to showcase their games in a no-cost exhibition program.
BIG Festival, an acronym for the Best International Games Festival, was first launched back in 2012. The festival’s 2026 edition drew an all-time record of 966 submissions, spanning from across 75 different countries. BIG Festival has been a core part of Gamescom Latam since 2024. A press release from Gamescom PR called BIG Festival the “world’s largest independent games competition.”
A designated selection committee reviews all submissions and picks award finalists, before an international jury of games industry professionals chooses the final list of winners. The award categories include Best Art, Best Casual Game, Best Gameplay, Best Game for Kids, Best Multiplayer, Best Narrative, Best Sound, Best Student Game and Innovation, among others. The festival also honors region-specific games, including a Best Game: Brazil award and a Best Game: Latin America award.
Aside from the jury-selected awards, the festival also has launched a Best Game: Popular Choice award, which is the only category relying on public votes. Event visitors are granted the chance to vote at different stations scattered around the show floor and play the selected games for themselves before making their final decisions. Additionally, the WINGS Award will return at next year’s event, celebrating indie games from teams in which women and developers from marginalized gender groups play leading roles.
The open call for content and speakers invites developers, publishers and industry professionals to propose sessions for the B2B program. The call opens October 16, and includes a range of topics from careers and education, game creation and design, culture and creative identities, industry and business, marketing and community, and technology and innovation. To enter, applicants are asked to outline their topic, format and intended audience.
The call is for editorial sessions that share knowledge, experience and industry insights. Commercial and promotional sessions will be handled separately through the event’s partnership and sponsorship programs. All proposals will be reviewed, though submission doesn’t necessarily guarantee a place.
Selected speakers will be offered an all-access credential, as well as a second B2B credential for a team member or partner, three ticket discount codes worth 30% off and a listing in the official program.
Game submissions close January 15, 2027, at 9:59 p.m. Eastern. Speaker proposals close January 18, 2027, at 7 a.m. Eastern.
Developers can submit their games and see the festival’s rules on the official Gamescom Latam website.