Canary Islands Amplify Their Presence at Tokyo Game Show 2025
The Government of the Canary Islands is shining a spotlight on its rapidly growing video game sector at the Tokyo Game Show 2025, one of the most important global events for the industry. Building on the success of the 2024 edition, the archipelago is attending this key Asian calendar event with a strengthened institutional and business delegation, reinforcing its commitment to internationalization, investment attraction, and the promotion of local talent.
A Delegation with Ambitious Goals
The primary objective for this year’s mission is to consolidate and accelerate the strong growth achieved in recent years in terms of companies, investment, and employment. The trade mission, led by the Canarian Society for Economic Development (Proexca) in collaboration with the Canary Islands Special Zone (ZEC) and other local entities, includes eight video game companies from the islands. These studios are travelling to Japan to present their projects, establish strategic contacts, and explore new business opportunities.
The participating studios are: Drakhar Studio, Factoría de Innovación (Proyecto Foxter SL), Foxter Studio, Canarian Foundation Club Deportivo Tenerife, Canarian Foundation Unión Deportiva Las Palmas, MoonMana Games, Rising Pixel, and Quantum Box Studio.
Demonstrating a Solid Ecosystem
Alfonso Cabello, Deputy Minister of the Presidency and President of Proexca, commented that the presence of these eight Canarian companies in Tokyo—”double the number from last year’s edition”—demonstrates that the archipelago now has a solid ecosystem to continue growing in this strategic sector for the diversification of the Canary Islands’ economy. “After several years of serious and rigorous work, we have managed to lay the foundations to become an international hub for this powerful and creative industry,” he highlighted, adding that the Canary Islands are seeking to continue advancing this line of work in Japan.
Strategic Participation in Spain Game Matsuri
With the same goal in mind, before showcasing their potential at the Tokyo Game Show, the Canarian delegation headed by Cabello will also participate in the Spain Game Matsuri. This event, organized by Spain, has become a key meeting point for the video game industry in Japan. The fourth consecutive edition of the Matsuri will bring together over 300 international participants, including developers, investors, and top-level executives.
The Canary Islands’ presence at this strategic forum will maximize the archipelago’s visibility and strengthen its positioning as a creative and technological hub in the Asian video game market. The Canarian companies in the delegation will take center stage here, presenting their projects following Cabello’s address at the official ceremony.
Unique Competitive Advantages
Co-organizing the Spain Game Matsuri alongside ICEX grants the Canary Islands an institutional visibility on par with the “Games from Spain” brand. This provides a unique opportunity to present the territory’s competitive advantages: quality of life, unique tax incentives in Europe, reduced operational costs, advanced technological infrastructure, and a mature, innovative, and sustainable environment.
Exponential Growth in the Archipelago
The Government of the Canary Islands has indicated that thanks to these advantages and firm institutional support, the video game sector has experienced exponential growth in the islands over the last six years. In 2019, there were only two companies in the archipelago. Today, there are more than 29, providing high-value employment for over 300 people. Furthermore, the Canary Islands have quickly established themselves as the fourth highest-rated Spanish autonomous community by video game developers, according to the 2024 Spanish Video Game Development White Paper. Several Japanese companies are already established on the islands.
A Platform for Talent and Innovation
The participation in the Tokyo Game Show and the Spain Game Matsuri is part of the “Canarias, nuestra mejor versión” (Canary Islands, Our Best Version) initiative, promoted by the Government of the Canary Islands through Proexca. The goal is to diversify the archipelago’s economy and internationally promote its emerging sectors.
During both events, held at the Makuhari Messe venue in Chiba, the Canarian delegation will participate in an intense schedule of activities. This includes B2B meetings, business networking sessions, project showcases, video game exhibitions, and direct access to key executives. This provides the Canarian companies with a privileged platform to display their talent, creativity, and capacity for innovation to a highly qualified professional audience.
