Video gaming in Belgium

Distribution

Distribution in the Belgium is usually done by publishers that cover the entire Benelux, although some of the publishers' offices are located in Belgium. Since not every publisher has a separate office for the Benelux, certain publishers take care of multiple labels, including those of other publishers.

Rating

Belgium supports the PEGI rating system but there is no legislative basis. PEGI was developed and is owned by the Interactive Software Federation of Europe which is based in Brussels.^[1]

Sales

In 2011, the Belgian consumer bought 6.54 million games. More than 84% of those games were console games. The sales generated a revenue of 220 million euro, which means they stayed stable compared to 2010.^[2]

Belgium as a setting

Belgium is not often used as an originally created setting for video games, although it does appear in some types of simulation games.

World War II games

The famous Battle of the Bulge is featured in the following video games:

• Battle of the Bulge, various wargames simulating the battle.
• Call of Duty: United Offensive, the American campaign is set during the Battle of the Bulge.
• Medal of Honor: European Assault, the final campaign is set at the start of the Battle.
• Bulge '44 (HPS Simulations) An operational level strategy wargame, covering many scenarios, both historic and alternative.
• Call of Duty: WWII, Battle of the Bulge, Ardennes map in multiplayer

Racing games

• Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is a popular racing circuit. It's the host of the Belgian Grand Prix and has been featured in many Formula One games and other racing games like Need for Speed: Shift, Race Driver: Grid , Forza Motorsport 5 and Gran Turismo.

Belgian video game characters

• Anna from the game Valiant Hearts: The Great War is a nurse who was born in Ypres
• In most of the international sports games, such as the FIFA football games and olympic video games, teams or players from Belgium are featured.
• Phillipe Loren, one of Saints Row The Third's villains is of Belgian origin.

Video games based on Belgian works

Many video games are based on Belgian comic books:

• XIII
• Video games based on The Adventures of Tintin
• Video games based on The Smurfs
• Largo Winch: Empire Under Threat
• Spirou
• Video games based on Lucky Luke

Representation

The Belgian Entertainment Association (BEA) is the organization that represents the interests of the music, video and video game industries in Belgium.

The Flemish Games Association (FLEGA) represents the Flemish video game industry, the Walloon Games Association (WALGA) represents the Walloon video game industry.

Game developers from Belgium

^[3][4]

Defunct game developers

Games developed in Belgium

• Adventure Rock
• Outcast
• Divine Divinity
• Battle for Donetsk
• Beyond Divinity
• Divinity II: Ego Draconis
• Divinity II: Flames of Vengeance
• Divinity II: The Dragon Knight Saga
• Divinity: Dragon Commander
• Divinity: Original Sin
• Divinity: Original Sin II
• Hyperball Racing
• Sunset
• The Endless Forest
• The Graveyard
• The Path
• Woolfe: The Red Hood Diaries
• Hunting Simulator

Game publishers from Belgium

University college

Other

Syntra LIMBURG offers multiple gaming courses.^[6]

Print media

Television

Online media

• eurogamer.be
• 9lives.be
• Sensei Gaming
• Les Players Du Dimanche
• N-Gamz
• 4WeAreGamers