During an interview with Económico Madeira (EM), Miguel Campos and Pedro Campos, leader of the consortium and scientific director of eGames Lab, revealed ambitious plans for the creation of an international investment fund. This tool aims to attract international investors and will be ready later this year, with the aim of establishing the fund in 2025. Interested parties include Singapore and European investment funds, which wish to invest in the gaming industry in Portugal.
The eGames Lab, which began its activities at the end of 2022, has a total investment of 29.9 million euros, of which around 23 million euros are financed by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), with the remainder coming from of private investments. The main objective of the consortium is to position Portugal as a global reference in the gaming industry.
According to Miguel Campos, 70% of the consortium is made up of companies and public and private entities from Madeira. Among the companies, WOWSystems stands out, focused on the PC and console market; WalkMe, specialized in mobile; FootAR, leader in augmented reality; and Yacooba, which operates in the blockchain aspect. Madeira plays a crucial role in scientific research, being fundamental for leveraging the project.
The consortium has created 220 jobs, of which 136 are new (112 already hired), with more than 70% of new jobs held by women. The majority of employees have at least a bachelor’s degree, with 60% to 70% having a master’s degree, as well as a doctorate and postdoctoral degree. This environment attracts qualified human resources, both national and international, and has helped to repatriate talents to their academic areas of origin.
Miguel Campos confirmed the production of several titles for international release on platforms such as PC, consoles and mobile. The eGames Lab has been instrumental in attracting foreign funding to the games industry. Among the planned releases, the game “Hanno” stands out, scheduled for the end of 2025. Pedro Campos emphasizes the importance of creating high-quality games that can compete internationally, highlighting that the sustainability of the ecosystem depends on this competitiveness.
The eGames Lab is also recognized as the largest video game research group in Portugal and one of the largest in the world. The consortium stands out for its multidisciplinary approach, involving areas such as design, psychology, theater, audio and music, as well as information technology.
With a well-defined strategy and robust support, the eGames lab is positioning Portugal as a center of excellence in game development. The creation of the investment fund and the launch of new titles promise to attract even more international attention and capital, solidifying the country as a significant player in the global games i
