Madeira Hosts E-Gaming Conference to Explore Industry Opportunities
On November 3–4, 2025, Madeira hosted a major e-gaming conference, the Madeira Games Summit. The event brought together international companies and experts from the video game industry. Attendees met to discuss the latest trends in innovation, research, and development within the sector. The conference highlighted Madeira’s potential to participate in the growing global e-gaming industry and to attract high-skilled projects.
Madeira’s Geography and Size Limit Local Employment Opportunities
Madeira’s small size and remote location create economic challenges. Its heavy reliance on tourism limits opportunities for long-term careers, leaving many workers trapped in a cycle of low-paid jobs. The island has limited options for high-skilled work, and many professionals move abroad in search of opportunities.
The conference made clear that creating technology-based industries, such as e-gaming, could provide new avenues for local employment without the restrictions of geography, because much of the work can be carried out digitally.
The main goal is to provide the ecosystem here to support our studio in Lisbon, and to show that Portugal is a great center for game innovation and development. Because we have a global culture here.
Today, Portugal is considered an emerging hub for the video game industry. Not only because of the quality of people here, but also because of the strong attraction for professionals from other countries to move here, due to quality of life, safety, and more. In other words, Portugal now has all the elements to become a landmark, a hub, a geographically important region in the entire industry.
Speaker at the Madeira Games Summit, RTP Madeira
Building a Madeira-Based E-Gaming Ecosystem Would Require Diverse Roles
A local e-gaming ecosystem could include a variety of positions, to name a few:
Software developers
Graphic designers
Sound engineers
Project managers
Marketing specialists
Data analysts, and many more..
Companies could establish studios or remote offices on the island, leveraging incentives offered by the Portuguese government. Such an ecosystem could support game development as well as research into virtual simulations and interactive technologies.
Gaming Technology Could Serve Wider Sectors Beyond Entertainment
The conference highlighted that gaming technologies are increasingly used beyond entertainment. Virtual simulations can model real-world scenarios, providing useful insights for areas like health, education, and public administration. Developing an e-gaming ecosystem in Madeira could create high-skilled jobs, retain local talent, and promote innovation in multiple sectors, while connecting the island to international markets.
Source: RTP Madeira
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