LEVEL UY 2025 showcases the strength and momentum of Uruguay’s video game industry

LEVEL UY Gamedev Summit 2025 concluded two days of activity that once again demonstrated the energy, creativity and international potential of Uruguay’s video game industry. Organized by CAVI, MIEM–Dinatel, ACAU, the National Directorate of Culture, ANTEL, Ingenio and Uruguay XXI, the event brought together developers, companies, students and experts, consolidating its position as the country’s leading industry gathering.

Uruguay XXI participated through its Uruguay Video Games platform, hosting a booth designed to help studios navigate international markets and access available export-support instruments. The agency advised teams on how to join the Investment Portfolio and offered guidance on presenting projects to potential investors. Complementing this support, Dr. Néstor Méndez from the National Directorate of Industrial Property (DNPI–MIEM) provided technical orientation on software registration—an essential step for studios seeking to secure their intellectual property and access tax benefits.

Julián Cordero: Latin American creativity in the spotlight

A highlight of this year’s edition was the participation of Ecuadorian developer Julián Cordero, invited to Uruguay by Uruguay XXI. The creator of Despelote—an internationally acclaimed game recognized across video game, film and documentary festivals—delivered the talk “Despelote: Capturing the Feeling of a Country.”

Cordero shared the personal origins of the project, a semi-autobiographical game that reconstructs the Quito of his childhood through innovative production techniques: 3D models derived from real photographs, improvised dialogue recorded with friends and family, environmental soundscapes captured on location, and archival footage from Ecuador’s road to the 2002 World Cup. “I’m interested in capturing the world through games; it’s something we haven’t explored deeply as a medium,” he noted.

He also took part in a game design panel, where discussions expanded beyond narrative and mechanics to include funding strategies, publisher access, and pathways for bringing Latin American projects to global audiences—topics that remain central to the long-term sustainability of the regional industry.

Global projection and sector building

During the closing ceremony, Omaira Rodríguez, Uruguay XXI’s Creative Industries Specialist, emphasized the value of sustained inter-institutional collaboration and the growing impact of the video game industry on Uruguay’s economy. “This success is the outcome of years of deliberate work to ensure that creative industries can flourish in Uruguay,” she said.

Rodríguez highlighted Uruguay XXI’s ongoing initiatives to strengthen the ecosystem through investment attraction, export promotion and international visibility—efforts supported by platforms such as Uruguay Video Games, the Road to Pitch Day, trade missions and national participation in major global markets like Gamescom and Gamescom Latam.

The final panel brought together representatives from CAVI, MIEM, ANTEL, ACAU, the National Directorate of Culture and the Ingenio incubator. Speakers underscored several points: the industry’s consolidation around local talent; the importance of coordinated public-sector support; the need to advance training, innovation and internationalization; the advantage of Uruguay’s robust technological infrastructure; and the value of cross-sector collaboration across the wider creative economy.

Uruguay XXI’s Indie Game of the Year Award

The summit concluded with the National Video Game Competition, an annual event that recognizes outstanding work by local studios and opens new avenues for growth.

Uruguay XXI presented its Indie Game of the Year award to Down the Darkest Pit, developed by Hipocampo Game Studio. The prize includes participation in Uruguay’s official delegation to either Gamescom 2026 or Gamescom Latam. The award was presented by Rodríguez, who highlighted the team’s achievement and the importance of international exposure for emerging talent.

With expanding attendance, high-level content and a collaborative community, LEVEL UY once again demonstrated why Uruguay has become one of the most dynamic video game hubs in the region. Uruguay XXI’s active participation—supporting both local capabilities and global projection—continues to play a pivotal role in the industry’s growth and international positioning.