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Malta positions itself as hub for video games and e-sports, GamingMalta CEO says
The global video game industry is now larger than the film and music industries combined and “dwarfs iGaming internationally” in terms of annual revenue, GamingMalta CEO Ivan Filletti told The Malta Independent in an interview published on Sunday.
“Gaming” in Malta has traditionally referred to iGaming, online gambling and betting, which employs about 14,000 people and contributes roughly 7 percent of the country’s gross value added, according to GamingMalta. But the foundation has, since 2019, broadened its remit to include video games, e-sports and immersive technologies, a sector authorities refer to as interactive entertainment.
“There was a nearly natural fit,” Filletti said. “We’ve built an iGaming ecosystem, so why don’t we build a video game ecosystem?”
Between 25 and 30 video game studios have set up operations in Malta in recent years, according to GamingMalta, including companies from Israel, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Ireland. Most are independent studios, though Malta has also attracted Ukrainian-founded AAA developer 4A Games, best known for the Metro franchise.
Local studios such as Anvil Game Studios and Flying Squirrel Games Malta have also begun gaining international recognition, Filletti said.
Attracting international talent
Malta has additionally positioned itself as a host destination for international e-sports events. A competitive Counter-Strike event held on the island earlier this year generated a total of 66 million live online viewers, with peak viewership of around 800,000 and 17.5 million hours watched, according to GamingMalta figures cited by Filletti.
“Can you imagine the return on investment for Malta when viewers are seeing the GamingMalta logo, videos of Malta and shots of the islands?” he said.
In August, e-sports tournament organiser BLAST signed a three-year agreement to host nine major events in Malta. The deal includes the use of a 5,000-square-metre e-sports arena in Ta’ Qali and the establishment of a 1,000-square-metre production studio on the island.
Filletti said Malta had also attracted global tournament organisers such as ESL, while professional teams including Furia, Imperial Esports and OG Esports are relocating or setting up bases in the country.
“We were never on their radar before,” he said. “Top-tier e-sports teams came to the islands.”
Despite the progress, Filletti acknowledged that the sector remains small and relatively young. The Covid-19 pandemic slowed early momentum, delaying relocations and investment during the industry’s formative years.
To address this, GamingMalta operates an incubator known as “Basecamp”, described as a “soft landing” for studios and developers entering the Maltese market. Companies can initially operate from the shared space before expanding into their own offices.
Hub for interactive entertainment by 2050
“It’s not just about tax,” Filletti said. “They can sit down with us, speak to us about their business plans, and we support them, finding talent, finding space, working with Malta Enterprise. It’s a sum of all parts.”
GamingMalta promotes Malta’s climate, connectivity and historic environment as additional draws, with Filletti recalling one e-sports founder who said Fort St Elmo reminded him of a Counter-Strike map.
The foundation has received backing from both government and opposition parties, with the sector identified in Malta’s Vision 2050 strategy as one of seven high-value industries expected to significantly boost GDP by 2035.
Companies that have already set up operations in Malta have contributed to major franchises including EA Sports FC (formerly FIFA), Call of Duty, Battlefield, Assassin’s Creed, The Sims and Diablo, according to GamingMalta.
Competition remains intense, Filletti said, pointing to larger European markets and Middle Eastern investors, including Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which acquired ESL Gaming for €1.7 billion.
Still, he remains confident. “Malta is going to win on this – and we’re winning it already,” he said.
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