What does it actually take to build a game industry in a region where capital is scarce, studios are small and fragmented, and survival depends on outsourcing rather than original IP?

The Canary Islands are often described as an “emerging” ecosystem, yet remain structurally constrained by limited funding, weak industry cohesion, political challenges, and ongoing talent leakage. This session offers a grounded look at the systemic barriers that prevent ecosystems from forming in the first place.

Drawing from ongoing work with the Canary Islands Association of Game Developers (ACADEVI) and Astrava Entertainment, the talk explores the gap between perception and reality in regional game development, and what it actually takes to build resilience in hostile environments.