Frankfurter Buchmesse and Bologna Children's Book Fair join forces on new Games Business Centre

Over the last decades, producers and professionals from the world of TV and film have been regular visitors to the world’s most important book fairs, “on the hunt” for new stories and characters to turn into TV and film productions and animations.

This category has now long been including games industry professionals: Bologna Children’s Book Fair and the Frankfurter Buchmesse, in their role of world’s leading book fairs, always on the verge of the new, best opportunities for the publishing industry, have decided to work together in order to address this novelty by creating a brand-new, joint Games Business Centre. A new area that will integrate the BCBF and FBM copyright business, completing their book-to-screen offerings.

The business area will welcome games professionals at both book fairs, providing a great opportunity for the publishing industry to network with the games’ world. This new entry will therefore expand BCBF’s and FBM’s existing TV, film and licensing offerings, and will be featured in the fairs’ programmes starting from their next editions (FBM 16-20 October 2024, BCBF 31 March-3 April 2025).

The main focus will be building new business opportunities and events featuring topics such as cross-media rights and the role of games within building content for children, teens, young adults and adults audiences and readers.

The collaboration between the two fairs is also aimed at providing attendees with the best experience opportunities: exhibitors attending the Games Business Centre in both Frankfurt and Bologna trade shows will receive a discount of 20%, dedicated additional advertising and networking opportunities in both fairs in order to maximize their exposure.

Juergen Boos, Director of Frankfurter Buchmesse, says:

We have been living the motto ‘A book is a film is a game.’ at Frankfurter Buchmesse for years. With the new games area, we are driving forward business with cross-genre adaptations. Thanks to the cooperation with Bologna, we will be offering the book industry a lucrative exchange with the creative industries twice a year from October onwards.

Elena Pasoli, Director of Bologna Children’s Book Fair, adds:

The Bologna Children’s Book Fair, with Bologna Licensing Trade Fair and BolognaBookPlus, has a long history of close relations with the world of film and television. This new project that we are proud to launch with the Frankfurt Book Fair broadens the horizon to the fascinating world of games, offering a new and unprecedented market place that I am sure will open the way to exciting business opportunities.

Consultant of the Games Business Centre is Spiel Fabrique.