Written By: Andy….
Midwest Games has announced plans to establish a presence in Lisbon, Portugal, as the US publisher looks to strengthen its relationships with developers, publishers and partners across Europe.
The move marks a significant step in the company’s international growth, giving Midwest Games a permanent foothold in Europe while allowing it to work more closely with studios and partners across the region.
Lisbon will act as a strategic base for the publisher as it expands beyond North America, with Midwest Games aiming to build on its existing European relationships while creating new partnerships with developers and publishers throughout the continent.
The company says the decision reflects its long-standing belief that strong development teams and exciting games can come from anywhere, with Portugal providing access to a wider pool of talent and a growing European games ecosystem.
Ben Kvalo, founder and CEO of Midwest Games, said the move would allow the publisher to be closer to the teams it hopes to support.
“There’s impressive work happening consistently across Europe, and we want to be closer to the teams driving it. Portugal gives us a foothold in the region and an opportunity to build stronger relationships with developers, publishers, and other partners across Europe.”
He added that the expansion represents an important step in increasing Midwest Games’ presence outside North America.
Gamescom 2026 Will Mark First European Activation
Midwest Games will publicly showcase its new European focus at gamescom 2026, where the company will appear as part of the Portuguese B2B pavilion in Hall 4.1, Booth C020g.
Founder and CEO Ben Kvalo will be joined by members of the company’s leadership and publishing teams, with the group available throughout the event to meet developers, publishers, media and potential partners.
The appearance will act as the first major public activation of the company’s new relationship with Portugal and gives Midwest Games an opportunity to begin building those European connections immediately.
A More Flexible Approach to Publishing
Alongside its expansion into Europe, Midwest Games is continuing to promote what it describes as a flexible, modular publishing model.
Rather than relying on a traditional publishing arrangement where a studio hands over large parts of its commercial operation to a single publisher, Midwest Games offers targeted support based on what an individual project or partner actually needs.
This can include specific publishing, commercialisation or business support without requiring developers or publishers to commit to a rigid all-in-one structure.
The company has already used this model with European publishers including Mindscape and remote control productions, providing support tailored to their specific commercial and publishing requirements.
Barcelona-based Melbot Studios is another example of Midwest Games’ approach in Europe, with the publisher working alongside the studio on its upcoming action roguelite GodsTV.
The relationship demonstrates how Midwest Games intends to work directly with development teams where more focused publishing support is required.
Leadership Team Grows Alongside International Expansion
The Lisbon announcement follows a period of expansion within Midwest Games’ leadership team.
Earlier this year, Adam Orth joined the company as Chief Operating Officer, while Cisco Maldonado was appointed Chief Strategy Officer.
Charlotte Cook also joined Midwest Games as Executive Advisor for Europe, bringing additional experience in publishing, business development, partnerships and commercial strategy as the company increases its international presence.
The expanded leadership team will support Midwest Games as it looks to grow its publishing business and build a wider network of partners across Europe.
Building Beyond North America
Midwest Games is positioning the Lisbon move as more than simply opening another regional office.
The publisher sees Portugal as a base from which it can develop long-term relationships with European studios, publishers and industry partners while continuing to expand its flexible approach to publishing.
With gamescom 2026 providing the first major opportunity to showcase that strategy, the coming months should provide a clearer picture of how quickly Midwest Games intends to grow its presence across Europe.
For developers and publishers looking for more flexible forms of support, the company’s move into Lisbon could provide another route into international publishing without necessarily signing up to a traditional one-size-fits-all publishing deal.
Midwest Games will be exhibiting at gamescom 2026 as part of the Portuguese B2B pavilion in Hall 4.1, Booth C020g.
About Midwest Games
Midwest Games is a US-based games publisher providing flexible publishing and commercial support across PC, console and other platforms. The company works with both developers and publishers internationally, offering services tailored to the individual needs of each team and project.