The 'ATAWAD' Effect: How the Streaming Mindset Reshaped Belgian Video Games

By the editorial team PowerPlay · 1 October 2026

The evolution of digital entertainment in Belgium is reflected in its recent financial trajectory, with the local video games and esports market recorded at 818 million euros in 2024 and forecast to reach one billion euros by 2029. For years, industry analysts predicted that the "streaming revolution" in video games would mirror television through intensive cloud gaming infrastructure, allowing users to play heavy, cinematic titles directly from remote servers. However, the ongoing transformation appears highly behavioral. Consumers are adopting the structural rhythms of on-demand video platforms and mapping those expectations onto interactive media.

This shift coincides with changing Belgian video game consumption. Instead of dedicating fixed hours to tethered hardware in the living room, users increasingly demand interactive content that fits the fragmented cadence of modern daily routines. The rise of hyper-accessible, frictionless experiences is consistent with the behavioral patterns pioneered by subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) and ad-supported services. Consequently, the growth of the local interactive entertainment ecosystem aligns with mobile-first, socially integrated platforms, while traditional console ecosystems navigate a slower, specialized growth trajectory.

Key Takeaways

• Behavioral shift: Broadcasting consumption habits coincide with a new baseline for digital entertainment, where audiences increasingly seek immediate, device-agnostic access to interactive media.
• Market dominance: Social and casual formats now command the vast majority of local gaming revenues, heavily outpacing the growth of traditional console and PC formats.
• Ad-driven monetization: The rapid expansion of digital video advertising perfectly aligns with the free-to-play mechanisms powering modern casual titles.
• Elevated digital literacy: As play becomes decentralized across mobile screens, caregivers are actively utilizing industry rating systems to navigate complex in-game economies.

The ATAWAD Effect: How the 'Streaming Mindset' Conquered Gaming

To understand the current state of interactive entertainment, one must examine the broadcasting sector's recent evolution. According to the thinkvia.be report "Belgian broadcasters sign the blueprint for a new video ecosystem," the ATAWAD philosophy—an acronym for anytime, anywhere, any device—has become the default viewing mode in Belgium. This expectation is driven by optimal user interfaces and a broad range of platforms encompassing Live TV, SVOD, and broadcasters' AVOD.

The Normalization of On-Demand Culture

This uncoupling of content from fixed schedules has fundamentally altered how Belgians allocate leisure time. The thinkvia.be report highlights widespread adoption, with more than 35% of all TV content watched in a time-shifted mode—a proportion that, according to the federation of Belgian broadcasters VIA, places Belgium among the world leaders in time-shifted viewing. Audiences no longer organize evenings around media broadcasts; instead, media molds to the user's immediate availability.

When applied to interactive media, this deep behavioral crossover clarifies the explosion of casual formats. The ATAWAD expectation dictates that a user should be able to initiate a session in seconds, pause effortlessly, and resume on a different screen. Traditional gaming often requires dedicated hardware, software updates, and lengthy commitment times, standing in direct opposition to this on-demand philosophy. By contrast, mobile and social titles offer the fragmented, instantly accessible engagement that time-shifted television viewers prefer. This effectively explains why the casual segment now dominates local gaming revenues.

Removing the Friction of Play

The success of this behavioral crossover relies heavily on eliminating barriers to entry. Games designed for the ATAWAD consumer feature structural elements mimicking streaming platforms:

• Instant gratification: Rapid load times and algorithmic matchmaking engage users immediately upon opening an application.
• Session flexibility: Gameplay loops provide meaningful progress whether the user interacts for three minutes or three hours.
• Platform agnosticism: Cross-progression systems allow players to transition seamlessly between devices without losing localized data.

By the Numbers: Dissecting Belgium's €1 Billion Gaming Forecast

The financial trajectory of the local entertainment sector provides concrete evidence of this structural transition. In the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Global Entertainment and Media Outlook 2025-2029, Belgium's total video games and esports revenue was recorded at 818 million euros in 2024. This market is forecast to exceed one billion euros in 2029, tracking an overall increase at a 4.9% compound annual growth rate (CAGR). It is worth noting that year-on-year growth in 2024 was in fact negative at -1.5%, down from 4.7% the previous year; positive growth resumed from 2025 onwards.

The Divergence of Interactive Economies

Within that broader financial outlook, a sharp divide exists between different formats. The PwC outlook reveals that almost 70% of Belgium's video games revenue derives from social and casual gaming. This specific segment is rising from 568 million euros in 2024 to 733 million euros in 2029, achieving a robust 5.2% CAGR. The economic center of gravity has decidedly shifted away from the living room.

Conversely, legacy platforms face a much narrower growth corridor. PwC notes that Belgium's traditional gaming sector rises from 239 million euros in 2024 to almost 286 million euros in 2029, resulting in a slower 3.6% CAGR, with esports accounting for the remaining share of the total market. While the traditional market remains profitable due to high-margin hardware and premium software pricing, it lacks the expansive reach and demographic penetration of casual mobile titles. Thus, the current dominance of casual gaming reflects a shift in revenue share rather than an outright decline of premium formats.

Comparing Digital Paradigms

To contextualize how closely the dominant interactive sector mirrors modern broadcasting habits, the underlying mechanics of these digital economies can be mapped alongside one another.

What this matrix illustrates is a clear consumer preference for low-friction environments. The projected one-billion-euro threshold is not being driven primarily by consumers purchasing more premium boxed products. Instead, it is being fueled by millions of localized microtransactions and digital ad impressions generated by a massive, highly accessible casual audience.

Monetizing the Attention Economy: Free-to-Play and Digital Video Ads

Because the ATAWAD model requires frictionless entry, upfront payment barriers have largely been discarded in favor of continuous digital engagement. The financial engine of the social gaming sector relies heavily on free-to-play ecosystems that monetize attention over time. These function much like AVOD (advertising-based video on demand) platforms.

The Integration of Digital Advertising

The infrastructure supporting this digital economy is expanding rapidly. The PwC Global Entertainment and Media Outlook 2025-2029 indicates that internet advertising in Belgium is driving industry growth with an estimated 7.3% CAGR between 2024 and 2029. Video represents the fastest-growing market category at a 10.3% CAGR. In the casual gaming space, video ads are frequently integrated directly into the core gameplay loop as "rewarded video." Here, players voluntarily watch a brief commercial message in exchange for extra lives, cosmetic items, or gameplay advantages.

Navigating Virtual Economies

Beyond advertising, direct monetization occurs through sophisticated virtual economies. The Video Games Federation Belgium (VGFB) recognizes the complexity of modern gaming systems. The VGFB publishes parent-facing explainers on business models in gaming — including premium, free-to-play, in-game content purchases and battle passes — as well as on in-game currencies such as Robux, V-Bucks and Minecoins.

The strategic transition from one-time retail purchases to recurring digital expenditures involves several key mechanisms:

1. Battle Passes: A tiered progression system where players unlock specific rewards as they play during a designated season, encouraging daily logins and sustained attention.
2. Virtual Currencies: Obfuscating real-world transaction costs by requiring users to convert euros into branded digital tokens (like V-Bucks) before acquiring goods.
3. Cosmetic Upgrades: Selling non-functional aesthetic changes (skins, animations) that allow users to express individuality within social digital spaces.

The Parental Paradox: Managing Digital Play in a Borderless Ecosystem

The success of the "anytime, anywhere" digital framework introduces complex practical challenges for Belgian households. When interactive entertainment was physically tethered to a living room television, caregivers could passively monitor both the content and the duration of a session. Today, borderless access means that a highly monetized, socially connected environment resides permanently in the pockets of young users.

Adapting Household Management

Despite the decentralized nature of modern play, local caregivers are demonstrating high levels of digital literacy to manage this shift. Survey data from the VGFB indicates that a vast majority of responding Belgian parents report keeping an eye on the purchase of in-game content. While such panels can overrepresent highly engaged households, this strong reported vigilance suggests that the transition to free-to-play models has forced households to proactively manage digital wallets, shifting parental control from physical retail restrictions to real-time financial monitoring.

Utilizing Established Safeguards

To navigate the vast influx of accessible software, parents are actively relying on established regulatory tools. The VGFB notes that 85% of Belgian parents know the PEGI age rating system, and 68% use it to choose video games for their children.

This reliance on standardized ratings is critical in an expansive, borderless digital ecosystem. By utilizing PEGI descriptors, parents can swiftly identify potential issues—such as integrated microtransactions or inappropriate language—before a free application is downloaded. This complements Belgium's strict national regulations, such as the 2018 Belgian Gaming Commission decision banning certain loot boxes, thereby re-establishing a layer of friction and safety within an otherwise frictionless market.

FAQ: Navigating Belgium's Gaming and Streaming Ecosystem

What is driving the projected €1 billion value of the Belgian video game market?

Why is casual gaming growing faster than traditional platforms in Belgium?

Where can Belgian parents find guidance on in-game currencies?

Conclusion: The Hybrid Future of Belgian Entertainment

As digital consumption paradigms continue to mature, the rigid distinctions between passive broadcasting and active gameplay will likely deteriorate further. The platforms poised to capture the greatest share of Belgium's impending €1 billion market are those that recognize user attention as a fluid, device-agnostic resource. Ultimately, the future of the interactive economy rests not on graphical fidelity or processing power, but on the seamless integration of digital experiences into the increasingly fragmented schedules of modern consumers.