Welcome to the BGF Factory, the creative workshop of the Brussels Games Festival.
This is where all aspects of game creation come together: prototypes in competition, workshops, demonstrations and collaborative spaces. A place where imagination comes to life and the diversity of games takes centre stage.
The ProtoZone
At the heart of the BGF Factory lies the ProtoZone, showcasing 20 prototypes competing for the Meeple Pis d’Or 2025, the public award that YOU will decide with your votes.
A jury made up of game enthusiasts and professionals will also present the Jury Prize, rewarding another game among the participants.
Discover all the games taking part in the ProtoZone 2025.
The ProtoNight
The ProtoNight is the perfect opportunity to discover game creation in a more relaxed and convivial setting.
Outside of the competition and open to everyone, any game designer can take part, no matter how advanced their project is. Whether it’s a fresh idea, a work-in-progress prototype or a nearly finished game, everyone is welcome to share their world and test it with the public.
And you can still join in. Register now via our dedicated ProtoNight page.
Miniature Painting
Ever wanted to bring colour to your miniatures but never knew where to start? The Miniature Painting activity is made for you. This year, it will be led by IpsoFactory, a Warhammer Old World enthusiast and big fan of green skins, who will share her passion and techniques with you. Since starting miniature painting in 2024, she has seen each model as a chance to improve her skills, have fun and meet other hobbyists. She will guide you step by step so you can bring your own creations to life.
But for a successful painting session, you obviously need… miniatures. That’s where Scalton Factory comes in: they will provide free, specially 3D-printed miniatures for the occasion (while stocks last). Scalton Factory specialises in high-quality resin miniatures, primarily for board game and role-playing game creators. Their mission is to deliver exceptional quality to make gaming experiences even more immersive, through a service that is fast, flexible and local.
The Meeple Hospital
The Meeple Hospital, organised by OpenFab and its GameLab, is a collaborative workshop designed to support game creators in difficulty.
A broken meeple, a torn card, a missing pawn? Here you will find tools, materials and advice to give your prototypes or damaged games a second life, in a creative and participative atmosphere.
OpenFab is Brussels’ fablab, run by the non-profit association Syntonie. More than just a workshop, it is a community exploring the relationship between humans and technology. By sharing skills and equipment (such as 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines and plotters), OpenFab helps local and concrete projects come to life.
Within OpenFab, the GameLab brings together a community of enthusiasts around games in all their forms: board games, educational games, escape rooms, adapted games… It is a true laboratory for experimentation, with a library of specialised materials (meeples, dice, timers, pawns, sleeves, dice moulds, cardboard, etc.), friendly gaming evenings and regular opportunities to test prototypes and exchange ideas.
The LudoVortex
Step into the whirlwind of the LudoVortex : a unique card game that lets you create your own game in just 30 minutes.
With its 196 cards divided into 8 categories, the LudoVortex sheds light on all dimensions of games: mechanisms, materials, skills, interactions, experiences…
Whether you are a curious player, a budding game designer or a facilitator, let yourself be swept into the vortex and discover a whole new way of exploring games.
The BGF Factory is the ideal place to experiment, craft, learn, test and create.
Prototypes in competition, projects in progress, miniature painting, collaborative game repairs or brand new playful experiences: this is where games come to life in all their forms.