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40+ Game Reveals at Game Devs of Color Expo, Sept 22–25

Mathew Anderson
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40+ Game Reveals at Game Devs of Color Expo, Sept 22–25

2026 Game Devs of Color Expo Unveils Full Schedule

The eleventh annual conference will be held online September 22–25.

August 12, 2026 – Game Devs of Color Expo (GDoCExpo), now in its eleventh year, today revealed the full schedule for its online conference, running September 22–25. Organized by the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Game Devs of Color, the four-day event kicks off Tuesday, September 22 with a full day of online networking and social programming, including career and publishing conversations, a speaker & developer mixer, structured networking sessions, and Community Demo Night. Conference programming runs Wednesday through Friday, featuring 38 sessions from more than 40 speakers across three daily themes: “Craft and Culture” (Wed), “Building for the Future” (Thu), and “Humanity Through Games” (Fri).

Confirmed speakers include Anchit Sharma (Fears to Fathom), Derek Lieu (game trailer director/editor), and Neha Patel, sound designer for Venba and a Game Developers Choice Award nominee for Best Audio.

The full event schedule can be viewed here: https://gdoc.events/2026schedule

The GDoCExpo Direct will close out the conference on Friday, September 25 at 3 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. ET on the GDoCExpo YouTube channel, featuring more than 40 new games, announcements, and exclusive updates. The GDoCExpo Steam Sale follows immediately after, running September 25 – October 2 starting at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET, with hundreds of discounted games and demos.

“Too many developers of color are still overlooked, even as they’re creating some of the most innovative and culturally resonant games out there. GDoCExpo is a place to discover great work, learn, and join a community that creates space for the care, celebration, and resilience that the industry doesn’t always provide,” said Brian Chung, Director of Programs & Development.

In addition to the virtual program, in-person watch parties are returning this year in New York City, Los Angeles, Portland, and Rochester, with more cities to be announced, giving attendees the chance to watch the conference together and connect with local developers and games community members. More information is available at gamedevsofcolor.org/watch-parties.

GDoCExpo will award $7,000 grants to developers of color, with no strings attached, to support their game development work. Recipients will be announced September 25. GDoC has distributed more than $450,000 in grant funding to date, including $21,000 to three recipients in 2025.

Tickets for the 2026 GDoCExpo are on sale now. Members of the press are encouraged to register here to gain access to sessions, connect with speakers, and schedule interviews with developers.

GDoCExpo is made possible through the support of partners across the games industry, including leading sponsors Medal, No More Robots, and Supercell, as well as support from the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment (MOME). Their support helps Game Devs of Color Expo deliver accessible programming, conferences, showcases, grants, scholarships, and other game industry opportunities. Organizations interested in supporting Game Devs of Color’s year-round programs or future events can learn more about partnership opportunities at gamedevsofcolor.org/sponsor.

Community support remains vital as GDoC continues to rely on individual giving to sustain its programs. Donations directly support GDoC’s year-round programs, including grants, scholarships, community programming, and GDoCExpo, and can be made at gamedevsofcolor.org/donate.

Since its inception in 2016, GDoCExpo has built a reputation as a welcoming and inclusive space where developers can exchange knowledge, showcase their work, and find new opportunities in the industry. The event fosters genuine conversations and connections that extend beyond the expo, creating lasting relationships among attendees.

The full list of speakers can be found at https://www.gamedevsofcolor.org/sessions. For more information about Game Devs of Color Expo, please visit gamedevsofcolor.org.

About Game Devs of Color Expo

Game Devs of Color Expo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to amplifying the creative power held by people of color in games. Creators of color make great games but are often pushed to the margins. We fight to create a better games industry that is intersectional and equitable by organizing revolutionary events, uniting our vibrant community, and building access to knowledge, funding, and opportunities. Follow Game Devs of Color Expo on YouTube, Bluesky, and LinkedIn, and sign up for the mailing list.

Ukraine Pavilion Returns to Gamescom 2026

Mathew Anderson
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Ukraine Pavilion Returns to Gamescom 2026

August 4, 2026 – The Ukraine Pavilion will return to gamescom 2026 in Cologne, bringing together leading Ukrainian game development companies and independent studios to showcase their projects, services and expertise to the global games industry.

Organized by VG Entertainment, Games Gathering and Burny Games, the Pavilion will highlight an industry that continues to evolve despite wartime pressure. Ukrainian game development is becoming more specialized, technically focused, AI-enabled and internationally connected.

Who will take part

Exhibitors in the gamescom B2B area, Games From Ukraine, located in Hall 4.1 at Booth D-011g, will include: GSC Game World, Flexus, Mobihunter, Mind Studios Games, AB Games, PlayToMax and Ukrainian Fight Drone Simulator.
  

The dedicated indie showcase, Games From Ukraine 2026, will be located in Hall 10.2 at Booth F-021g and will feature:

Partners that support the initiative: Games Branding, AMD, MeetToMatch, Values Value, Palaye and UA Games.

“Ukrainian Pavilion at gamescom is about much more than having a presence at one of the world’s biggest gaming events. It is about showing the strength, creativity, and resilience of the Ukrainian games industry and making sure Ukrainian studios and talent remain visible to the global community. Every year, the Pavilion creates new connections, opens doors for collaboration, and gives Ukrainian companies a platform to tell their stories, showcase their work, and build partnerships that can shape their future. For us, it’s important that Ukraine continues to be visible, connected, and recognized as a strong and vibrant part of the global games industry,” said Olena Lobova, Head of Strategic Partnerships at Burny Games.

“Once again this year, Ukrainian studios will come together at gamescom to showcase their products and services. It is especially important to demonstrate that, despite the ongoing war, Ukraine remains a strong and vibrant hub for the video game industry. We are proud to present a range of exciting new projects from Ukrainian creators and look forward to seeing them gain the attention they deserve at the world’s premier video game event,” said Oleg Yavorskyi, Head of Business Development at VG Entertainment.

“For the fourth year in a row, through this initiative, we have been working to keep the lines of communication open between the Ukrainian and global game development communities. Looking back at what we have achieved during these difficult years, we can see that our efforts were effective,” said Oleksandr Khrutskyi, founder of the Games Gathering conference.

GU Indie.jpg

Games from UA release 2.JPG
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Games From Ukraine Networking Reception

On August 25, ahead of gamescom 2026, Burny Games, Games From Ukraine and GameDev Under Bombs will host an evening of networking, drinks and community at the Alexiana Room at Wolkenburg in Cologne. There will be a charity auction featuring Ukrainian art, commemorative items and frontline memorabilia. All this will support GameDev Under Bombs and volunteer initiatives led by members of the Ukrainian game dev community.


Want to connect with the Ukraine Pavilion participants or organizers? Contact us at alexander.khrutsky@ggconference.com or irina.syomka@ggconference.com to arrange a meeting at gamescom 2026.

August 2026 Game Industry Conference and Convention Events Calendar

Mathew Anderson
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August 2026 Game Industry Conference and Convention Events Calendar

This month is where many games make their first public playable appearances. It’ll be interesting to see what publishers bring to gamescom, alongside gamescom dev, which once again kicks off the week with several days of developer talks. Meanwhile, media partners have confirmed another busy showcase schedule surrounding the event, including multiple Future Games Show broadcasts and the return of Opening Night Live, making August the industry’s next major news cycle after Summer Game Fest.

Notably, gamescom has sold out every available exhibition hall for the first time in its history. After several years of industry layoffs and tighter budgets, it’s a strong sign that publishers and tech companies still see immense value in gathering at the world’s largest gaming event, sans E3 that we’ll never quite get over. It should make for an especially busy week of announcements, demos, and networking.

With all that said, here’s our roundup of the key gaming events taking place throughout August. Whether you’re looking for industry conferences, community conventions, developer talks, or publisher showcases, this calendar highlights the dates worth keeping on your radar during one of the busiest months on the annual games industry calendar.

Featured Events

August’s schedule ramps up quickly, beginning with Serious Play Conference in Durham, North Carolina (August 5–7), followed by QuakeCon in Grapevine, Texas (August 6–9), celebrating three decades of id Software’s legendary community event. Mid-month brings Busan Indie Connect Festival in South Korea (August 14–16), before the industry’s attention turns to Germany for gamescom dev (August 23–25), the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards (August 25), and, of course, gamescom itself (August 26–30), the largest gaming event in the world.

The month also features several noteworthy events outside the traditional conference circuit. ICGJ (International Conference on Game Jams, Hackathons, and Game Creation Events) takes place in New York (August 21–22). Community-focused events continue with 2D Con in Minnesota (August 21–23).

See the calendar feed below for the above mentioned events.

New Events

Joining the calendar or gaining notability this month, keep an eye on the following events:

With all that said, check out the complete month’s event list below! But first…

Special Offers

We recently launched a new feature on the website – Event Ticket Discounts and Offers. Want to know when your event has a 10% off special or early bird rates open? Check out our Free Offers Page regularly!

Here are the latest offers listed as of this blog post:

15% off Mobidictum Conference (B2B) [EVENTGAMERS15]
10% off WN Events Limassol and Istanbul (B2B) [E4G-10]
20% off Nottingham Video Games Expo (B2C) [E4G]
10% off PGC Summit Shanghai (B2B) [MCGLDWK]
5% off Atsusacon (B2C) [EVENTSFORGAMERS]

Have an offer we can add to this list? Please let us know!

We are also looking for folks who want to get some editorial experience (or just prestige of attending an event) by writing about their event experiences (or simply taking photos showcasing an event you are attending). Let us know if you want to contribute!

This Month’s Events

Many of the listed events are included in the calendar thanks to your contributions in submitting events to the calendar.

Thank you so much for continuing to support us!

We’ve made some additions to the overview, including a new test view of the events right from the calendar itself listed below. Let us know which type of list you prefer.

There are no upcoming events at this time

Visit the main event calendar that includes events throughout the year and beyond.

Which events are you attending this month? Let us know by commenting on this article here or on LinkedIn, Twitter, Bluesky, Threads, and Facebook!

Editor: Mathew Anderson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Events for Gamers, Community Manager for the computer game industry, and Public Relations Manager and Communication Specialist for various other industries.

gamescom congress 2026: First Program Highlights Showcase the Relevance of Games to Society, Democracy, and the Economy

Mathew Anderson
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gamescom congress 2026: First Program Highlights Showcase the Relevance of Games to Society, Democracy, and the Economy

gamescom congress 2026 Announces First Topics and Speakers +++ Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to Open the Congress +++ Talks and Panels featuring the United Nations, the Red Cross, and EUROPOL among the Highlights

The gamescom congress, the world’s leading conference on the potential of games, is announcing today the first program highlights and speakers for this year’s event. The congress will take place on August 27, 2026, as part of gamescom, the world’s largest gaming event, and will explore two socially highly relevant topics with the focal themes ‚Playing Field Democracy’ and ‚The Games Effect’. The conference will be opened for the first time by Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, as the organizers announced in June. Following opening remarks by Felix Falk, Managing Director of game — the Association of the German Games Industry and co-organizer of the gamescom congress, the Federal President will open the congress with a speech and, to kick off the event, will attend a panel discussion with experts from the gaming, cultural, and political sectors on the important role of games in our democracy. In addition to the Federal President’s opening of the gamescom congress, the following initial program highlights offer a preview of this high-profile event:

‚Playing Field Democracy’ Highlights the Potential of Games to Foster Better Social Cohesion

  • Today, numerous organizations around the world are using games in targeted ways to bridge educational gaps, combat loneliness, train humanitarian first responders, and advance climate action. The ‚Power of Play’ panel brings together leading global institutions on one stage to demonstrate how the power of games can be harnessed to build a better society. The panelists are: Raquel Abifadel from UNICEF Office of Innovation; Melissa Kiehl, Product Manager for External Digital Engagement / Immersive Technology at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC); Lisa Pak, Project Lead at Playing for the Planet (United Nations Environment Programme UNEP); Andy Pattison, Team Lead Frontier Technologies at the World Health Organization; and Tatjana Sachse, Lead Spokesperson & Counsel at the Global Video Game Coalition. The panel will be moderated by Jenny Ching-Wei Leefrom Video Games Europe (VGE).
  • There are over 117 million people worldwide who have been displaced from their home countries as a result of war, including 47 million children. Studies in refugee camps show that gaming is an important part of life there. In the keynote address ‚Can Play Rebuild What Displacement Disrupts? Gaming and Innovation in Forced Displacement,’ Petar Dimitrov, Associate Innovation Officer at UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, explores how games can promote well-being and mental health and contribute to integration.
  • What role do video games play in protecting our democracy? A top notch fireside chat titled ‘Is there a role for video games in strengthening European democracy?’ with George E. Osborn, editor of the Video Games Industry Memo and author of the recently published book ‚Power Play: Video Games, Politics, and the Battle for Global Influence’ and Dominik Swiecicki, Senior Analyst at the Swedish Psychological Defence Agency will address this question.

‚The Games Effect’ – how numerous sectors of the economy and areas of life benefit from the use of games and their innovative power

  • Game development is complex, resource-intensive, and global. In his presentation titled ‚AI – The Enabler of creativity, not the stifler of it,’ Quyen Quach, Vice President of Software at Razer, Inc., explores how artificial intelligence can help studios better meet these challenges and how their approach to AI can serve as a model for the entire creative industry.
  • Protecting children from cybercrime is one of the goals of EUROPOL, the European Union’s law enforcement agency. To this end, the agency developed ‚Cyber Defenders’, a game in which children take on the role of a police officer on Roblox. In the presentation ‚The Games Effect in Law Enforcement: Building a Roblox Game to Protect Our Youngest Players,’ Carlota Maura-James, Communications Officer at European Agency for Law Enforcement (EUROPOL), explains how the game is making its way directly into classrooms and how such a project must be structured to resonate with its target audience.
  • The session ‚Why charity partnerships are a win for everyone in games’ demonstrates that charity partnerships offer far more possibilities than just fundraising campaigns. In it, Rich Keith, Chair of Trustees at the gaming charity event Jingle Jam; Siân Mayhall-Purvis, Gaming Partnerships Manager at the NGO War Child UK; and Charlie Sarginson, Digital Communities and Partnerships Manager at the charity CALM, explore the synergies between successful charitable initiatives and the gaming industry.

The full program will be announced in August.

Viola Tensil will host the gamescom congress

Viola Tensil will host the program on the event’s main stage. As an experienced host and pioneer in the German gaming media landscape, she will use her expertise to bridge the gap between the presentations.

The gamescom congress is aimed at a broad audience from the fields of culture, education, politics, science, and media, as well as representatives from various economic sectors who are exploring how their respective industries can benefit from the innovative power of the games industry.

About gamescom congress:

Gamescom congress is the world’s leading conference on the potential of computer games in a digitalized world and offers interfaces far beyond the digital and media industry. International speakers present their topics in lectures, seminars and panel discussions. The gamescom congress takes place annually as part of gamescom in Cologne and is organized by Koelnmesse GmbH and game, the association of the German games industry. The gamescom congress is sponsored by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. https://congress.gamescom.global/en/

SIGGRAPH 2026 Unites Global Computer Graphics Community in Los Angeles With Landmark Keynotes, Inaugural Games Summit, and AI Innovation

Mathew Anderson
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SIGGRAPH 2026 Unites Global Computer Graphics Community in Los Angeles With Landmark Keynotes, Inaugural Games Summit, and AI Innovation

LOS ANGELES – 23 July 2026 – The 53rd annual SIGGRAPH conference, the world’s premier conference on computer graphics and interactive techniques, brought together thousands of artists, researchers, developers, and industry leaders from around the globe this week at the Los Angeles Convention Center. From an inspiring keynote by legendary Disney Imagineer Lanny Smoot and the debut of the Games Summit to advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, neural rendering, Gaussian splatting, and immersive storytelling, SIGGRAPH 2026 reaffirmed its role as the global stage where research meets production and ideas shape the future of the field.

SIGGRAPH 2026 welcomed an international audience of more than 9,500 people from 69 countries, alongside a bustling exhibition floor where companies large and small showcased the latest in computer graphics and interactive techniques, products, and services.

“SIGGRAPH 2026 showed what happens when the world’s technical and creative communities share one space. The lines between computer graphics, physics, and AI are blurring, and this week our attendees turned that convergence into new collaborations, research directions, and ways to tell stories,” said SIGGRAPH 2026 Conference Chair Chris Redmann. “From our first Games Summit to a keynote that reminded us invention is a team sport, this conference celebrated the breakthroughs of today while laying the groundwork for the future of our field.”

 

SIGGRAPH 2026 Opening Session and Keynote: Lanny Smoot
photo by John Fujii © 2026 ACM SIGGRAPH

A highlight of the week came Monday, 20 July, when Disney Research Fellow and Walt Disney Imagineering inventor Lanny Smoot took the keynote stage with “Inventions, Innovations, and Imagination: Lanny Smoot’s Prolific Path”. Smoot, who holds 107 patents and in 2024 became only the second Disney employee after Walt Disney himself to be inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, traced a career spanning more than 45 years, from Bell Labs breakthroughs to beloved Disney Parks innovations including the HoloTile floor and the extendable lightsaber. His message that successful technical practitioners love to create and want to learn from others resonated with a packed house of attendees at the start of the conference week.

Keynote programming continued throughout the week with three standout sponsored sessions. NVIDIA research and engineering leaders Neil Ashton, Ming-Yu Liu, and Edward Liu explored the next era of graphics through neural rendering, world models, and AI-driven simulation. Bolt Graphics founder Darwesh Singh shared his vision for a GPU architecture built for real-time path tracing, and the research team behind Tripo AI examined how generative 3D is redefining how digital worlds are made.

AI ran through nearly every program at SIGGRAPH 2026, positioned not as a replacement for human creativity but as a creative partner. Technical Papers, Technical Workshops, Courses, and Birds of a Feather sessions connected researchers and production artists on generative workflows, differentiable physics, and world models. NVIDIA dedicated a full day to physical AI, presented 21 papers connecting 3D worlds and robot control, and drew industry-wide conversation with a technical deep dive into DLSS 5 neural rendering.

The inaugural Games Summit brought dedicated programming for game developers to SIGGRAPH. Sessions spanned motion sickness accessibility, destruction systems, performance capture pipelines, and cross-industry collaboration through OpenUSD. Robotics also took center stage across the conference, from research in simulation and motion control to the crowd-favorite Robo Dojo, where attendees guided robots through an immersive training ground on the exhibition floor.

In the Experience Hall, five interactive programs: Spatial Storytelling, the Immersive Pavilion, the Art Gallery, and Emerging Technologies, along with the in-person Hands-On Courses track of the Courses program, had attendees step inside the future of interaction and storytelling. Installations spanned AI-driven art, mixed reality sport, embodied robotics, and spatial narratives of wildfire and memory, while lively discussions on Gaussian splatting explored the future of photorealistic virtual reality.

The Computer Animation Festival, an Academy Award® Qualifying Festival for the “Best in Show” prize, celebrated global storytelling in the Electronic Theater, newly expanded in 2026 to include films longer than 10 minutes, opening the festival to a wider range of filmmakers and formats than ever before. Production Sessions took audiences behind the scenes of “Avatar: Fire and Ash” with Wētā FX and Lightstorm Entertainment, NASA’s “Visualizing the Moon for Artemis II”, Disney and Pixar Animation Studios’ “Hoppers”, and Industrial Light & Magic’s work on “The Mandalorian and Grogu”.

SIGGRAPH 2026 Art Gallery
photo by Cabe Tejeda © 2026 ACM SIGGRAPH

SIGGRAPH 2026 also celebrated this year’s contributors by honoring some “best of” from various programs, including:

Art Gallery
Best in Show — “Sternwerk”
Alvaro Cassinelli, City University of Hong Kong, School of Creative Media; and Tobias Klein, City University of Hong Kong and School of Creative Media

Art Papers
Best Art Paper — “Resonance: Meditative Neural Rhythms as Collective Spatial Experience”

Ruipeng Wang and Behnaz Farahi, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Critical Matter Group, Media Lab; and Yuxiang Cheng and Zhiyan Xing, Harvard University and Critical Matter Group, Media Lab

Computer Animation Festival: Electronic Theater

Best in Show: “Apart”

Pola Maneli, Social Popcorn Films (South Africa, United States)

Jury’s Choice — “18 Months”

Paulo Garcia and Natalia Gouvea (United States)

Best Student Project — “Beyond Words”

Antoine Barbannaud, Théo Merlet, Cyril Buisson, Damien Poncelet, Anthonin Haüy, Timothé Vergught, Mathis De Sauvecanne, Thémys Cheynel, Lilou Tiprez, Leandro Leijnen, and Romain Gueusset with Creative Seeds (France)

Audience Choice — “Saba”

Liron Topaz and Lirit Rosenzweig-Topaz (United States)

Emerging Technologies
Best in Show — “EmerFlux: A Two-Layer Liquid Surface Display for Organic Pixel-Based Aesthetic Representation of Information”
Kaito Shimizu and Toshitaka Amaoka, Meisei University

Audience Choice — “EmoMime: Augmenting Social Behavior and Self-Expression via Wearable Robotic Limbs”

Hideki Shimobayashi, Masaharu Hirose, and Masahiko Inami, RCAST, The University of Tokyo; Tomoya Sasaki, Tokyo University of Science and RCAST, The University of Tokyo; and Arata Horie, RCAST, The University of Tokyo and commissure Inc.

Immersive Pavilion
Best in Show — “Cosmos Unseen: Black Holes”

Marcus Moresby, Aditi Rajagopal, Bhaumik Patel, and Mark Lynch, Atlantic Studios

Real-Time Live!

Best in Show — “Create Interactive 3D Assets in Seconds!”

Ying-Tian Liu, Yuan-Chen Guo, Yumeng Li, Yu-Lin Tsai, and Yan-Pei Cao, VAST; Hanxiao Wang, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and VAST; and Yi-Hua Huang, The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and VAST

Audience Choice — “Dissectible Anatomy: Embodied Exploration for Education”

Tim McGraw and Jack Myers, Purdue University

Technical Papers
Best Paper Awards

“GimmBO: Interactive Generative Image Model Merging via Bayesian Optimization”

Chenxi Liu and Selena Ling, University of Toronto; and Alec Jacobson, University of Toronto and Vector Institute

“Mixwell: Sharp 2D Fluid Brushes for Progressive Physics-Based Mixing”

Doug James, Stanford University; and Ethan James

“Walk on Decomposed Subdomains: A Hybrid Monte Carlo-Deterministic Solver for Elliptic PDEs”

Clément Jambon, Mohammad Sina Nabizadeh, and Mina Konaković Luković, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

“Robust Planar Maps for 3D Vectorization”

Robert Fuchs, Carnegie Mellon University; and Keenan Crane, Carnegie Mellon University and Roblox

“Inverse Rendering for Discrete X-Ray Computed Tomography”

Lovro Nuic, Ziyi Zhang, and Wenzel Jakob, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne; Korbinian Sager, Carl Zeiss AG

Looking ahead, the global computer graphics community will reconvene for SIGGRAPH 2027, the 54th annual conference, taking place 8–12 August 2027 in Anaheim, California, led by SIGGRAPH 2027 Conference Chair and Walt Disney Imagineer Kristy Pron. For the latest conference news and updates, visit siggraph.org.

London Games Festival locks dates and new venue for 2027

Mathew Anderson
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London Games Festival locks dates and new venue for 2027

LONDON, UK – 17th July 2026 – London Games Festival will expand a number of its core events for 2027 with a move to the Business Design Centre as its central venue next year.

Public showcase New Game Plus, flagship business to business event Games Finance Market and a number of industry conferences and networking activity will be hosted at the exhibition venue in order to host more visitors from across the UK and overseas.

The full London Games Festival will run across Monday 12 April to Monday 19 April in 2027; activity at the Business Design Centre will take place on Thursday 15 April through to Saturday 17 April.

Other events from organiser Games London, including its Ensemble exhibition and Screen Play conference, will still take place at other venues. The BAFTA Games Awards will return to Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre. A renewed partnership with the Victoria & Albert Museum will see a fresh Friday Late focusing on video games, taking place on Friday 16 April. A host of side events from community groups and industry partners are also expected. The festival’s Official Selection will also return, providing a curated line-up of games promoted both in-person at select events and online to international audiences throughout LGF.

London Games Festival is delivered by Games London, an initiative from Film London, the capital’s screen industries agency. Games London is supported by the Mayor of London and UK Government – it is a key part of the national Games Growth Package, part of the Creative Industries Sector Plan.

Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, said: “London is one of the world’s leading cities for games makers, and the London Games Festival has played a major role in that success. Over the last decade, the festival has gone from strength to strength attracting thousands of gamers, developers and industry leaders to the capital. The move to the Business Design Centre reflects this success, allowing the festival to expand even further and welcome more visitors. It is another important step in cementing London’s position as a global gaming capital, as we continue to build a better London for everyone.”

Creative Industries Minister Ian Murray said: “London Games Festival showcases the creativity and innovation that make the UK’s games industry a global success. Through our £30 million Games Growth Package, we’re investing in the festival for the first time, backing the talent and businesses driving the sector forward, and I’m proud to support this celebration of British games.”

In April this year, London Games Festival was host to over 30 events across the city, reaching tens of thousands of attendees – including over 8,000 business to business delegates. Visitors came from 61 countries, with a truly regional split (36% Greater London, 49% rest of UK) and international (15%) across the overall audience of over 100,000 people. Online, the Official Selection’s dedicated Steam sale saw hundreds of millions in impressions with a huge number of wishlists and sales as a result. The overall business pipeline for this year’s festival is already estimated close to £30m.

“We’re excited to be taking a bigger combined suite of events to one single venue next year, making key parts of the festival easier to access and enabling them to grow – while also maintaining a spread of fantastic cultural events across the capital during the festival week thanks to partnerships with BAFTA, V&A and BFI,” said Michael French MBE, director of the London Games Festival.

“The Business Design Centre specifically is a historically important site for the UK games industry – it’s the home to the very first UK video games trade shows nearly 40 years ago. We look forward to showing what a modern, creative and curated spin on a major international games showcase looks like in this iconic venue.”

The confirmed list of events for LGF so far include:

  • Screen Play (Wednesday 14 April, BFI Southbank)
  • LGF industry programming including the Games Finance Market (Thursday 15 April & Friday 16 April, Business Design Centre)
  • New Game Plus (Friday 16 April & Saturday 17 April, Business Design Centre)
  • BAFTA Games Awards at Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre
  • Friday Late: Videogames (Friday 16 April, V&A South Kensington)
  • Ensemble (expected to tour various sites, including Business Design Centre on 16 & 17 April)

Details on invited keynote speakers will go live later in the year when ticket sales open. Applications for the Games Finance Market, Official Selection and Ensemble 2027 will open in October, as will wider open speaker calls. A separate call will open soon for Official Side Events.

For regular updates from London Games Festival and Games London, sign up for the weekly newsletter at www.games.london or follow @londongamesfest.

For partnership enquiries contact partnerships@games.london

Juntos: Game Jam for Venezuela Earthquake Relief

Mathew Anderson
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Juntos: Game Jam for Venezuela Earthquake Relief

Two weeks ago, Global Game Jam organizers in Venezuela reached out to ask for our help as an organization. Following the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela, they wanted to organize a game jam to support earthquake relief efforts.

Yesterday, Global Game Jam and World Food Program USA announced Juntos: Game Jam for Venezuela Earthquake Relief.

This game jam and fundraising initiative will bring developers from across the region and around the world together for a shared cause to help members of our GGJ community and their communities.

The fundraiser is now open, and the jam will run July 24–26. All donations go directly to the World Food Programme’s relief efforts in Venezuela.

Event Details

Juntos: Game Jam for Venezuela Earthquake Relief, a virtual game jam, will take place July 24-26.

The event will include:

  • A virtual kickoff event on July 24
  • An online game jam from July 24 – 26
  • A showcase of submitted games on August 5

You don’t need to donate to jam, and you don’t need to jam to donate.

News from Global Game Jam’s newsletter.

Nikkei Gaming and Nikkei Entertainment will launch GLGa 2027 NORTH

Mathew Anderson
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Nikkei Gaming and Nikkei Entertainment will launch GLGa 2027 NORTH

Nikkei Gaming and Nikkei Entertainment” will launch GLGa 2027 NORTH, a new two-day event dedicated to the gaming business, to be held in Sapporo, northern Japan, on Mar. 9 (Tue.) and Mar. 10 (Wed.), 2027.

Indie Game Initiative Announced

  • GLGa Indie Stars:　A FREE exhibition program exclusively for selected titles
  • GLGa Indie Pitch Stage:　A pitch contest to key industry figures.
  • GLGa Indie Growth:　Organizer-hosted seminars focused on indie games

Sponsorship Plans for the Indie Game Area

  • [Platinum]:　Indie Area Sponsorship
  • [Gold] and [Silver]:　Seminar Slot +Booth Exhibition

To ensure maximum exposure, GLGa will drive global promotion, leveraging Nikkei BP’s influential media network alongside active marketing campaigns at major gaming events worldwide.

As GLGa is a business-focused gaming event, we welcome participants from the game industry and media industry, providing a venue for networking with a wide range of players.

■　GLGa2027 NORTH Overview

Event Name: GLGa2027 NORTH
Venue: Grand Mercure Sapporo Odori Park (Sapporo, Japan)
Official Website:  https://events.nikkeibp.co.jp/glga/2027/en/exhibitor/
Organizers: Nikkei Gaming / Nikkei Entertainment!
Dates: March 9 (Tue) ？ 10 (Wed), 2027

■　Features of GLGa:

  • Intensive business meetings and networking opportunities
  • New connections with domestic and international industry players at Sapporo
  • A business matching system available free of charge to all exhibitors,
  • A platform for indie game developers to take their careers to the next level
  • Plans to hold numerous business seminars for exhibitors and attendees

■ Call for Exhibitors:
The event offers a variety of plans tailored to your specific needs, including booth exhibitions and seminar sponsorships. Exhibition Application Deadline: Friday, October 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM (JST)

Please check the official website for more details.
https://events.nikkeibp.co.jp/glga/2027/en/exhibitor/

SIGGRAPH 2026 introduces the Games Summit, a new one-day home for game developers

Mathew Anderson
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0
SIGGRAPH 2026 introduces the Games Summit, a new one-day home for game developers

The 53rd annual conference debuts a curated day of games programming on Sunday, 19 July, spanning accessibility, audio, performance capture, and the economics of modern games development, with games content running all week

LOS ANGELES – 8 July 2026 – SIGGRAPH 2026, taking place 19–23 July 2026 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, will open with the Games Summit, a new one-day track dedicated to game developers and enthusiasts. Held on Sunday, 19 July, the Games Summit brings together leading studios and indies for a day of talks and networking focused on how games are made and where the medium is headed.

The Games Summit is a deliberate widening of the lens. Alongside the technical, real-time rendering-focused conversations SIGGRAPH is known for, it makes room for the broader questions facing game teams today.

“SIGGRAPH is renowned for deep technical insights, and that isn’t going anywhere. This year’s games programming expands the scope with broader topics game developers are wrestling with right now,” said Emily Hsu, SIGGRAPH 2026 Games Chair. She notes that SIGGRAPH is known as the world’s premier conference on computer graphics and interactive techniques, a category games squarely occupy.

Image credit: Performance Capture at Scale: Building a Pipeline for Battlefield 6 Cinematics presented by Pasha Sol, Motion Capture Supervisor, EA

A Full Day, From Comfort to Cinematics

The Games Summit runs from morning to evening on opening day and covers a deliberately broad range of topics, including accessibility, audio, visual effects, performance capture, pipelines, and the overall state of gaming.

The day opens with “Beyond the Dot: New Ways to Reduce Motion Sickness in Gaming”, from Adrian Ledda, Magalie Rosseeuw, and Ewa Trusz with Activision, which reframes motion comfort as an accessibility issue affecting up to a third of players and embeds inclusive design directly into gameplay systems.

A session on game audio follows, exploring how sound and music are layered into games. From there, the Battlefield 6 team at Electronic Arts presents “How We Brought the Franchise Vision to Life With Our Destruction System Debut”, treating destruction as a tactical gameplay ecosystem rather than visual spectacle. A Computer Animation Festival Animation Theater session midday spotlights games and cinematics work, before “Performance Capture at Scale: Building a Pipeline for Battlefield 6 Cinematics”, in which Pasha Sol from Electronic Arts details how EA Create Capture adapted film-grade virtual production to the pace and scale of AAA development.

The Economics of Building Games

One of the day’s marquee conversations is “Forging the Glacier at IO Interactive: Fireside Chat with Henrik Schlichter (Technical Director)”, joined by John Canning of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), on what it takes to build and scale utilizing the studio’s in-house proprietary game engine, Glacier. As the industry grapples with rising costs, shifting platforms, and an explosion of available tools, the question of how studios build their games has never been more consequential. Schlichter sits down to discuss, debate, and unpack the realities of modern game development: what it takes to build a custom engine, innovate at scale, and make games cheaper, faster, and better without sacrificing quality. Equal parts technical deep dive and industry reality check, the session takes on a pressure point the field rarely discusses openly.

“It’s not enough just to make great games. They also have to be economically sound,” Hsu explained. “If you’re trying to move faster and do it at a higher quality while still saving money, the only way is better tooling, better pipelines, and rethinking the technology behind it.”

Where Film and Games Meet

The convergence of film and games runs throughout the Games Summit, from performance capture to shared file formats.

The day’s closing “The OpenUSD Roundtable: Using an Open Source File Format in Film and Game Dev Pipelines” makes that convergence literal, seating film and game developers at the same table to work through a file format that now moves across both pipelines, while “Performance Capture at Scale: Building a Pipeline for Battlefield 6 Cinematics” shows EA Create Capture carrying film-grade virtual production techniques onto a AAA game stage for Battlefield 6 cinematics.

“We’re already seeing game cinematic pipelines leaning heavily on filmmaking techniques, and film pipelines being built on game engines so the lines aren’t blurred. They’re gone,” Hsu said. “What matters now is hybrid fluency in both. Those who have it can expand their toolkit and build the right pipeline for the project in front of them.”

Hsu continues, “That’s the spirit of SIGGRAPH. There are no wins from hoarding information or existing in an echo chamber of a single way of working. We advance across industries and as studios if we’re actually sharing, cross-pollinating, and learning from each other.”

Games Content All Week

Games programming does not end when the Games Summit does. Throughout the week, games content appears across Talks, Courses, Production Sessions, Appy Hour, and Real-Time Live!. The flagship is “Advances in Real-Time Rendering in Games”, the long-running course presented in two parts on Tuesday, 21 July, which brings production-proven rendering techniques to the stage from Natalya Tatarchuk of Activision alongside lecturers from EA SEED, Sony Interactive Entertainment, IO Interactive, and Roblox. Attendees can find it all when filtering by “Games” on the SIGGRAPH 2026 full schedule.

For Hsu, the goal is straightforward. “My hope is that game devs leave Sunday’s Games Summit feeling like they’ve already made great connections and experienced something worthwhile — and then realize the conference week is just getting started. The Games Summit stands on its own, but it is also part of a larger conference that brings together researchers, artists, and technologists who solve problems in ways that might surprise them. For those who can make the week of it, there’s a lot more where that came from.”

The Games Summit is open to Full Conference, Full Conference Supporter, and Experience badge holders. Games content in other programs may carry different registration access, so attendees should check each program’s page for details.

Together, the Games Summit and games programming across the week demonstrate how SIGGRAPH continues to champion bold ideas in games while advancing the future of computer graphics and interactive techniques. To explore this year’s conference and offerings, visit the website to see where games are headed, and register now to experience everything the Games Summit has to offer at SIGGRAPH 2026.

Taipei Game Show 2027 Opens Exhibitor Registration and Indie Game Award Submissions

Mathew Anderson
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0
Taipei Game Show 2027 Opens Exhibitor Registration and Indie Game Award Submissions

Taipei, Taiwan — Taipei Game Show 2027 has officially opened exhibitor registration, inviting global game companies, developers, publishers, platform holders, and industry partners to take part in one of the Asia-Pacific region’s key gaming events. Submissions are also now open for Indie Game Award 2027, Asia’s largest award program dedicated to indie games, creating new opportunities for both established companies and independent developers to connect with international business partners, media, and players.

According to market research firm Fortune Business Insights, the global video game industry is projected to continue its strong growth trajectory, with the market expected to reach a record US$407.6 billion and expand at a compound annual growth rate of 13.1%. With the Asia-Pacific region accounting for 46% of the global market, Taipei Game Show continues to strengthen its role as a key gateway for companies looking to expand across the region.

Exhibitor registration is now open across all Taipei Game Show 2027 exhibition sectors, including:

  • B2B Zone
  • B2C Zone
  • INDIE HOUSE
  • Board Game Wonderland

The event will once again be held in conjunction with Asia Pacific Game Summit (APGS), offering additional opportunities for industry professionals to exchange insights, explore partnerships, and discuss emerging trends shaping the global games business.

As the first major gaming event on the global calendar each year, Taipei Game Show serves as one of the Asia-Pacific region’s most important platforms for industry networking, business development, and market expansion. Companies across the gaming industry are now invited to secure their participation and engage with international business partners, media, developers, and players ahead of the event.

Alongside the announcement, Taipei Game Show unveiled its official key visual for 2027, embracing a vibrant “Party Time” theme that celebrates the joy of gaming and community. The event will take place from January 21–24, 2027, at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 1, welcoming gamers from around the world to experience the latest games, technologies, and interactive entertainment.

According to the organizer, planning for the 2027 edition has been shaped extensively by community feedback. The event will place renewed emphasis on its core strengths, focusing on immersive game demos, hands-on experiences, and entertainment-driven content designed to create a more comfortable and engaging environment for players.

Indie Game Award 2027 Opens Submissions Worldwide

Submissions are also now open for Indie Game Award 2027, Asia’s largest award program dedicated to indie games, with submissions accepted through August 19, 2026.

The previous edition attracted more than 500 entries from 51 countries and regions, highlighting the growing international reach and competitiveness of the award program. For 2027, the competition introduces a refreshed awards structure and a new “Best Social Impact” category, recognizing games that deliver meaningful social value alongside creative excellence.

A total of eight awards will be presented:

  • Best Narrative
  • Best Audio
  • Best Visual Art
  • Best Design
  • Best Innovation
  • Best Social Impact
  • Best Student Game
  • Grand Prix

Winning games will be showcased in the dedicated Indie Game Award Winners’ Pavilion at Taipei Game Show 2027 and receive official promotional support. The Grand Prix winner will also receive a cash prize, further encouraging indie developers to pursue innovation and creative excellence.

GAME LINKER 2026 Returns to Connect Developers Through Talks, Showcases, and Networking

Taipei Game Show and Asia Pacific Game Summit are once again partnering to present GAME LINKER 2026, a developer-focused networking event that combines conference sessions with on-site indie game showcases.

Designed as a platform for creators to exchange ideas, share experiences, and build industry connections, GAME LINKER 2026 is free to attend, with advance registration now available. Additional details can be found on the official website.

Taipei Game Show 2026 Recap Video: https://youtu.be/hVyFbf7xMa8

Taipei Game Show 2027
Date
Venue Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center Hall 1
Official Site https://tgs.tca.org.tw/index_e.php
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/taipeigameshowglobal
X https://twitter.com/taipeigameshow
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/company/taipeigameshow/

Asia Pacific Game Summit
Date Jan 21 to Jan 22, 2027
Venue Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center Hall 1
Official Site https://tgs.tca.org.tw/apgs/?lang=e

Indie Game Award 2027
Submission Date Open until Aug. 19, 2026
Submission Site https://tgs.tca.org.tw/indie_award_e.php

July 2026 Game Industry Conference and Convention Events Calendar

Mathew Anderson
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July 2026 Game Industry Conference and Convention Events Calendar

As we head into the summer event season, among dozens of events, I’m watching two most closely: gamescom and the annual devcom Developer Conference that precedes it. The past couple of weeks have already given attendees plenty to talk about, from Bungie’s latest round of layoffs to more studios emerging from years of restructuring. I expect those stories to be talked about at conferences frequently.

Gamescom is where many of this summer’s biggest reveals will return with hands-on demos and updated release dates. It’s also the first major opportunity for publishers to gauge player reaction before the packed holiday release window begins. Meanwhile, developers continue searching for ways to balance emerging technologies, including AI-assisted workflows (there’s that “AI” word again), with growing player demand for authenticity. I’m actually writing a separate blog post about AI authenticity, due to be published in a week or so. Watch for that.

With all that said, here’s our roundup of the key gaming events taking place throughout the month. Whether you’re looking for industry conferences, community showcases, developer talks, or publisher broadcasts, this calendar highlights the dates worth keeping on your radar as we build toward one of the busiest periods of the gaming year.

Featured Events

We’ve got a great lineup of July events to kick off this summer’s event schedule. Some of the highlights include Develop: Brighton conference in the UK (July 14-16), SIGGRAPH graphics conference in Los Angeles (July 19-23), Games for Change Festival in New York (July 21-22), and of course the famous tabletop-centric midwestern convention, Gen Con in Indianapolis (July 30-August 2).

There are also numerous Asia-based events not to miss, starting with Atsusacon pop-culture festival in Gent, Belgium (July 4-5), Taipei Game Developers Forum in, you guessed it, Taipei, Taiwan (July 15-16), Philippine GameDev Expo in Manila (July 24-26), Pocket Gamer Connects Shanghai (July 30), and the nearly as famous as Gen Con convention, ChinaJoy also in Shanghai (July 31-August 3).

See the calendar feed below for the above mentioned events.

New Events

Joining the calendar or gaining notability this month, keep an eye on the following events:

With all that said, check out the complete month’s event list below! But first…

Special Offers

We recently launched a new feature on the website – Event Ticket Discounts and Offers. Want to know when your event has a 10% off special or early bird rates open? Check out our Free Offers Page regularly!

Here are the latest offers listed as of this blog post:

15% off Mobidictum Conference (B2B) [EVENTGAMERS15]
10% off WN Events Limassol and Istanbul (B2B) [E4G-10]
20% off Nottingham Video Games Expo (B2C) [E4G]
10% off PGC Summit Shanghai (B2B) [MCGLDWK]
5% off Atsusacon (B2C) [EVENTSFORGAMERS]

Have an offer we can add to this list? Please let us know!

We are also looking for folks who want to get some editorial experience (or just prestige of attending an event) by writing about their event experiences (or simply taking photos showcasing an event you are attending). Let us know if you want to contribute!

This Month’s Events

Many of the listed events are included in the calendar thanks to your contributions in submitting events to the calendar.

Thank you so much for continuing to support us!

We’ve made some additions to the overview, including a new test view of the events right from the calendar itself listed below. Let us know which type of list you prefer.

There are no upcoming events at this time

Visit the main event calendar that includes events throughout the year and beyond.

Which events are you attending this month? Let us know by commenting on this article here or on LinkedIn, Twitter, Bluesky, Threads, and Facebook!

Editor: Mathew Anderson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Events for Gamers, Community Manager for the computer game industry, and Public Relations Manager and Communication Specialist for various other industries.

Grand Theft Auto (GTA VI/6) officially the most expense game ever made

Mathew Anderson
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0
Grand Theft Auto (GTA VI/6) officially the most expense game ever made

Grand Theft Auto is a cultural phenomena among a wide variety of gamers. With the original game having launch in 1997 for MS-DOS and Windows PC, it’s expanded out to encompass now six main versions with supporting content on PC and all major consoles.

GTA is successful partly because it’s built on an open-world framework that scratches a lot of itches, some more controversial than others. In the game, you play a criminal protagonist. There are hundreds of initiatives to build your influence in the game. Sure, you can be a fairly neutral character throughout the story, but for the most part the game is more about getting your hands dirty by working with criminal undergrounds and using the city as your own personal playground as you see fit. Or, you can spend your time racing fancy cars around the streets, or steal a plane and get a great view of the city from above.

The latest sequel in the series is GTA VI/6 (officially labeled “VI”, but honestly, it’s easier just to type the single digit “6” at times). You’re reportedly able to cause all the same mischief, and much more, than you could in the previous games. Naturally, the game’s graphics and general functionality are all updated to accommodate the capabilities of modern hardware, ray-tracing graphics and all. For me personally, I’m looking forward to the technological achievements as I race a car around the streets in the wrong direction.

“GTA V did a billion in three days, this one (GTA 6) is doing a billion in an hour, easy.” – Tom Henderson, Industry analyst

The game took nearly an astounding $2 billion to make. You read that right, a BILLION, not a measly million. Unbelievably, or perhaps believably, given the history of the game thus far, pre-orders for GTA VI are projected to reach $3 billion, and that’s just on console. The PC portion is likely to be at least 40% or more of the end-game total, so to speak.

There’s a lot more to unpack here, from who gets that $3 billion, the ethics of the game itself, and how it’ll affect the standard minimum bar for other games that gamers expect of the same quality but won’t have $2 billion to throw around.

What do you think of GTA VI’s instant success and the future of games from this success?

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