From massive fan expos to industry-only networking events, 2026 looks set to be a busy year for the gaming world. Major publishers, indie developers and content creators alike will have plenty of opportunities to showcase new projects, connect with audiences and explore the future of interactive entertainment.
Whether you plan to attend in person or just want to keep track of major announcements, this calendar highlights the most important gaming events scheduled throughout the year.
2026 Video Game Release Date Calendar
From remakes to new titles, 2026 looks set to be a blockbuster year in gaming.
As more events are announced, they will be listed here.
Events January 2026
January starts the year with a mix of technology exhibitions and early meetings in the gaming industry. While not all events are strictly gaming-focused, many of them set the tone for trends, hardware announcements, and upcoming releases that will shape the rest of the year.
|
Event name |
Date |
Place |
Open to the public? |
Estimated size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 |
January 6-9 |
Las Vegas Convention Center, Winchester, Nevada |
No |
– |
|
New York Game Awards 2026 |
17-18 January |
SVA Theatre, Manhattan, New York |
Yes |
– |
|
Pocket Gamer Connects 2026 |
19-20 January |
Brewery, London, UK |
Yes |
3,000 |
|
Taipei Game Showcase 2026 |
29 January – 1 February |
Tapei Nangang Exhibition Center, Taiwan |
Yes |
– |
Events in February 2026
February continues the momentum with a variety of festivals and conferences that cater to indie developers and industry professionals alike. These events often emphasize networking, education and collaboration at the beginning of the year in the field of gaming.
|
Event name |
Date |
Place |
Open to the public? |
Estimated size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Games Anglia Festival 2026 |
February 6, 10:30 |
University of Suffolk, Ipswich, England |
Yes |
500-1000 |
|
DICE Summit 2026 |
10-12 February |
ARIA Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada |
No |
500 to 900 |
|
Yorkshire Game Festival 2026 |
11-22 February |
National Science and Media Museum, Bradford |
Yes |
3,000-10,000 |
|
Copenhagen Games Week 2026 |
February 12-14 |
Bella center, Copenhagen, Denmark |
Yes |
30,000 |
|
DevMix: London 2026 |
February 19 |
Rich Mix, London |
No |
1,000-3,000 |
|
Guildford Games Festival 2026 |
February 20 |
G Live, Guildford, UK |
Yes |
– |
March 2026 events
March is one of the busiest months of the year for gaming events, with some of the industry's most influential conferences. From developer-focused gatherings to large-scale fan conventions, this month offers a wide variety of opportunities to experience the world of gaming firsthand.
|
Event name |
Date |
Place |
Open to the public? |
Estimated size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
UKIE Conference 2026 |
05 March |
Glaziers Hall, London |
No |
– |
|
GDC Festival of Gaming 2026 |
March 9-13 |
Moscone Center, San Francisco, CA |
No |
29,000 |
|
Digital Gaming India Expo 2026 |
March 23-25 |
Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, India |
No |
500-1000 |
|
Africa Gaming Expo 2026 |
March 24-27 |
Lagos, Nigeria |
No |
12,500 |
|
Women in Games Career Expo 2026 |
March 26 |
On-line |
Yes |
1,000-3,000 |
|
PAX East 2026 |
March 26-29 |
Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, MA |
Yes |
130,000 |
Events in April 2026
As spring begins, April offers a mix of international festivals, industry summits and prestigious awards ceremonies. This is an important time to both celebrate achievements in gaming and build momentum for the summer showcase season.
|
Event name |
Date |
Place |
Open to the public? |
Estimated size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
CartoonNext 2026 |
April 8-10 |
Marseille, France |
No |
100-500 |
|
London Games Festival 2026 |
April 13-19 |
London, United Kingdom |
Yes |
100,000 |
|
Gamesforum Cyprus 2026 |
April 15-16 |
Parklane, Limassol, Cyprus |
No |
200 |
|
BAFTA Games Awards |
April 17 |
Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, UK |
No |
– |
|
icon 2026 |
April 27-30 |
Fountainebleau Las Vegas |
No |
|
|
Live Service Gaming Summit 2026 North America |
April 28-29 |
Austin, Texas |
No |
– |
|
Gamescom Latam 2026 |
April 29 – May 3 |
São Paulo, Brazil |
Yes |
150,000-200,000 |
Events in May 2026
May has a strong lineup of global events, with a particular focus on indie games, regional development scenes, and international collaboration. It is a month where creativity and experimentation often take center stage.
|
Event name |
Date |
Place |
Open to the public? |
Estimated size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Madeira Games Summit 2026 |
07-08 May |
Savoy, Palace, Funchal, Portugal |
No |
– |
|
A labyrinth. Berlin 2026 |
May 13-16 |
Berlin, Germany |
Yes |
– |
|
BitSummit 2026 |
May 22-24 |
Miyako Messe, Kyoto, Japan |
Yes |
60,000 |
|
Nordic Games 2026 |
May 26-29 |
Slaghuset, Malmö, Sweden |
No |
3,000 |
|
TwitchCon Rotterdam 2026 |
May 30-31 |
Rotterdam Ahkoy, Rotterdam, The Netherlands |
Yes |
10,000-15,000 |
Events in June 2026
June marks the start of the summer showcase season, traditionally one of the most exciting times of the year for game announcements. Big reveals, live streams and global presentations dominate this period.
|
Event name |
Date |
Place |
Open to the public? |
Estimated size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Summer Games Party 2026 |
05-08 June |
Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles |
Yes, June 5 only (online) |
50 million streams |
|
Game Music Festival 2026 |
June 6-27 |
London |
Yes |
– |
|
Gaming Forum Hamburg 2026 |
June 9-10 |
Hamburg, Germany |
No |
700 |
|
Life Game Summit 2026 |
June 10–20 |
Liverpool, UK |
Yes |
– |
|
Seriously Play Europe |
June 18-19 |
Mainz, Germany |
No |
– |
Valve just revealed all the big Steam sales events for 2026, and you should mark your calendar accordingly
Valve has revealed Steam's full sales calendar for 2026, giving PC gamers a clear roadmap for when to wait, wishlist and grow their backlog.
Events in July 2026
Compared to other months, July is relatively quieter, but it still hosts important industry meetings that focus on development, collaboration and knowledge sharing.
|
Event name |
Date |
Place |
Open to the public? |
Estimated size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Develop: Brighton 2026 |
July 14-16 |
Brighton, United Kingdom |
Conference & Free Expo |
3,000 |
Events August 2026
August is one of the biggest months in the gaming calendar, thanks in large part to Gamescom. This period attracts hundreds of thousands of attendees and serves as an important platform for announcements, demos and hands-on experiences.
|
Event name |
Date |
Place |
Open to the public? |
Estimated size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gamescom Dev 2026 |
August 23-25 |
Cologne, Germany |
No |
– |
|
Gamescom 2026 |
August 26-30 |
Cologne, Germany |
Yes, with tickets |
335,000-350,000 |
Events in September 2026
September continues the momentum with a mix of business-focused summits and major international fairs. It is also home to one of the most influential gaming events in Asia.
|
Event name |
Date |
Place |
Open to the public? |
Estimated size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Games Forum London 2026 |
07-08 September |
London, United Kingdom |
No |
– |
|
Live Service Gaming Summit Europe |
08-09 September |
London, United Kingdom |
No |
– |
|
Tokyo Game Show (TGS) |
September 19-21 |
Chiba, Japan |
Yes |
300,000 |
|
Game Devs of Color Expo 2026 |
September 22-25 |
On-line |
Yes |
1,200 |
Events in October 2026
October offers a mix of regional conferences and fast-growing international events. These gatherings often highlight growth markets and new opportunities in the gaming industry.
|
Event name |
Date |
Place |
Open to the public? |
Estimated size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mobidictum Conference 2026 |
07-08 October |
Istanbul, Turkey |
Yes |
– |
|
Game Republic New Horizons 2026 |
October 15 |
Middlesbrough, United Kingdom |
Yes |
250 |
|
Gamescom Asia x Thailand Game Show 2026 |
October 29 – November 1 |
Bangkok, Thailand |
Yes |
200,000 |
November 2026 Events
The year comes to a close in November, but big fan-focused events still draw big audiences and attention online, especially in streaming and content creation.
|
Event name |
Date |
Place |
Open to the public? |
Estimated size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
TwitchCon San Diego 2026 |
November 13-15 |
San Diego, CA |
Yes |
30,000 |
All the big upcoming PC games for 2026 and beyond
PC gamers have hundreds of new Steam games to look forward to in 2026. We're talking basically every genre imaginable.
