adminThe London Games Festival will bring several of its main events together at the Business Design Centre in 2027, creating a central hub for public showcases and industry activities. The change is intended to make key parts of the festival easier to reach, including for visitors travelling from abroad, while cultural events will continue at venues across the capital.
Image credit: Games London
London Games Festival 2027 dates and venue
The full festival programme is scheduled to run from April 12 to April 19, 2027. Events at the Business Design Centre will take place from April 15 to April 17, so visitors planning a trip should check the dates of individual activities before arranging travel or accommodation.
The Business Design Centre will host the New Game Plus public showcase, the B2B Games Finance Market, industry conferences and networking opportunities. Bringing these events together is expected to give attendees a clearer central location for several of the festival’s public and professional activities.
Events will also take place across London
Not every programme item is moving to the Business Design Centre. The Ensemble exhibition and Screen Play conference are planned for other venues. The BAFTA Game Awards will return to Queen Elizabeth Hall at Southbank, while the Victoria & Albert Museum will host a games-focused Friday Late event.
The festival’s Official Selection is also due to return, featuring a curated collection of games available in person and online. The online element offers a way for international audiences to engage with the selection without attending the London events.
What visitors should know
- Festival dates: April 12–19, 2027.
- Business Design Centre dates: April 15–17, 2027.
- Programme locations: Events will be split between the central venue and other sites around London.
- Further announcements: Keynote speakers are expected to be announced later in the year, when ticket sales begin.
Applications for the Games Finance Market, Official Selection and Ensemble 2027 are due to open in October, alongside wider calls for speakers. Prospective applicants and attendees should look out for programme updates, as the announcement does not provide individual event schedules or ticket details.
Why the festival is changing its format
London Games Festival director Michael French said the move would combine more events at one site while preserving cultural activities elsewhere through partnerships with BAFTA, the V&A and BFI. He also highlighted the Business Design Centre’s history as a venue for early UK video game trade shows, which took place there nearly 40 years ago.
Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries Justine Simons described the festival’s growth as part of London’s broader strength in game development. The previous festival hosted 30 events and attracted more than 100,000 visitors from 61 countries. Attendees included 36% from Greater London, 49% from elsewhere in the UK and 15% international visitors; more than 8,000 were B2B delegates.
What to expect from the London Games Festival
The 2027 edition combines a central venue for several major activities with events elsewhere in the city and an online games selection. For visitors, the key practical step is to match each event to its location and date once the detailed schedule is released. The London Games Festival runs for a week, but the Business Design Centre programme is limited to April 15–17.
