By Sagar V. Mankar The London Games Festival 2025 is set to be a major event for gaming enthusiasts, with new and exciting details recently announced by the organizers. Scheduled to run from April 2-13, 2025, the festival will take place across various iconic locations in London, with Trafalgar Square once again serving as the primary venue. This year’s festival promises an even more dynamic lineup, featuring the introduction of New Game Plus, a brand-new consumer games expo designed to showcase upcoming global video game releases.
New Game Plus
New Game Plus is scheduled for April 3-4 at the London Museum’s exhibition spaces on the London Wall. It will be accessible to both the public and industry professionals, offering a unique blend of experiences. In addition to the game showcases the expo will also host an industry conference, allowing professionals to network and discuss the latest trends in gaming. Tickets for this highly anticipated event will go on sale in December, with additional details on programming and game lineups expected to be announced soon.
Festival Highlights and Core Events
While Trafalgar Square remains the festival’s primary hub, the 2025 edition boasts an impressive roster of core events, including:
- The prestigious BAFTA Games Awards
- The experimental games exhibition “Now Play This”
- The Games Finance Market for industry professionals
- The convergence conference “Screen Play”
This major event is supported by the Mayor of London and organized by Games London, a collaborative initiative from Film London and Ukie (The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment).
Opportunities for Participation
For those looking to participate in the festival, applications are now open for game submissions to the Official Selection and Games Finance Market programs.
Additionally, the festival’s Ensemble program is accepting submissions. Ensemble highlights talented creators from Black, Asian, and other underrepresented ethnic communities, showcasing their work through a touring exhibition that debuts at the London Games Festival before traveling to other locations across the UK.
To engage the wider games community throughout the UK, the festival is running The Side Events segment, from April 7-13, and invites third-party partners and smaller community-led initiatives to contribute to the festival. This presents a great opportunity for independent creators and smaller organizations to reach a broader audience.
Important Dates to Remember
- December 20, 2024: BAFTA Games Awards longlist announcement
- March 4, 2025: BAFTA Games Awards nominations announcement
- April 2-13, 2025: Main festival dates
- April 3-4, 2025: New Game Plus expo
For those interested in participating, all application forms are available through the LGF festival platform.