The sixth London Games Festival starts today boasting its biggest programme yet: an entirely online offering supported by leading names across the sector.
LGF 2021 runs from 19 March to 28 March and features over 100 games, participation from 400 companies from 25 different countries – and 1,000+ professionals connecting online for business meetings, investor pitches and roundtables.
The entirely digital event has put a focus on creating new ways to showcase its programming online. Highlights include:
LGF WORLD STAGE: The festival’s daily videos and premieres. The full schedule of 60+ original video broadcasts is now live via a dedicated programme guide at festival.games.london. A range of content is free to view for everyone – from music performances and industry panels to special documentaries and launches.
OFFICIAL SELECTION: A showcase of 40 games from a diverse range of themes and creators, developed all over the world. The dedicated home for the Official Selection is live now at showcase.games.london – plus the festival has created daily videos supporting each game on the World Stage as well as digital retailer promotions.
Sony Interactive Entertainment has signed up as a supporter of the festival’s Official Selection and Games London’s wider Ensemble series, which champions Black, asian and marginalised ethnicities working in the UK games sector.
Meanwhile industry professionals are served with a comprehensive offer that includes a dedicated meeting platform for 1-to-1 meetings and industry events including new, unique ways to network from home. The B2B programme is supported by Xsolla, CCP Games, Hiro Capital, Curve Digital Here East, JavaHub, Displayways and The Adventure is Real.
Hilmar V Pétursson, CEO of CCP Games, will be the focus of a keynote fireside talk, examining the rise of the metaverse: “
I am very excited to be participating in this year’s London Games Festival. I look forward to discussing our vision of the Metaverse and sharing our insights into the future of the industry.”
Meanwhile, LGF’s annual Games Finance Market has attracted more investors than ever before – with a combined spend of nearly £600m between them. The market regularly generates multi-million pound business deals for its participants and has been a signature part of the festival since it started in 2016, connecting funders with games talent.
Ian Livingstone founder of Hiro Capital said:
“Hiro Capital is delighted to be partnering with London Games Festival. London leads the world as a global, creative, cultural and diverse hub for talent and technology. We couldn’t think of a better place to seek out, meet and support the games and metaverse innovators of the future.”
Professionals will also get to log on for special roundtables dedicated to urgent social issues such as mental health, diversity and inclusion – and building games businesses that care about the planet. The roundtables will also be an opportunity for visiting delegations to hear about ways the London video games cluster is expanding and growing.
Gavin Poole, CEO of Here East, commented:
“The scale and calibre of the London Games Festival is testament to the city’s growing reputation as a global capital for esports, games and creative entertainment. Here East is firmly committed to establishing a world-class esports cluster at the Olympic Park and there is no better platform for us to share our ambition and vision for the future of the esports industry in the UK. At a time when the country is looking to fast-growth businesses and emerging sectors such as gaming and esports to drive the economic recovery post-pandemic, London Games Festival is more important than ever.”
John Clark, CEO of Curve Digital, added:
“Everyone at Curve Digital is incredibly excited to support the London Games Festival. LGF highlights London as the global leader in our exciting industry and we’re thrilled to be part of it.”
London Games Festival is backed by the Mayor of London and seeks to make London the games capital of the world. It is delivered by Games London, an initiative from Film London, the capital’s screen industries agency, and video games trade body Ukie (The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment).
Discover more about London Games Festival via www.games.london and @londongamesfest
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