Paris Games Week · 2026

Agoris analysis · updated June 2026

Key takeaways

• 15th edition of the Paris Games Week, from 22 to 25 October 2026 at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, 4 days from Thursday to Sunday (a return to a format identical in length to the 2025 edition).
• A consumer trade show with a B2B component: open to all over 4 days, paired with a PGW Business by CMS strand (2 trade days on the Thursday and Friday), with the firm CMS as founding partner of the professional programme.
• 2025 results (14th edition, 30 October - 2 November, 4 days): 161,000 visitors (-27,000 vs 188,000 in 2024), 180 exhibitors for 80 brands across Halls 1 and 2.2, 200+ playable titles, 31 French studios at the Game France Pavilion (coordinated by the CNC), 4 international esports finals and a Dôme de Paris that became the event's beating heart (source: SELL).
• Organised by the SELL (Syndicat des Éditeurs de Logiciels de Loisirs), owner since its creation in 2010, with its 24 members (21 publishers + 3 associates). Since 2025, operations have been entrusted to a trio: Fimalac Entertainment + GL events Exhibitions + Webedia.
• Target announced over the next 5 years by the operational trio in 2025: 220,000 to 250,000 visitors, marking a return towards pre-2020 levels (historic peak of ~316,000 in 2017).

Who exhibits

Typical profile

A premium consumer trade show centred on video game publishers, console manufacturers, gaming peripherals, independent studios, esports platforms and pop culture players. An exhibitor model dominated by publishers/manufacturers: few "shop" stands, plenty of gaming experiences (kiosks, line-ups, exclusives), entertainment stages and community meet-ups.

Notable exhibitors (2025)

PlayStation / Sony Interactive Entertainment (Marvel's Wolverine, Death Stranding 2, Fairgame$, Ghost of Yotei), Nintendo (Switch 2 with Pokémon Legends Z-A, Mario Kart World, Metroid Prime 4 Beyond), Xbox / Microsoft (Game Pass, Avowed, Fable, Project Cobalt), Ubisoft, Bandai Namco, Capcom, Square Enix, SEGA, Electronic Arts, Cygames. Game France Pavilion coordinated by the CNC: 31 French studios grouped together on a pavilion dedicated to home-grown creation.

Retention rate

Very high among international publishers: PlayStation, Nintendo and Xbox are recurring presences that structure the show. Turnover plays out mainly among independent studios and peripheral brands. The challenge for the 2025-2026 operational trio is to retain publishers on a 4-day format despite the drop in attendance in 2025.

Quality of the visitor base

A predominantly young audience, from the Paris region and nationwide, and deeply passionate. The PGW is a show of community conversion rather than classic B2B prospecting: exhibitors measure media coverage, social virality, pre-orders and the engagement of their base. The PGW Business by CMS strand (2 trade days) captures the B2B side: publishers, studios, platforms, agencies, specialist lawyers and gaming investors.

Activities & community

Conference and competition programme

Esports: EMEA Masters Summer (League of Legends), Coupe de France Slash Rocket League, Trackmania World Cup finals. 4 international esports finals at the 2025 edition (source: SELL). Indie Showcase: a dedicated programme structured into two strands, Made in France and Indie international, a showcase for the independent studios selected by the organisers.

Night Sessions at the Dôme de Paris

A 2025 innovation brought back: the Night Sessions at the Dôme de Paris combine esports finals, showmatches and concerts in an evening format. The Dôme has established itself as the beating heart of the event for the PGW. Access to the Night Sessions is included in the Premium pass and guaranteed through reserved seats, otherwise on a first-come basis subject to availability.

Awards and accolades

Indie Showcase Made in France (spotlighting the selected French studios) and the international Indie Showcase. There is no cross-cutting innovation competition in the style of the major B2B trade shows: recognition plays out mainly through Webedia's editorial coverage (Jeuxvideo.com, IGN France) and publisher press conferences.

Community & networks

SELL founding partners: 21 publishers (the largest global publishers established in France) + 3 associate members. Specialist press coverage built in via Webedia (Jeuxvideo.com, IGN France, Gamekult historically). A strong presence of creators / streamers from Twitch and YouTube Gaming across the dedicated areas.

What's new in 2026

A 4-day format from Thursday 22 to Sunday 25 October 2026. Consolidation of the Fimalac Entertainment + GL events Exhibitions + Webedia operational trio for its second full edition. The Game France Pavilion under CNC coordination, the Night Sessions at the Dôme de Paris and the PGW Business by CMS programme across 2 trade days are all expected to be maintained.

On site: what you need to know

Access, parking and accommodation: see the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles listing.

Specific to the show:

• Pavilion locations (2025 reference): Halls 1 and 2.2, Dôme de Paris for the Night Sessions.
• Opening hours: to be confirmed for 2026. 2025 reference: standard daytime opening, access from 9am for Premium pass holders, Night Sessions in the evening at the Dôme.
• Audience: open to all across the 4 days, ticket required. Separate professional pass for the PGW Business by CMS strand (2 trade days).
• Accessibility for people with reduced mobility: Family zone in Hall 1 with a Handi'arcade area (guest setup in 2025) designed for gamers with disabilities.

What it costs to exhibit

Exhibitor rates not published: request to take part directly with the SELL and the operational trio (Fimalac Entertainment + GL events Exhibitions + Webedia). No figure available publicly.

Visitor rates for 2026: not communicated to date (ticketing not open as of 1 June 2026). 2025 schedule for guidance:

| Category | 2025 rate | |---|---| | Adult 1 day | €29 | | Youth 7-17 years 1 day | €20 | | 4-day adult pass | €110 | | 4-day youth pass | €75 | | Family pack | €90 | | Premium pass (access from 9am, guaranteed Night Sessions seats) | €100 |

Source: SELL / official 2025 ticketing. 2026 schedule to be confirmed when ticketing opens.

Planning your visit

For the exhibitor

• 12 months out: make contact with the SELL + operational trio, positioning in Hall 1 / Hall 2.2 / Game France Pavilion depending on profile (publisher, indie, peripherals).
• 9 months out: application to the Game France Pavilion (CNC) for French studios, application to the Indie Showcase Made in France.
• 6 months out: line-up of playable games and exclusives, negotiation of Night Sessions slots at the Dôme de Paris for the publishers involved in the esports finals.
• 3 months out: creator / streamer briefs, press coordination with Webedia, social coverage plan.
• 6 weeks out: kiosk and build logistics, on-the-ground team briefing, pre-event activation across the communities.

For the decision-making visitor

• PGW Business by CMS (2 trade days, Thursday and Friday): the only truly qualified format for B2B players (publishers, studios, platforms, agencies, lawyers, investors).
• Premium pass recommended for buyers or prospectors: access from 9am ahead of the consumer opening, guaranteed Night Sessions seats at the Dôme.
• Target the major publisher conferences (PlayStation, Nintendo, Xbox, Ubisoft) ahead of time; the schedule is published a few weeks before the show.
• Allow at least 2 days to cover publishers + Indie Showcase + Game France Pavilion without overload.

Policy & CSR initiatives

The "Jouez comme vous êtes" programme coordinated by CapGame across 170 m² in the Family zone of Hall 1, in partnership with PédaGoJeux, Women In Games, Silver Geek, MO5, Respect Zone and e-Enfance. Handi'arcade was the guest setup in 2025 for the accessibility of gamers with disabilities. The programme covers four areas: disability inclusion, gender equity, intergenerational engagement (Silver Geek), and the fight against harassment and the protection of minors online (Respect Zone, e-Enfance). No ISO 20121 certification or Net Zero Carbon Events commitment is mentioned to date on the SELL side.

How the show has evolved

Trajectory analysis

The Paris Games Week was launched in 2010 by the SELL to give the French ecosystem a flagship event capable of rivalling Cologne's Gamescom. Steady growth up to an estimated peak of around 316,000 visitors in 2017, followed by Covid disruption in 2020-2021. The "Gaming & Pop Culture" repositioning undertaken across 2024-2025 gave the show a clear identity once again, but 2025 recorded a decline to 161,000 visitors (-14% vs 2024), the first full edition under the new operational trio Fimalac Entertainment / GL events Exhibitions / Webedia. The 2026 challenge is twofold: stabilising attendance and kick-starting the trajectory towards 220-250,000 visitors announced over the next 5 years, drawing on the retention of the 4-day format, the Night Sessions format at the Dôme and the consolidation of the Game France Pavilion and PGW Business by CMS.

Unless otherwise stated, all factual data in this listing comes from the organiser's official website (parisgamesweek.com).