Loading>>> NGF27>>>The Power of Play

Monday 31 May to Sunday 6 June 2027

Norwich Games Festival 2027 will take place across the May half-term holiday. Come and explore the ‘Positive Power of Play’, looking at the fun, creativity, and cross-sector use of games technology, and the reasons why we should all keep playing, regardless of age. The full programme will be released in March 2027. You can expect to see festival favourites, such as the Retro Game Cave, Actual Reality Arcade and tabletop Gaming Lounge along with new interactive exhibitions about the science and psychology of play, and why games education and skills development are so crucial to other sectors, such as medical science, agri-tech, film and more.

“Norwich Games Festival is a fantastic showcase and celebration of the region’s thriving games industry. It highlights the depth of talent in Norwich, bringing together passionate creatives and giving them a platform to share their work with new audiences. The energy is infectious, you can truly feel the inspiration and dedication driving the sector. The event is professionally organised, striking a perfect balance between hands-on fun and meaningful industry support. Festivals like this are vital in helping our creative sector grow and flourish”

NGF26 Contributor

See what NGF is like

Each May, The Forum, Norwich is home to “The Arena” during NGF where there’s a huge variety of FREE interactive gaming fun for all ages. You can just drop by and play! You'll find plenty of your favourite games, plus lots to discover and try out.

Talks, workshops and shows are also on throughout the week, covering everything from how to make a game to entertaining and interactive game-themed fun.

Watch trailer

Play the NGF26 Game Jam entries

In the run-up to our 2026 festival, game designers and developers were busy creating incredible games that we got to play for the very first time at NGF26 as part of the Game Jam run by Game Anglia. This year's theme was "Folklore".

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