Biggest ever Pocket Gamer Connects London united the games industry in resilience and optimism

• Pocket Gamer Connects London gathered c. 3,000 attendees from 1,600 companies across 60 countries, making it the biggest edition in the event’s history.
• The three conference events spanning games, apps, and transmedia delivered talks, panels, and fireside chats with 310 expert speakers.

After two packed days in the heart of the UK capital, Pocket Gamer Connects London 2026 has wrapped up its biggest edition in the event’s history.

Hosted at The Brewery and the Barbican Centre, the conference welcomed c. 3,000 attendees from 1,600 companies across 60 countries. Delegates came from just about every corner of the industry (and beyond) – ranging from entry-level students and up-and-coming indies to senior decision-makers and executives from multi-billion-dollar companies.

On the second day, the Government's Minister of State for Trade Policy Sir Chris Bryant visited the conference, a sign of the growing recognition of the UK games industry’s strategic importance.

Adding a strong crossover with performance and storytelling in games, UK actor Tom McKay – best known for his role in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II – also attended, taking part in a fireside chat exploring the increasing relationship between games and wider entertainment.

Across both days, the energy was high, rooms packed and conversations on-point. 

More than mobile

What made PG Connects London special was its diverse audience, with 30% of attendees being C-level, with 69% in senior management roles, alongside a strong contingent of creators, with 64% identifying as game-makers across indie studios, developers, and publishers.

While mobile remained a key focus, the industry’s multi-platform direction was apparent, with major representation spanning PC, console, handheld console, web games, XR, and emerging technologies. 

More than 140 active investors and 140 media representatives were present, alongside tool providers, ad networks, analytics services, platform holders, operators, and public sector organisations.

Networking at core

As ever, networking remained central to the event. More than 6,000 meetings were arranged through the MeetToMatch platform in addition to curated networking sessions and informal encounters across the show floor.

The tone for the conference was set already on Sunday evening, with a pre-event drinks reception attracting around 500 attendees, providing an early opportunity to reconnect and begin discussions ahead of the main conference days.

Optimism and resilience beyond the numbers

And while the numbers tell one story, the atmosphere tells another.

Conversations were candid about the headwinds the sector has faced in recent years, while at the same time keeping a clear focus on opportunity, with attendees discussing potential partnerships and emerging business models with renewed confidence.

UKIE CEO Nick Poole summed it up neatly, describing this year’s event as “easily the busiest, buzziest, most upbeat yet”, adding: “I've bumped into dozens of industry colleagues so far and the vibe is ‘yes, 2025 was tough, but there are new opportunities in ’26 if you're in the right place to take them'.”

Together, the tone of the event and the conversations taking place signalled a resilient, maturing industry that continues to refine its foundations for growth and outline a way forward.

20 years of Pocket Gamer and into the future

PG Connects London also marked a milestone for Pocket Gamer, with 2026 representing the 20th anniversary of the brand’s founding – an occasion celebrated with a special anniversary party on Monday evening.

The opening ceremony also looked to the future, with long-time Pocket Gamer leader Chris James announcing a leadership transition that sees him move into the role of chairman of Steel Media, while Dave Bradley steps into the role of general manager.

Commenting on the event, Bradley said: “Hitting 20 years is a huge moment for Pocket Gamer. Kicking off that anniversary year with the biggest-ever Pocket Gamer Connects event – taking over two venues, filling the exhibition space with huge booths, and welcoming so many connections, both old and new – was very gratifying. What really stood out this week was the energy and optimism across the industry. PG Connects London is always an amazing start to the year, but this one felt like a reset. The sense of community in the room was incredible.”

Beyond its well-known games focus, the conference also broadened its scope. The Apps Business Summit introduced proven growth strategies from the wider apps economy, while the Beyond Games: Transmedia Summit explored shared IP, storytelling, and collaboration across games, film, TV, music and animation.

Expanding the scope

These additions highlighted the increasing crossover between games and wider entertainment and technology sectors, opening up conversations around new growth strategies, investment and creative opportunities.

Next up: San Francisco, Dubai, and Malmö

With London concluded, the PG Connects world tour now looks ahead to a busy few months.

Next up, the series heads to the US for a one-day, mobile-centric summit in San Francisco on March 9th offering a tight, focused format that sets the tone for a busy networking week in the city.

Soon after, attention turns to the MENA games market, with Dubai hosting the return of the Dubai GameExpo Summit powered by PG Connects on May 20th to 21st, before the tour moves on to the Nordics for a one-day summit in Malmö on May 27th.