The SAGA Barcelona Game Fest kicks off, a fusion to give the Catalan video game sector the fair it deserves

The video game sector in Catalonia has been demonstrating extraordinary vitality for years, but it lacked a great, unified, and ambitious showcase at the level of its industrial and creative weight. The SAGA Barcelona Game Fest wants to fill this void and is born from the strategic merger of the three reference events in the territory: the IndieDevDay (rebranded as BCN Game Fest and promoted by the ICOA), which provides the professional muscle and the developer community; the SAGA, Gaming Salon (organized by Plataforma per la Llengua), which focuses on linguistic normalization within the sector, and the cultural association RetroBarcelona, which acts as the protector and disseminator of the history and heritage of video games.

This union of efforts definitively leaves behind La Farga in L'Hospitalet to move to a space the size of its great objective. The chosen location is Pavilion 1 of the Fira de Barcelona's Montjuïc venue, with a surface area of 14,000 m², to deploy the broad program of activities while also having a more accessible location closer to the center of the Catalan capital. It is a space to start showing its face and compete in the league of the great European trade fairs of the sector.

As a symbol of this new phase, the renowned artist Conrad Roset (creative director of Nomada Studio and author of global hits such as Gris and Neva) has been in charge of designing the new visual identity and the official poster, which synthesizes the richness and diversity of the medium. With an expected attendance of more than 20,000 visitors, the fair has strong institutional support led by the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Barcelona City Council, and the Ministry of Culture, as well as other sponsors that have made the birth of this mega-event possible.

The fair's spokesperson, Tina Font, highlights "the desire to offer an open, inclusive, and accessible space for everyone, one that overcomes traditional stigmas and demonstrates that video game culture appeals to people of all ages and profiles." To try to understand the magnitude and variety of its offering, the SAGA Barcelona Game Fest proposal can be segmented into large thematic blocks: language, international projection, the professional industry, cultural heritage, and, as an indispensable driving force, the presence of the video games themselves.

Language at the center

Catalan is reclaimed as a natural environment for play and community

Catalan will be the official and transversal language of the event, present with full normality in signage, conferences, broadcasts, and gaming spaces. This commitment responds to an undeniable social reality, as according to a survey commissioned by Plataforma per la Llengua from GESOP, 7 out of 10 players in Catalonia (70%) would choose to play in Catalan if the option were available, a figure that rises to 86.7% among the Catalan-speaking population.

To respond to this demand, the venue will feature around 70 playable video games in Catalan and prominent spaces such as the institutional stand “Catalonia plays strong: creativity, talent, and community”, promoted by the Generalitat. In this regard, the Director General for Linguistic Policy in the Technological and Audiovisual Fields, Roger Serra, predicts that the SAGA Barcelona Game Fest “will be the benchmark video game fair in southern Europe and at the same time the meeting place for Catalan-speaking communities in the ecosystem”.

Screening and guests

Japan leads an open window to global talent

The international projection doubles the bet and designates Japan as the guest country in this first edition, a key territory in the history of the medium. The alliance stands out above all for the visit of two legendary figures of video game music: the composers Miki Higashino (author of the soundtracks for the Suikoden or Gradius saga for Konami) and Manami Matsumae (Mega Man or Final fight, for Capcom).

In addition to having the presence of delegations from other countries or an exchange of content with the Asian trade fair ChinaJoy, the program includes keynote speeches by international benchmarks such as Rami Ismail (Vlambeer, Gamedev.world), Laura Topakian (marketing specialist at Panik Arcade and Motion Twin), Rachel Watts (contributor to media such as Rock Paper Shotgun or PC Gamer) and Géraud Zucchini (Sol Cesto). A Catalan fair with a window open to the world.

The industrial muscle

Business, financing opportunities and future talent pool

The fair does not forget the industry; in fact, it strengthens it even further. The B2B pillar (from the English business-to-business, from business to business) will be conducted through the MeetToMatch platform, with which it is expected to exceed 1,500 professional meetings between emerging studios, investors, and press. More than 30 international publishers and funds have already confirmed their attendance, including giants and prestigious labels such as Bandai Namco, 11 Bit Studios, or Kepler Interactive.

Local development will receive a key boost through the mentorship program Mentorships for the Future, sponsored by the studio Larian Studios (Baldur’s Gate 3); the pitching sessions with Madrid In Game; the funding lines for projects led by women from Wings, and the job fair Talent Dev Day, which will take place as a preliminary day on Thursday, October 8th, at the Palo Alto complex, among others.

Heritage and dissemination

A cultural journey through history, experimentation and equity

The educational dimension of the fair will offer a unique heritage tour. Visitors will be able to enjoy My famicase exhibition, an exhibition arriving directly from Tokyo with 250 Famicom cartridges illustrated by artists from all over the world. It will also be possible to visit the second edition of the Glitch collection, dedicated to experimental and alternative video game installations, and the MUVIC (Video Game Museum of Catalonia), which will offer guided tours in Catalan throughout the weekend.

Likewise, the event will reserve a central space for diversity through the Gaming in Feminine space, promoted by the content creator Simmer Valenciana and under the umbrella of the Gaming.cat association. The initiative presents an exhibition dedicated to recognizing the trajectory of 25 outstanding women within the video game sector. The fair will also have awareness-raising spaces such as family workshops around the guide Shared Game, which seeks to promote a conscious and intergenerational use of video games.

Time to play

More than 500 game points between indies, nostalgia, and the Japanese giant

The heart of the fair will, inevitably, be active gaming, with more than 500 gaming points available to the public. The largest area, a legacy of IndieDevDay, will be that of indie studios and publishers, and will bring together more than 200 independent titles to experience and discuss with the studios themselves. Also noteworthy is the presence of relevant labels such as Devolver Digital, Super Rare Games, Raw Fury, The Behemoth, or Brainwash Gang.

Lovers of the classics will find their paradise in the Retro&Arcade zone, hosted by RetroBarcelona, which will deploy more than 150 classic arcade machines and original cabinets to shape the largest arcade hall in the country. The area will also have specific spaces for competitive fighting games and Japanese music arcade games, the most sought-after ones.

For the general public, Nintendo will have its own official stand, a presence almost unprecedented in national industry fairs, although the company has participated in other major fairs in the Catalan capital such as the Manga or Comic fairs. The Japanese company's space will feature even more play stations to try out its latest novelties. To complete the experience, the fair will incorporate immersive installations with virtual reality devices and simulation booths in the VR and simulator zone.

An unmissable event in Montjuïc

Final firework display with shows, art, collecting, and competition

The leisure offer during the three days of the event remains dense and varied, with proposals designed for all audiences. Among the activities in the programme, the piano concert by Elesky, the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the program Generació digital, the cosplay contest and the IndieDevDay Awards stand out. In the field of esports, various tournaments will be held, but the exhibition match of League of Legends between Barça eSports and the UB Alma Mater, and the one featuring the women's Valorant team of the blue and garnet club, will take centre stage.

The event does not forget the artists and also presents a wide craft area related to the world of video games, in addition to official shops, a space dedicated to board games and a food area. To top it all off, as expected, one of the most beloved traditions of the old IndieDevDay will be maintained: the physical sticker album that allows attendees to collect and exchange the illustrations of all the indie video games present at the fair.

The SAGA Barcelona Game Fest is not just the sum of three successful events, but rather aspires to be the living demonstration of the maturity of an ecosystem that has known how to coordinate itself to create an event of international dimensions. All this without losing its local essence, its language, or its direct connection with the community. From October 9th to 11th, the Fira de Montjuïc will become the meeting point for all those who want to understand where the future of video games in Catalonia is heading.