It’s time to snap out of your eggnog-addled haze, because 2026 is officially upon us. The year is already stacked with dozens of surefire blockbusters, from Marvel’s Wolverine to Grand Theft Auto 6. But there are still a whole lot of gaps to fill on this year’s calendar, and plenty of question marks looming for 2027. If you want to be in the loop on what’s next in gaming throughout 2026 and beyond, these are the major gaming events on the calendar you’ll want to keep in mind.
We’ll update this article periodically throughout the year, as new gaming events are added.
Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026
When: Jan. 6-9
The Las Vegas trade show that spawned the now-dead E3 still lives on, and while it isn’t a hotbed for new game announcements anymore, there are generally a lot of reveals of interest to spec-minded PC gamers. Announcements here often include new GPUs, monitors, Steam Deck and Steam Machine alternatives, and more accessories than you can possibly imagine. We can also expect a heaping helping of third-party peripherals, including gadgets for audiophiles and VR/AR/XR enthusiasts.
The New York Game Awards 2026
When: Jan. 17-18
The New York Videogame Critics Circle (NYVGCC) will host a two-day Manhattan event featuring an exclusive Supergiant Games: Unplugged concert and the annual awards ceremony. Critics Circle president Harold Goldberg and former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé will co-host the latter, and we anticipate a more eclectic group of nominees from this jury than The Game Awards crop at the end of last year.
DICE Summit 2026
When: Feb. 10-12
This annual Las Vegas event has grown in prominence in recent years, though it remains a largely inside-baseball affair for industry folks. There are usually some newsworthy interviews and panels coming out of the conference, and its annual awards ceremony is held in particularly high esteem — it’s essentially a jury of game developers honoring their peers. Again, DICE isn’t a huge source for game reveals, but it can offer a peek into the trends and challenges devs are thinking about for the year ahead.
Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2026
When: March 9-13
GDC has traditionally hewed more toward the industry-only side of things in past years, but it’s taking a new approach for 2026, billing itself as a “festival of gaming.” But it’s not becoming a fan event like E3 did in its waning years; one major aim is more approachable pricing for early-career, indie, and startup devs. Back in October, GDC executive director of innovation and growth Mark DeLoura told Polygon the organizers are looking to host more high-profile keynotes and debates. As is the case with DICE, we anticipate some interesting interviews, soundbites, and postmortems from some of the industry’s leading lights, but little on the trailers and teasers front.
PAX East 2026
When: March 26-29
With loads of game demos, musical performances, and plenty of intriguing panels from the industry’s leading creators and innovators, PAX consistently ranks among the best of the fan- and community-focused gaming events out there. Indies have always been a major focus of this Boston convention, though last year’s show also featured major activations from heavy hitters like Elden Ring: Nightreign and Borderlands 4.
BAFTA Games Awards 2026
When: April 17
With 17 categories, these honors from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts are widely regarded to be one of the most prestigious awards in gaming. The jury of 1,700 industry professionals consistently recognizes a broad range of games, prioritizing creative excellence over commercial success. The BAFTAs usually choose a different GOTY winner than The Game Awards, although last year’s win by Astro Bot was a rare exception.
BitSummit 2026
When: May 22-24
Japan’s leading indie-game festival returns to Kyoto for 2026, and two days of the three-day event will be open to the public. Last year’s BitSummit event featured appearances from the inimitable Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu, Okami and Bayonetta creator Hideki Kamiya, and director of the cult-classic 428: Shibuya Scramble Jiro Ishii.
Summer Game Fest 2026
When: June 5
Now we’re getting into Big Reveal Season. The heir apparent to E3 returns to Los Angeles in 2026, now with a spiffy new Hollywood venue: the Dolby Theater, which has hosted the Oscars since 2002. The marquee event is the showcase hosted by Geoff Keighley, which will include loads of game reveals and updates. This is usually when publishers and developers fill out the back half of the year’s release calendar, so expect to hear about major fall games as well as titles due out in 2027. Press and influencers will get to play some of the games revealed during the showcase in the days immediately following, so expect a steady trickle of news all week long.
The Summer Game Fest showcase isn’t the only early-June event to get hyped about. In 2025, the show was bookended by a PlayStation State of Play presentation and an Xbox Showcase. There’s also a Day of the Devs event to highlight new indie games around the same time. We’re also likely to see a few third-party publishers and indie publishers hosting their own livestream events, though none of that is confirmed just yet.
Evolution Championship Series (Evo) 2026
When: June 26-28
The fighting game community’s biggest tournament takes place in Las Vegas each summer. In addition to top-level competitive play in games like Street Fighter 6, Guilty Gear Strive, and Tekken 8, Evo often sees the launch of new playable demos, roster additions, beta tests, crossovers, and more in-game events. With the hotly anticipated Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls due out sometime in 2026, it’s likely to be a major focus of this year’s event.
ChinaJoy 2026
When: July 31-Aug. 3
Asia’s largest annual gaming and digital entertainment expo will take place in Shanghai, and with the continued rise of China in the AAA space through games like Game Science’s Black Myth: Wukong, the event is growing in prominence internationally. Sony had a significant presence at the 2025 event, and the company’s China Hero Initiative aims to bring Chinese-developed games to a broader audience. Expect a fresh look at Black Myth: Zhong Kui here, along with other splashy titles getting some shine.
