Every year, the city of Cannes and its Palais des Festivals et des Congrès produce a series of unmissable events, and this year is no exception. For its 38th edition, the Cannes International Games Festival offers games enthusiasts and industry professionals the largest gaming arena in the French-speaking world. Beyond its growing reputation and success, the event has been developing its place on the international stage year after year.
The Cannes International Games Festival 2025
February 28 to March 2, 2025.
Over the course of a week and starting on 28 February, no less than 80,000 people are expected to come together for this event! The festival is aimed at both young and old alike, and everything has been designed to improve the festival-goers’ experience, with entertainment, exhibition and tournaments.
The Cannes International Games Festival 2025 programme
All types of games are represented at the festival: board games, video games, escape games, collectible cards and more. Put simply, there’s something for everyone. Read on as we discover what’s on offer for the 2025 edition of the Cannes International Games Festival.
During your visit to the Cannes Games Festival, you’ll be able to enjoy a range of new games, as well as some of the great classics from the world of gaming. Expect tournaments, entertainment and new games.
What’s new in 2025: gaming areas, a wide range of food and drink, musical entertainment, and a new area on the Palais Terrace with a breathtaking view. It’s a unique opportunity to discover the latest trends in the world of gaming and enjoy some great entertainment.
On 27 February at 8pm, on the stage of the Grand Auditorium, the Festival des jeux de Cannes will be holding its annual As d’Or awards ceremony, which aims to reward the best games in each category, as well as drawing the public’s attention to the diversity of games creation. 4 categories
- The CASUAL category
- The CHILDREN category
- The INTERMEDIATE category
- The EXPERT category
Conferences such as ‘The added value of toy libraries for the world of board games’ will be held from Thursday to Sunday inclusive to provide a better understanding of the world of games.
The programme is currently being finalised.
Exhibitions around the Cannes Games Festival
This year, the Cannes International Games Festival puts gaming culture and heritage in the spotlight through its exhibitions which aim, in addition to introducing visitors to this world, to highlight the illustrators who bring games to life and to put the creators’ various intentions and inspirations in perspective.
In 2024, the festival organised an exclusive masterclass dedicated to authors. Over the course of half a day, participants had the opportunity to learn more about the profession of board game author through an exclusive workshop. It remains to be seen whether the same format will be offered in 2025.
Finally, conferences will be open to all, with the aim of giving the public a better understanding of the world of games, a sector that is all too often misunderstood. Here are a few titles:
- ‘Overproduction, a necessary evil?’ by the FIJ, reflecting a dynamic but complex industry;
- ‘Can tabletop role-playing be a psychotherapeutic tool? Results of a pilot study conducted in Switzerland’ by CHU LAUSANNE ;
- ‘Le jeu de société comme soutien médiateur de liens intra-familiaux en souffrance : Approche empirique en Pédopsychiatrie au Centre Hospitalier de Vichy’ by CHU VICH
- ‘Cheating: between selfishness and altruism. What if the best cheaters weren’t the ones you think?’ by FM2J
Various guests and attendees
Since 2016, the Festival has been developing its professional section for actors in the world of gaming. More and more of them are coming to Cannes to discover the latest market trends and releases, both for big and small publishers and distributors.
The festival’s guests include major groups like La Grande Récré or Vtech, as well as niche publishers like Aurora, a specialist in narrative games. In short, there’s something to suit all tastes.
Cannes International Games Festival 2025: find your accommodation with Immosol
More than just a festival, the Cannes Games Festival is a friendly and lively event accessible to all, offering visitors the chance to discover a diverse and varied range of games, as well as the opportunity to play them, speak about them and debate them in conferences. Beyond the great fun to be had, the festival invites visitors to better understand the world of games, all in the spirit of sharing.
Fancy taking part in this festival? Don’t hesitate: visit our dedicated accommodation website to enjoy a lively and unforgettable weekend in the world of games!