- The first edition of SAGA Barcelona Game Fest at Fira Montjuïc, from October 9 to 11, was born from the union of SAGA, RetroBarcelona and BCN Game Fest.
- Japan as the guest country, with Miki Higashino and Manami Matsumae, and an official Nintendo stand with news for Switch 2.
- Over five hundred gaming stations, two hundred indie offerings, 150 retro machines, exhibitions, talks and cultural activities.
- Tournaments, esports with Barça Esports and UB Alma Mater, and a professional area with business meetings through MeetToMatch.
Barcelona is bringing back a major event dedicated to electronic entertainment with the first edition of SAGA Barcelona Game Fest. From October 9th to 11th, Hall 1 of the Montjuïc venue at Fira de Barcelona will open its doors to an event born from the merger of three initiatives already familiar to the local public: SAGA Saló del Gaming, RetroBarcelona, and BCN Game Fest, the latter inheriting the legacy of IndieDevDay. The organizers expect to attract over 20,000 attendees across approximately 14,000 square meters of exhibition space.
The event goes beyond simply providing controllers for the public. It also aims to be a meeting point for studios, publishers, investors, and fans, with Japan as the guest country. On the music front, composers Miki Higashino and Manami Matsumae will be featured, while Nintendo will have its own dedicated space to showcase its latest releases. Throughout the weekend, over 500 playable stations, 200 indie games, and 150 retro gaming machines will be available.
A union of three events to relaunch the Barcelona scene
The fair is conceived as a collaborative effort between three complementary entities. SAGA contributes its focus on promoting video games in Catalan, RetroBarcelona is dedicated to preserving and disseminating the heritage of classic consoles and computers, and BCN Game Fest, with its roots in IndieDevDay, brings the energy of the independent scene. This mix aims to guide visitors from simply playing the latest game to understanding how the industry has been built.
The move to the Montjuïc venue provides a larger and more accessible space than previous editions of its separate events. Official forecasts predicted over 20,000 attendees, but by the final day, more than 16,000 people, including professionals and enthusiasts, had already visited the event. Friday was geared more towards students and industry professionals, with over 2,000 students and professors in attendance, while Saturday and Sunday were open to the general public and families.
Catalan functions as a cross-cutting language throughout the event: it appears on signage, in talks, in broadcasts, and in a large part of the playable catalog. There are also activities promoted by the Generalitat (Catalan government) to encourage its use in interactive entertainment, with family workshops and initiatives that promote responsible and intergenerational consumption. The organizers want this linguistic feature to be a defining characteristic, not just a symbolic addition.
Institutional support comes from the Catalan Government, the Barcelona City Council, and the Ministry of Culture, in addition to other sponsors. The stated intention is for Barcelona to consolidate its position as a key video game hub in Southern Europe and for the event to serve as a showcase for creative communities from different regions. According to the organizers, the goal is to create a blend of celebration, reflection, and professional opportunities.
Japan, Nintendo and a catalog to try non-stop
Japan takes center stage as the international guest at this inaugural event. Its presence is primarily represented by the visit of Miki Higashino, known for soundtracks such as those for Gradius, Salamander, Suikoden, and the early Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles films, and Manami Matsumae, composer of the original music for Mega Man and Final Fight, and later a collaborator on Shovel Knight. Both will participate in a joint interview on Saturday afternoon, moderated by Luis García, and in Q&A sessions with the audience. These two names represent a significant part of the medium's sonic history.
Nintendo will have an official booth, a rare presence at state-level industry trade shows. There, visitors can try out some of the recent and upcoming Switch 2 releases at several gaming stations. The Japanese company won't be the only major brand, but its space will likely attract a significant portion of the queues and attendees' interest. Virtual reality experiences, simulators, and experimental video games will also be set up around the booth.
The heart of the event will be the gaming stations spread across different zones. The indie section will feature around two hundred studios and projects, from established teams to up-and-coming creators. Names like Devolver Digital, Super Rare Games, Raw Fury, The Behemoth, and Brainwash Gang will be there, along with Catalan and Spanish studios of varying sizes. The retro zone, meanwhile, will house one hundred and fifty classic arcade machines, consoles, and vintage computers, with space dedicated to Japanese music arcade games and fighting games. It's a selection designed so that no one will leave wanting to try something new.
The exhibitions complete the experience. My Famicase Exhibition arrives from Tokyo with two hundred Famicom cartridges illustrated by artists from around the world. The Museu del Videojoc de Catalunya, linked to the Super Boniato store, will display cases with historical material and offer guided tours in Catalan. Visitors can also see Gaming en femení, an exhibition celebrating the careers of twenty-five professionals in the sector, and Glitch Collection, dedicated to interactive and alternative installations from Germany, Argentina, and Catalonia. Heritage, experimentation, and diversity coexist in the program.
In the conferences and roundtables section, the Movistar stage will host talks on design, production, and the future of the industry. Speakers will include figures such as Rami Ismail, Géraud Zucchini, who will discuss Sol Cesto, and Eric Rodríguez, who will review his experience with Farlands. The event will also address the re-release of Gaudí: The Wind of Barcelona, an adventure inspired by the Catalan architect that was originally published only in Japan in 1989 and is now preparing a new edition for current platforms. Pianist Elena Loredo, known as Elesky, will provide the musical accompaniment with a concert. Education is as important as entertainment.
Competitions, business and visitor plans
Tournaments take center stage throughout the three days. Competitions are scheduled for EA Sports FC , Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Street Fighter 6, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Virtua Tennis 2, and Taiko no Tatsujin, among other popular titles. The competitive offerings blend options for casual players with matches that will appeal to a more specialized audience. Attendees can go from a quick game to a final with a major event atmosphere.
The highlight of the esports event will be the League of Legends match between Barça Esports and UB Alma Mater, pitting the Barça club's team against the University of Barcelona's squad. The UB's new university League of Legends league will also be launched, and Barça's women's Valorant team will be present. The aim is to bring esports closer to the local community and showcase the university's promising talent pool. Esports will have a distinctly Barcelona flavor.
Beyond entertainment, the convention aims to be an international business platform. The MeetToMatch tool will facilitate bilateral meetings between studios, investors, publishers, and other stakeholders, with an expected turnout of over 1,500 professional appointments. Among the attendees announced are studios such as Bandai Namco, 11 Bit Studios, and Kepler Interactive, along with national and international companies from various markets. The goal is for the event to generate contracts, funding, and long-term connections for the projects.
For visitors without a fixed schedule, the fair also offers shops, video game-related crafts, board games, and food areas. The former IndieDevDay retains some recognizable features, such as the awards for the best in the independent scene and the collectible sticker album that encourages attendees to exchange artwork. This ensures the event isn't just a succession of screens, but also a place to share passions and discover new creators.
The first edition of SAGA Barcelona Game Fest is presented, in short, as a comprehensive event that blends gaming, culture, competition, and business in Montjuïc. With Japan as the guest of honor, Nintendo as the main attraction, over 500 playable stations, 200 independent games, and 150 retro arcade machines, the festival aims to solidify Barcelona's position as a leading gaming hub in Southern Europe. The presence of the Catalan language, exhibitions, talks, and professional meetings complete a program that aspires to leave a lasting impact beyond the weekend and demonstrate that video games are a fully-fledged industry and culture.