BEGIN:VCALENDAR
PRODID://WordPress//Event-Post-V5.9.2//EN
VERSION:2.0
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:Europe/Warsaw
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:+0100
TZOFFSETTO:+0200
DTSTART:19700329T020000
RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYDAY=-1SU;BYMONTH=3
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:+0200
TZOFFSETTO:+0100
TZNAME:CET
DTSTART:19701025T030000
RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYDAY=-1SU;BYMONTH=10
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:The Student Games Festival 2026
UID:https://instytutpolski.pl/newyork/2026/09/18/the-student-games-festival-2026/
LOCATION:
DTSTAMP:20261008
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Warsaw:20261008
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Warsaw:20271009
DESCRIPTION:October 8–9 Thursday, October 8 — Friday, October 9Palace of Culture
and Science (PKiN), Warsaw
Registration Form
Detailed Schedule
Event Details
Warsaw Becomes the Global Capital of Young Game Creators: Student Games
Festival at the PKiN on October 8–9
Featuring 22 of the best student games from 10 countries, creators and
experts from around the world, representatives from top game studios,
debates on the future of education and the job market, and the ceremonial
Best Student Game Awards gala—on October 8 and 9, the Palace of Culture
and Science in Warsaw will transform into an international celebration of
young game developers. This marks the second edition of the Student Games
Festival, an event bridging the worlds of gaming, science, education,
culture, and business. Admission to the entire festival is free.
Warsaw will soon once again serve as a gathering place for young game
creators from all over the globe. The event is designed not only to
showcase the most interesting student productions, but also to provide two
days of networking, workshops, lectures, debates, and portfolio
consultations with industry representatives. Organizers aim to create a
space where young creators can present their projects while gaining the
knowledge, connections, and skills needed to launch a career in gamedev.
22 Games from 10 Countries
A special festival zone will feature 22 top student games from 10
countries, selected from 192 submissions across 32 nations. The authors
will be on-site, allowing the public, industry representatives, and fellow
creators to meet the teams behind the nominated titles.
Additionally, the CV and Portfolio Zone will enable students to have their
experience evaluated by experts from renowned game studios.
"This festival is for students and about students, which is why this year
they are co-creating the event program with us. They know best what
knowledge and support they need," says Ewa Maria Szczepanowska, Director of
the Festival.
A Program Developed in Collaboration with Universities
A major emphasis of this year's edition is co-creating the festival
alongside students themselves. The conference program is developed in
cooperation with 12 student research circles from leading Polish
universities that train future game developers and game studies scholars.
As a result, workshops, lectures, and panel discussions directly address
the real-world needs and challenges faced by newcomers to the industry.
Discussions will cover topics such as employer expectations, game
production financing, and the relationship between education and a rapidly
evolving industry. Panels will bring together representatives from the
gaming sector, public institutions, academia, and culture. Furthermore,
academics from Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania,
and the Netherlands will debate the challenges of educating future game
creators.
Guests from Poland and Abroad
The Student Games Festival will offer opportunities to meet acclaimed
creators and international experts. Special guests include Rami Ismail, a
prominent independent developer and global indie scene expert, and Jakub
Dvorský from the iconic Czech studio Amanita Design (creators of signature
adventure games).
Creators behind major titles such as The Blood of Dawnwalker and The
Witcher series will share insights into AAA development. Representatives
and developers from companies like Bloober Team, CD Projekt RED, Larian,
and festival patron 11 bit studios will also participate.
Polish-Czech Video Game Education and Culture Forum
A key highlight of this year's edition is the Polish-Czech Video Game
Education and Culture Forum, dedicated to strengthening collaboration
between the Polish and Czech gaming sectors.
"To further boost international integration, this edition is organized in
partnership with the Czech gaming community, whose history can be explored
through the interactive 'Infinite Universes' exhibition," notes Paweł
Miechowski, Festival Organizer and game developer known from 11 bit
studios.
The exhibition highlights the history of Czech gamedev and its key
achievements. The forum operates under the honorary patronage of the
Ambassador of the Czech Republic, in cooperation with the Czech Centre
Warsaw, EUNIC (European Union National Institutes for Culture), and the
Czech Game Developers Association (GDACZ).
Best Student Game Awards Gala
The festival will culminate in the ceremonial Best Student Game Awards gala
on October 9 at 6:00 PM. Attendees will include public officials, cultural
institution leaders, academics, industry professionals, and student
creators.
Awards will be presented across four categories, alongside a special
Amnesty International Award for the best game addressing human rights
themes. The gala will be enhanced by a live performance from the music duo
DVA.
Organizers: Fundacja Kultura Interaktywna, Capital City of Warsaw, Mazovia
Voivodeship Self-Government. Co-financing: Ministry of Culture and National
Heritage (Creative Sectors Development program) and Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of the Republic of Poland (Polish-Czech Forum 2026).
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR