From massive expos and indie game showcases to high-stakes esports tournaments and anime-gaming mashups, the UK’s gaming calendar for the rest of 2025 is bursting with excitement. Whether you’re a tabletop fanatic, a digital dreamer, or an esports competitor, there’s an event just for you.
🧩 Major Gaming Conventions & Festivals
UK Games Expo 2025
📍 NEC Birmingham
📅 May 30 – June 1, 2025
The UK’s biggest tabletop gaming event is back, featuring everything from board games and RPGs to miniature war games. With support from names like Catan, Wayland Games, and Arcane Wonders, the Expo offers live demos, tournaments, seminars, and networking sessions like Speed Dating and Boot Camps for designers.
London Games Festival 2025
📍 Various Locations, London
📅 April 2 – April 13, 2025
Spanning over a week, the London Games Festival offers something for everyone—BAFTA Games Awards, New Game Plus expo, and Power Up at the Science Museum. Whether you’re industry-bound or just a fan of interactive fun, events like Trafalgar Square Games and the Games Finance Market prove why London is a global gaming capital.
Anime & Gaming Conventions
📍 Across the UK
📅 Various Dates (July – November 2025)
These fan-focused events pop up in cities like Liverpool, Birmingham, London, Leeds, Glasgow, and more. Expect anime screenings, gaming tournaments, cosplay, and special guests. Highlights include:
- Liverpool: July 12–13 (Horizon: MersEsports 2025)
- London: Aug 29–31, Nov 1
- Milton Keynes: Sept 13–14
- Newcastle: Oct 4–5
Develop:Brighton 2025
📍 DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole
📅 July 8 – 10, 2025
A major conference for game developers, this event features 13 tracks, free roundtables, and an Indie BootCamp. Speakers include talents from Remedy, The Chinese Room, and Melanin Gamers. Sponsored by PlayStation, Unreal Engine, and more.
Glasgow Indie Games Fest 2025
📍 Barras Art and Design Building, Glasgow
📅 August 9, 2025
This one-day indie game celebration showcases up-and-coming titles, developer talks, and interactive performances—a hotspot for creative innovation in gaming.
Sonic Con UK London 2025
📍 Novotel London West
📅 November 1, 2025
A full-day convention for Sonic fans! Expect exclusive merchandise, creator panels, and fan-led activities. A must-visit for lovers of the blue blur.
🧙♂️ Tabletop RPG Conventions
The UK’s RPG community continues to thrive in 2025. Here are key events to explore:
- Summer Stabcon – July 4–6, Guildhall, Stockport
- North East Tabletop Expo – July 11–13, Gateshead International Stadium
- Continuum 2025 – July 25–28, Cranfield CMDC Conference Centre
- Dragonmeet – Nov 29, ExCeL London
Each event offers RPG sessions, designer meetups, and plenty of merchandise and networking.
🕹️ Esports & Competitive Events
RLCS 2025 Major Birmingham
📍 bp pulse LIVE, Birmingham
📅 March 27 – 30, 2025
This global Rocket League event brings together 16 top teams. Hosted in collaboration with Solihull Council, BLAST, and others, it’s a must-watch for esports fans.
British Esports Cup 2025 (Finals)
📍 bp pulse LIVE (NEC Campus)
📅 March 26, 2025
Featuring top UK Rocket League players (13+), this national competition ends in a grand live final with a £5,000 prize pool—and a shot at RLCS broadcast exposure.
BLAST Open – Counter-Strike 2
📍 Wembley, London
📅 August 27 – September 7, 2025
One of the year’s biggest CS2 events is coming to London. Part of the 2025 BLAST Premier series, it draws international teams and fans to one of the world’s most iconic venues.
British University Esports Championship (BUEC) – Spring 2025
📍 Online and University Networks
📅 Ongoing
Organised by National Student Esports (NSE), BUEC pits university players in games like VALORANT, League of Legends, and Rocket League. A thriving competitive scene for the next generation of esports talent.
🗓️ Quick View: Event Dates & Locations
| Event | Dates | Location | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK Games Expo | May 30 – Jun 1 | NEC Birmingham | Convention |
| London Games Festival | Apr 2 – 13 | Various (London) | Festival |
| Develop:Brighton | Jul 8 – 10 | Brighton | Conference |
| Glasgow Indie Games Fest | Aug 9 | Glasgow | Festival |
| Sonic Con UK | Nov 1 | London | Convention |
| Summer Stabcon | Jul 4 – 6 | Stockport | RPG Convention |
| North East Tabletop Expo | Jul 11 – 13 | Gateshead | RPG Convention |
| Continuum 2025 | Jul 25 – 28 | Cranfield | RPG Convention |
| Dragonmeet | Nov 29 | London | RPG Convention |
| RLCS Major Birmingham | Mar 27 – 30 | Birmingham | Esports |
| British Esports Cup Final | Mar 26 | Birmingham | Esports |
| BLAST Open London | Aug 27 – Sep 7 | Wembley | Esports |
🎯 Final Thoughts
The UK gaming scene in 2025 is more alive than ever—from international esports tournaments and fan-centric conventions to developer summits and RPG gatherings. Whether you’re a fan, a creator, or just curious, these events are the perfect opportunity to connect, learn, and level up your love for gaming.