Support for LGF comes as part of a wider three-year £30m Games Growth Package for key programmes in the video games sector designed to back the next generation of start-up games studios and talent and drive inward investment in the sector.
London Games Festival is delivered by Games London, an initiative from Film London, the capital's screen industries agency, and video games trade body Ukie (The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment). Since its inception, it has been supported by the Mayor of London.
Today's additional funding from Central Government adds to the multi-year funding already committed by the Mayor of London. London Games Festival outputs in terms of investment and revenue generation will double, up to £30m a year starting in 2026, as the Festival continues to play an active part in supporting the video games ecosystem and UK economic growth, generating millions for the economy.
Adrian Wootton OBE, Chief Executive of Film London and Games London, said:
“Coinciding with London Games Festival's tenth anniversary year, this announcement is the best birthday present we could hope for! This funding will secure the future of the Festival, providing stability for our charitable objectives to champion, grow and make more diverse London and the UK's games industry, and support our ambitions to make this one of the most important Games Festivals and programmes in the world.
"Our thanks go to DCMS for their game changing support, and to the Mayor of London for their founding and long term commitment. Since its inception in 2015, London Games Festival has become an event of national and international significance, and we look forward to working with our national and regional partners to continue to develop the capacity of our UK Games industry as a whole.
“We also welcome the announcement of additional investment in the UK Global Screen Fund and the National Film and Television School.”
Michael French, Head of Games London and Festival Director, London Games Festival, said:
“With 100,000 visitors each year, London Games Festival has already become the UK’s no.1 video games event, and is hugely economically effective. Every £1 from our founding funder, the Mayor of London, generates £37 back for the economy. But this increased investment from national government will fast-track the festival’s ambitions to go further, help grow our capacity, and allow us to compete with global events.
“Funding will allow us to deliver an expanded festival programme, including more showcasing opportunities; to grow a number of our existing programmes UK-wide; and develop new ones. Our plans for international outreach, talent development and more cultural activity will all create an improved experience for businesses. This is a win for the entire UK video games ecosystem as we create a significantly larger cultural festival for video games with major global appeal.”
Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and Creative Industries, said:
“We are really proud that, since founding and funding the London Games Festival, we’ve seen it grow into a world-class celebration of our city’s diverse and dynamic games industry – drawing crowds of hundreds of thousands and generating millions for our economy.
“In the last decade, the Mayor’s long-term funding has supported incredible talent and helped establish London as one of the world’s largest hubs for games makers and more Government support is always very welcome.”
Film London established Games London in 2015. The capital’s screen agency is committed to supporting the screen industries, connecting ideas, talent and finance to develop a pioneering creative culture in the city that delivers success in film, television, animation, games and beyond.
London Games Festival has already established itself as the UK’s largest games event, with 100,000 total attendees annually, and recently delivered its milestone 10th Anniversary edition.
It is currently funded by the Mayor of London, who renewed support in March 2025, as well as programmes including the UK Shared Prosperity fund. The Creative Industries Sector Plan commitment effectively doubles the level of support, expanding the ability to showcase UK-made video games to an international audience of buyers, financiers and players. It will also increase the opportunity for UK regional and national partners through London Games Festival and Games London-supported programmes of activity outside of the Festival.
Crucially, it will help to further promote London and the UK as a video games centre of excellence to global investors and decision makers through the Festival and trade missions.
In terms of economic impact, London Games Festival is already hugely effective investment for London. Our calculations show that every £1 invested by the Mayor of London/Greater London Authority in the last decade has generated £37 back to games businesses, and a further £10 the wider London economy through every £1 invested. (Stats derived from Games London tracking validated by analysis from BOP).
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For further press information, please contact:
Haylie Read, Head of PR & Marketing
T: 07787 254 250
E: haylie.read@filmlondon.org.uk
Notes to Editors
About Games London
Games London is a groundbreaking programme delivered by Film London, the capital’s screen industries agency, and UK games industry trade body Ukie. The project is backed by the Mayor of London.
The Games London programme includes a number of initiatives to make London the games capital of the world. It re-established the London Games Festival in April 2016. Other areas of activity include inbound and outbound trade missions and work connecting and supporting games development skills in London.
About Film London
Film London is the capital's screen industries agency. We connect ideas, talent and finance to develop a pioneering creative culture in the city that delivers success in film, television, animation, games and beyond. We work to sustain, promote and develop London as a global content production hub, support the development of the city's new and emerging filmmaking talent and invest in a diverse and rich film culture. Funded by the Mayor of London and the National Lottery through the BFI, we also receive support from Arts Council England, and the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Film London's activities include:
- Maintaining, strengthening and promoting London's position as world-class city to attract investment through film, television, animation and games
- Investing in local talent through a range of specialised production and training schemes
- Boosting employment and competitiveness in the capital's screen industries by delivering internationally facing business development events
- Maximising access to the capital's film culture by helping audiences discover film in all its diversity
- Promoting London through screen tourism
Film London also manages the British Film Commission (www.britishfilmcommission.org.uk) through a public/private partnership which is funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport through the BFI, and the Department for International Trade.