Convention - Paris Games Week 2025: A New Era for France’s Flagship Video Game Event

By Mulder, Paris, Théâtre Marigny, 23 september 2025

 The press conference held at the Théâtre Marigny in Paris on September 23, 2025, marked a real turning point for Paris Games Week. The event, which will take place from October 30 to November 2 at Porte de Versailles, aims more than ever to cement its status as a major video game gathering in Europe. By bringing together key industry figures and announcing bold new features, this edition is already shaping up to be one of the most anticipated in its history. James Rebours, President of SELL, and Nicolas Vignolles, General Delegate of SELL, emphasized their desire to begin “a whole new era” for the show by relying on a renewed organization and prestigious partners capable of offering a vision that goes far beyond video games alone.

The decision to entrust part of the production to Fimalac Entertainment, led by Aurélien Binder and Thomas Held, was no accident. Known for their expertise in live entertainment, the group brings a skill set that transcends the traditional trade show format, aiming to transform Paris Games Week into a full cultural and visual experience. The partnership with Webedia, represented by Bertrand Amar, Head of esports and a key figure in the competitive gaming scene, adds further weight to this ambition, combining top-tier esports tournaments with original stage shows centered on gaming culture. Meanwhile, GL events Exhibitions, under the direction of Damien Timperio, ensures operational excellence, drawing on its proven ability to bring together diverse communities across strategic industries, giving the event a unique cross-sector dimension.

Announcements made at the Théâtre Marigny confirmed the ambition to leave a strong impression with a denser and more spectacular program. The main stage, the heartbeat of the event, will host daily esports competitions ranging from national to international levels. But the real innovation lies in the introduction of original shows designed exclusively for PGW. According to Bertrand Amar, the goal is to build bridges between video games and other artistic forms of expression to surprise visitors and offer them a one-of-a-kind experience. The ambition is reminiscent of Olympic ceremonies, a comparison all the more relevant since SELL explicitly drew inspiration from the organizational success of the Paris Olympics in selecting its new partners.

This new dynamic goes beyond esports and live shows. Paris Games Week 2025 will also spotlight trading card games with the Gala TCG, a true “event within the event” covering 2000 square meters. Fans will be able to discover, test, and trade around popular franchises such as Pokémon, Disney Lorcana, One Piece, and Yu-Gi-Oh. This initiative reflects SELL’s declared intent to “celebrate all forms of play, in all their diversity.” For seasoned convention-goers, this opening toward TCG represents a significant shift, as it unites communities that usually operate in parallel—video gamers and card collectors—under the same roof. The atmosphere surrounding live booster openings, tournaments, and trading sessions is expected to be electric.

The show’s layout has also been redesigned to improve flow and the overall visitor experience. Three major spaces will structure the edition: Hall 1, which will host major publishers and the industry’s hottest demos; Hall 2.2, with the GeekMarket for pop culture shopping and a Foodcourt for breaks; and finally, the Dôme de Paris, which will stage major international esports finals along with live performances and exclusive shows. The choice to invest in a prestigious venue such as the Dôme illustrates the organizers’ ambition to expand the show’s visibility, diversify its formats, and attract a broader audience.

In many ways, the 2025 edition stands as a bold response to the disappearance of E3, once the global summit of video gaming. While Los Angeles has lost its emblematic trade fair, Paris seems determined to pick up the mantle and deliver an event to rival the world’s biggest. The ambition is clear: to make Paris Games Week not only a national highlight but also an international reference point. Professionals will benefit from a redesigned VIP Business area to maximize networking opportunities, while families, cosplayers, retro gaming fans, and indie game enthusiasts will rediscover their favorite zones in a refreshed and reinvented form.

The press conference repeatedly underlined that this year’s PGW has not yet revealed all its cards. Organizers promised further announcements in the coming weeks, including iconic guest appearances and exclusive stage surprises. But even now, the 2025 edition already stands out as a defining moment for Paris Games Week. With its embrace of modernization, integration of cultural elements, and stronger immersive focus, it is set to affirm itself more than ever as the ultimate festival of video games in France and across Europe. Those stepping through the doors of Porte de Versailles between October 30 and November 2 will not just be attending a trade show—they will be celebrating gaming culture on a grand scale.

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Photos and video : Boris Colletier / Mulderville