Africa Games Week (AGW), the continent’s largest annual gathering of game developers, publishers and industry leaders, will return to Cape Town from 6 to 8 December 2026, organisers have confirmed.

Now a fixture on the African games calendar since 2018, AGW has established itself as the leading business event for the continent’s gaming industry. Its core mission remains unchanged: elevate African game development, facilitate high-level deal-making between local studios and international capital, and showcase the talent emerging across the continent.

The theme for this year’s summit, “Levelling the Foundation: Constructing Africa’s Gaming Engine,” reflects a broader shift in focus. Rather than concentrating solely on showcasing emerging talent, AGW 2026 aims to explore the systems, infrastructure and partnerships required to build a sustainable games industry capable of supporting long-term growth across the continent.

The three-day programme will feature a combination of conference sessions, exhibitions, workshops and networking opportunities designed to encourage collaboration between African studios and global stakeholders. As international interest in African game development continues to grow, the event seeks to position the continent not simply as an emerging market, but as a source of globally competitive intellectual property, entrepreneurial talent and investment opportunities.

“Every year since 2018, we have gathered the pioneers of Africa’s video games industry and leading international publishers, investors and decision-makers to connect, collaborate and grow the sector together,” said Africa Games Week founder and organiser Rex Bowden.

“The journey has been incredible. African game studios are now producing bold, creative and globally competitive titles that regularly capture the attention of publishers and investors from around the world. The future of African gaming has never looked brighter, and we are thrilled to be bringing the industry together once again this year.”

The 2026 edition will continue many of the programmes that have become central to the event, including its conference and workshop programme, B2B meeting sessions, industry exhibition, Pitch Lab and Pitch Competition, the Africa Games Week Awards and a series of networking events and brand activations. Collectively, these initiatives are intended to create opportunities for studios to secure partnerships, investment and publishing relationships while encouraging greater collaboration across Africa’s increasingly diverse games ecosystem.

Applications are now open for speakers wishing to contribute to this year’s programme. Organisers are inviting developers, entrepreneurs, academics, technical specialists and industry leaders from Africa and abroad to share their expertise on topics that will help shape the future of the continent’s games industry.

The announcement comes at a time of increasing momentum for Africa’s games industry. Over the past year, international initiatives such as Google’s Indie Games Fund for Africa, Supercell’s Developer Grants Program, and new collaborations involving governments, educational institutions and private investors have highlighted growing confidence in the continent’s creative industries.

Interested parties can contact Menzi at menzi@gamesweek.africa for partnership inquiries. For everything else, head to the AGW website.