Yorkshire Games Festival 2023 announces full programme of events with tickets on sale

Yorkshire Games Festival returns to the National Science and Media Museum for its seventh edition on 4-10 February 2023, with full programme of events announced and tickets on sale.  

The festival will feature a packed programme of talks, workshops, networking and Q&A events featuring high-profile industry guests, alongside the Young Developers Conference and the return of the popular Let’s Play! family weekend. 

To mark the start of the Yorkshire Games Festival, the popular Let’s Play! family weekend will return to take over the museum on 4 and 5 February with exciting gameplay and activities for the whole family. Throughout the weekend, there will be free drop-in activities where younger visitors will be able to beta-test new games from Northern developers, play the latest board games and analogue experiences and compete against friends on the big screen.   

Younger visitors can get hands-on with a selection of objects from the history of gaming, learn how to build a PC with Pudsey Computers or discover esports with Burnley College. Special drop-in workshops from the National Videogame Museum will unlock skills in geometry, perspective and problem-solving.  

Throughout the festival, the museum will also host the Young Developers Conference, aimed at Key Stage 3 students and designed to engage the games industry’s youngest and brightest stars. The conference will inspire and inform younger game makers about the opportunities available within the games industry.  BAFTA award-winning Impact Gamers will also be running Autism-friendly workshops suited for young people with autism to learn how to create mini dungeon level for a game. 

A highlight of the festival is also the impressive lineup of Game Talks featuring high profile industry guests, taking place on 9-10 February. Game Talks will include a range of exciting talks, and Q&A events from games industry insiders, who will help attendees further their knowledge and employability in the fast-moving sector. The talks will explore the range of roles and routes into the industry, alongside exciting fringe events with opportunities to network and gain first-hand career advice.  

The full programme of Game Talks speakers is available on the National Science and Media Museum’s website.  

Matthew Horsfall, Curator of Game Technologies at the National Science and Media Museum commented:  

“We’re really excited for Yorkshire Games Festival to return to the museum for another year with an impressive programme of talks, events and activities, including the return of our popular Let’s Play! family weekend. Our Let’s Play! weekend is jam packed with fun and interactive activities for the whole family to explore and play together. From board games and esports to unreleased indie games, the weekend is an opportunity for everyone to get hands on with gaming as well as hearing about amazing opportunities available in the industry.” 

Individual tickets and passes for Yorkshire Games Festival 2023 are now available and can be booked via the Yorkshire Games Festival webpage.