Clarion Gaming World Gaming Week - ICE 2026 - iGBAffiliate
Is there the appetite to add a complementary co-located show from a parallel industry sector and if so, what sectors are on your target list – could you for example add an f&b/hospitality/hotel show?
We have already drawn the 2027 floor plan which includes Hall 6 - creating a new home for our big tech partners who want to bring their services more openly to the gaming
space. Hall 6 will also allow us to grow sectors that we haven’t prioritised this year.
ICE/iGB Affiliate London ’24 occupied 100,000 sqm, and ICE/iGB Affiliate Barcelona ’26 will be 124,000sqm (a 24 per cent uplift over the course of three editions) – what’s the next milestone?
Te five-year plan was driven by an appetite and desire to utilise the entirety of the FIRA Gran Via campus. Once we have utilised all corners, it will bring the show together in an even more meaningful way. We have already drawn the 2027 floor plan which includes Hall 6 - creating a new home for our big tech partners who want to bring their services more openly to the gaming space. Hall 6 will also allow us to grow sectors that we haven’t prioritised this year but for which there is demand such as Sports, Payments, MarTech and Compliance.
Where will that exhibitor growth come from - will it be existing exhibitors taking more space or new exhibitors from new jurisdictions?
It’s usually a little of both. Growth from existing exhibitors is the conventional events model. ICE Is a huge investment for the industry but their demand to evolve and grow their presence is testament to what ICE succeeds in delivering. New customers bring with them new buyers, so we are keen to ensure we attract brands from converging spaces to grow the product mix and buyer base in tandem
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Tat’s an interesting question and the answer is both yes and no. It would have to be in that converging space as I mentioned. We are huge fans of the hospitality technology space, so don’t be surprised if you see this grow in importance and profile over the next few editions.
If you went down a diversification path, would you look to buy an existing event or are you wedded to organic growth?
Whatever adds the most value in relation to our relationship with the industry. Organic growth is hard won, but extremely rewarding. However, we would also never discount acquiring businesses that have set-up in verticals and jurisdictions that are performing well. In fact, that’s been a strength of Clarion and a large part of our group’s growth during the 20-years that I have been with the business.
How big is the gaming universe in terms of the number of suppliers (potential exhibitors) and employees (potential visitors) – how close is ICE/iGB Affiliate Barcelona to that potential universe?
We are obsessed with TAM (total addressable market), but I have to say, gaming is so dynamic and fast-paced that any exercise to establish a total value quickly becomes outdated. For years the industry thought 30,000 gaming attendees at a trade show was absolutely the pinnacle, but the reality is that we have doubled that over the last four editions. We focus hard on the areas where our customers want us to. Te plan is a balance of science, data and aspiration in equal measure.
Is there an optimum size for ICE/iGB Affiliate Barcelona – if so, what is it?
Once you have seen how Mobile World Congress takes over the full campus, it’s hard not to want to replicate the flow, design and feel that event creates.
What is the strategic template/blueprint – which events provide the vision for the future?
Events that absolutely combine business-first initiatives, prioritising connections and industry growth, alongside creating unique and memorable experiences for all involved. It’s fairly straightforward to book a party venue, secure a DJ and have a free-flowing bar: don’t get
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