Gaming Fest makes its biggest return yet to Mexico City this October, and the entire event — from the 13,000-square-meter exhibition hall to the high-stakes esports final — is completely free to attend. Now entering its fourth edition, the festival organized by Liverpool is expected to draw over 52,000 gamers, cosplayers, and content creators to Centro Banamex between October 9 and 11, 2026. What began as a modest gathering has evolved into the largest free-access gaming festival in Latin America, offering everything from retro arcade cabinets and virtual reality rigs to K-pop dance competitions and voice actor meet-and-greets. For a community often served by ticketed conventions, the fully complimentary entry marks a deliberate push by Liverpool and its sponsors to remove barriers and celebrate gaming as a mainstream cultural force in Mexico.
Gaming Fest 2026: Dates, Location, and Registration Details
The festival runs across three days: Friday, October 9 through Sunday, October 11, 2026. Doors open at 1:00 PM on the first day. The venue is Centro Banamex, one of Mexico City’s premier convention spaces, located in the Polanco district. Admission is 100% free, but interested attendees must register in advance on the official Gaming Fest website. The registration process also serves as the gateway for accessing specific activities, meet-and-greets, and tournament sign-ups. Exhibitors and sponsors this year include HP-HyperX, ASUS, Huawei, Intel, AMD, and JBL, each building hands-on demo stations where visitors can test the latest gaming hardware and peripherals.
Reaching our fourth edition with this incredible response shows us that the gaming community in Mexico is not only growing, but is stronger and more united than ever.
What Makes Gaming Fest 2026 Different from Other Gaming Conventions?
Unlike major paywalled events such as E3 or Gamescom, Gaming Fest 2026 removes the financial barrier entirely. The free entry model, combined with the scale (13,000 m² of exhibition space), positions it as a community-first festival rather than a trade show. Liverpool, the organizing retail chain, leverages its own brand partnerships and physical stores to fund the event, making it accessible to a broad demographic. For English-speaking observers, the festival represents a case study in how retail-driven esports events can build loyalty among younger audiences in a market where disposable income varies widely. The inclusion of a dedicated Kids Zone by Disney Store, alongside adult-focused competitive gaming and indie developer spaces, further underscores its family-friendly approach.
The Coliseum: Esports Tournament with $150,000 MXN Prize Pool
The competitive heart of the festival beats in the Coliseum zone, dedicated entirely to esports. On Saturday, October 10, the Gran Final of the Torneo Liverpool by Intel takes place. Each player on the winning team receives $30,000 in digital wallet credit, totaling $150,000 MXN per squad. That prize structure, payable in electronic credit usable at Liverpool stores, is a deliberate tie-in to the retailer’s omnichannel ecosystem. The tournament also features meet-and-greet sessions with professional players, including El Venado, Devine, Lunlamy, MKLEO, and Malteada — names well known in the Mexican competitive gaming scene.
The Coliseum is designed for spectators as much as participants. Large screens, live commentary, and a stage setup create an arena atmosphere. Beyond the main final, smaller bracket tournaments and exhibition matches run throughout the three days, giving amateur players a chance to compete on a professional stage.
Four Themed Zones: From Classic Arcades to Indie Showcases
The floor plan divides into four distinct areas, each offering a different flavor of gaming culture.
Arcadia: Retrogaming and Virtual Reality
The Arcadia zone is a pilgrimage for fans of classic coin-ops. Working cabinets of Pac-Man, Street Fighter, Donkey Kong, and Asteroids sit alongside modern consoles, flight simulators, and VR stations. Attendees can compete for high scores on retro leaderboards or try immersive experiences powered by current-gen headsets. The mix of old and new deliberately appeals to both nostalgic older gamers and younger players who only know virtual reality through platforms like Meta Quest.
Crafter: Indie Developers, Hardware Mods, and Tabletop Gaming
Crafter targets a more hands-on audience: independent game developers showcasing their projects, PC hardware enthusiasts, and board game aficionados. Trading card games (TCG), strategy board games, and role-playing sessions — including Dungeons & Dragons and Catan — are run continuously. For indie devs, this is one of the few free-to-exhibit platforms in Mexico, offering direct feedback from thousands of potential players without the cost of a booth fee.
Pop Stage: Cosplay, K-Pop, and Voice Acting
The Pop Stage is the festival’s entertainment epicenter. Cosplay contests award craftsmanship and performance, while K-pop dance competitions bring energy from the music fandom that heavily overlaps with gaming culture in Mexico. Live bands, comedy shows, and voice actor panels fill the schedule. Confirmed voice talent includes Marc Winslow, Sebastián Japur, and Ricardo Tejedo — all luminaries in Spanish-language dubbing for anime and video games. Streamer Betjara will also host meet-and-greets, bridging the online and offline fan communities.
Zona Kids and Gourmet Food Court
Families are not forgotten. The Zona Kids, presented by Disney Store in Liverpool, features activities themed around Toy Story, Stitch, Disney Princesses, and Spider-Man. Meanwhile, the Liverpool Experiencia Gourmet food court offers a curated selection of dining options, elevating the typical convention food experience.
Featured Guests and Content Creators
Beyond the tournament pros, Gaming Fest 2026 brings a strong lineup of digital creators. Minecraft content creators Dasito and Bobicraft are confirmed, along with streamer Betjara. Voice actors Sebastián Japur (known for numerous anime dubs), Marc Winslow (a veteran in English-to-Spanish localization), and Ricardo Tejedo (renowned for his work on major video game titles) will hold panels and signing sessions. These guests draw young fans who follow them on YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok, effectively merging the online content ecosystem with a physical gathering.
How to Register and What to Expect
Registration opens on the official Gaming Fest website. The process requires basic personal information and generates a QR code for entry. Because capacity is limited by venue size, early registration is recommended — previous editions sold out their free allocations within weeks. Once inside, all exhibits, tournaments (except pre-registered team entries), and stage shows are free. Products seen at the festival can be purchased on-site or through Liverpool.com.mx, often with exclusive event discounts.
The Strategic Significance for Liverpool and the Mexican Gaming Market
Liverpool’s investment in Gaming Fest is not merely philanthropic. The retail giant has been steadily expanding its electronics and gaming departments, competing with specialized chains and online-only sellers. By hosting a free festival that draws over 50,000 potential customers, Liverpool creates a direct experiential marketing channel. Brands like HP-HyperX, ASUS, and Intel gain high-touch interaction with a self-selecting audience of enthusiastic gamers. The prize money being issued as Liverpool digital wallet credit further ensures that winners will return to the store ecosystem. The quote from Paul Cortinas, Liverpool’s Senior Buyer of Multimedia, captures the sentiment: “Reaching our fourth edition with this incredible response shows us that the gaming community in Mexico is not only growing, but is stronger and more united than ever.” The festival’s sustained growth — from a smaller first edition to the projected 52,000+ attendance in 2026 — validates that strategy.
For the global gaming industry, Gaming Fest 2026 exemplifies how retail-driven community events can flourish in markets where premium convention tickets are a financial hurdle. The free entry model, combined with a diverse programming mix that includes esports, retro gaming, board games, and pop culture, creates a low-risk, high-engagement environment. As Latin America’s gaming market continues to expand — driven by mobile and PC growth and a young demographic — events like this will likely multiply, each adapting local retail partnerships to build brand loyalty through shared experiences rather than advertising alone.
- When and where is Gaming Fest 2026?Gaming Fest 2026 takes place from October 9 to 11, 2026, at Centro Banamex in Mexico City's Polanco district.
- How much does it cost to attend Gaming Fest 2026?Admission is completely free, but attendees must register in advance on the official Gaming Fest website.
- What is the prize for the esports tournament at Gaming Fest 2026?The esports tournament, Torneo Liverpool by Intel, offers a $150,000 MXN prize pool in digital wallet credit.
- What makes Gaming Fest 2026 different from other gaming conventions?Unlike paywalled conventions, Gaming Fest 2026 removes financial barriers with free entry, funded by Liverpool and its sponsors.
