Results of GameFest-2026: Uzbekistan Strengthens Its Position in the GameDev Industry

The international festival of the gaming and animation industry, GameFest-2026, concluded in Tashkent. Over two days, the event brought together more than 10,000 participants, over 100 companies, and industry representatives from more than 40 countries. The festival became one of the largest regional platforms for discussing the development of GameDev, animation, and creative tech.

The festival was organized by the Uzbekistan Creative Association with the support of the Ministry of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan. The program featured international studios, investors, game publishers, animators, digital artists, and representatives of venture funds. Among the guests were representatives of Behold Ventures, Ludus VC, Firstpoint VC, Google, Xsolla, and other companies.

Within the framework of GameFest-2026, panel discussions, pitch sessions, educational workshops, cosplay shows, and an international Game Jam with a prize fund of 125 million sums were held. Participants presented gaming projects for PC and mobile platforms, as well as animation works created using Blender, Unreal Engine, and Cinema 4D.

Also, as part of the festival, a closed meeting titled Investors Roundtable & Central Asian Game Alliance MoU Signing took place, dedicated to the development of the regional gaming ecosystem, investment opportunities, and international cooperation in the field of GameDev. The meeting was attended by representatives of international and local venture funds and companies, including Behold VC, Kameha VC, Firstpoint VC, Xsolla, Google, IT Park Ventures, Aloqa Ventures, Yoshlar Ventures, United Ventures, and UzVC.

One of the key events of the festival was the signing of an agreement to create the World GameDev and Animation Association, which will unite the international gaming and animation community.

During the festival, the strategy for the development of Uzbekistan's gaming and animation industry until 2030 was also presented. According to the plans, by that time, the number of IT Park Uzbekistan residents in the GameDev sector will increase to 400 companies, and the industry's exports will reach $1 billion. In addition, more than 10,000 specialists are planned to be trained in the regions.

Special attention was paid to infrastructure development. By the end of 2026, a specialized GameDev Hub with an area of more than 4,500 square meters, including Motion Capture and Lidar studios, is planned to open in the center of Tashkent. Additionally, $100 million in venture capital is expected to be allocated to support startups and local projects.

Today, the gaming and animation industry is considered one of the promising areas for the development of Uzbekistan's digital economy. According to the organizers, over the past three years, video game exports in the country have grown 21 times over, reaching $200 million, and the number of GameDev company residents of IT Park Uzbekistan has tripled, reaching 75.

Source: IT Park Uzbekistan