Gaming in Barcelona: the guide to esports, game fairs and where to play
The scene, the fairs, the esports circuits and the retro culture of the city — from the days of Barcelona Games World to the community that followed. All the video games in Barcelona, on one map.
Gaming in Barcelona, past and present
For several years, the largest game fairs in southern Europe filled a Fira de Barcelona hall under names like Barcelona Games World and, later, NiceOne. That festival wound down in 2022, but gaming in Barcelona did not fade with it — it simply moved out of the exhibition hall and back into the city, into the arcades, the competition venues and the rooms where people meet to play.
This guide gathers what is still alive: the game fairs, the esports circuits, the retro arcades, the cosplay contests and the everyday places where you can sit down and play. Gaming in Barcelona is no longer a single event on a poster; it is a year-round scene, and this guide is meant to be a map to it. Each zone below is a door into one part of that scene.
Esports in Barcelona
Retro & arcade
Cosplay
Where to play
Game fairs
Upcoming events
The esports scene
Esports are among the strongest threads in gaming in Barcelona. From open online leagues played every night to the live finals that once packed the fair's main stage, the city covers the full range — from grassroots play to professional competition. The community sits mostly at the amateur level, but a handful of Catalan teams have carried the city's name into European circuits.
Our esports section explains how the pyramid works — amateur, semi-pro and professional — which teams compete abroad, where to watch a match, and how a newcomer can take a first step. If you only read one page on esports, make it that one.
Game fairs in Barcelona
The story of game fairs in Barcelona runs through one landmark event. Barcelona Games World launched in 2016 and ran as the city's flagship show through 2018, before a rebrand to NiceOne Barcelona carried it to 2022. In its best editions the show pulled tens of thousands of visitors across a weekend of demos, tournaments and shows.
People still type "Games World Barcelona" into search engines, hoping the show will come back. The Games World Barcelona era is over, but it is worth remembering: those editions turned video games in Barcelona from a niche pastime into a mainstream cultural event, with families, streamers and hardcore players sharing the same halls.
The fair also gave retro gaming and cosplay a lasting audience in the city — arcade bars, classic-console meetups and costume contests that still run long after the main event closed. Beyond the city there are still large game fairs to visit; Madrid Games Week has long been the biggest generalist show in Spain.
Our game fairs page tells the full story, edition by edition, and points to what remains today.
How to use this guide
Use this guide as a starting point rather than a finish line. Each card below opens a deeper section: the esports circuits, the history of the game fairs, and where to play around the city. Whether you came for the competitive scene, the arcade machines or the wider history of video games in Barcelona, there is a door here for you — and we keep the agenda and the maps updated as the scene moves.
Gaming lounges, cybercafés and arcade bars, by neighbourhood
From the old-school internet cafés to newer PC-and-console rooms: a plain-language map to playing away from home.
How the competitive scene is organised, level by level
The rise and close of the city’s big game fair
What the fair left behind: arcades, classics and costumes
Frequently asked questions about gaming in Barcelona
What is NiceOne BCN?
It is a guide to video games, esports and gaming culture in Barcelona: the history of its game fairs, an events agenda, and sections on retro, cosplay and where to play in the city.
Does the NiceOne Barcelona fair still exist?
The NiceOne Barcelona brand — formerly Barcelona Games World — stopped running after 2022. This guide keeps its history and follows the gaming scene that is still active in the city.
Where can I play video games in Barcelona?
In gaming lounges, cybercafés, arcade bars and esports venues across the city. The "where to play" section breaks them down by type and neighbourhood.
What gaming events are there in Barcelona?
Game fairs, esports tournaments, retro meetups and conventions with cosplay. We keep the agenda updated as dates are confirmed.
Is there an esports scene in Barcelona?
Yes — from open tournaments and online leagues to clubs competing in Europe. The esports section explains how the scene is organised and how to get started.