Game fairs in Barcelona: from Barcelona Games World to NiceOne
For years the big game fair in Barcelona brought thousands of players together at Fira de Barcelona. This is its story — from the Barcelona Games World show to the NiceOne rebrand — and what remains of it today.
For more than a decade, Fira de Barcelona was the home of video games in the city. Under different names — Barcelona Games World first, NiceOne Barcelona later — the fair grew into one of the major events of its kind in southern Europe, before winding down in 2022. Here we trace its history and the mark it left on the local gaming scene.
The history, year by year
The modern story of the big show begins in 2016, when AEVI — the association that represents the video-game industry in Spain — and Fira de Barcelona joined forces to launch a large-format event in Gran Via. The idea was clear: give Barcelona a video-game show to rival the biggest in Europe.
Barcelona Games World: the show that filled Gran Via
Between 2016 and 2018, Barcelona Games World was the name of the event. In just three editions it went from promise to phenomenon: weekend days overflowed the aisles of the Gran Via venue, with queues to try the big releases and stages dedicated to competition. At its peak, the fair drew tens of thousands of visitors across the weekend.
The format drew on the great European shows: huge publisher stands, playable demo zones, a main stage for shows and tournaments, and activities aimed at both the hardcore crowd and families. It was, without question, the high point of the Barcelona game fair.
The show, edition by edition
Beyond the commercial launches, what gave the show its identity were its themed areas. The esports zone turned finals into a spectacle with a live audience; the retro-gaming space rescued arcade machines and classic consoles; and cosplay earned a starring role of its own, with contests that filled the stage with characters.
Each edition adjusted the formula, but the skeleton stayed the same: play, compete, remember and dress up. That mix is what many visitors recall when they think back to the big Barcelona game fair.
From Games World to NiceOne Barcelona
The turn came in 2019. The event was reframed under a new name, NiceOne Barcelona (shortened to N1B), with the aim of widening the focus: not just video games, but "digital experiences" in a broader sense — content creators, technology, leisure and pop culture. The Barcelona Games World brand gave way to something built to last.
The 2020 pandemic, however, brought large in-person fairs to a sudden halt. After a difficult pause, the NiceOne Barcelona brand could not recover the scale of the golden years, and it was wound down in 2022.
What remains today
Today, Barcelona has no single direct heir to that big show. But the scene the fair helped crystallise is still very much alive: esports circuits, retro-gaming venues and arcade bars, a cosplay community and places to play scattered across the city. In a sense, what used to be an annual date has become something permanent.
This guide exists to keep track of all of it. If a new big game fair is announced in Barcelona tomorrow, it will show up in our agenda.
Other game fairs and events in Spain
For anyone after the experience of a big show, there are alternatives a train ride away. Madrid Games Week has for years been the largest video-game event at a national level, with a format very close to the one Barcelona once had. On the professional side, Gamelab gathered the industry around talks and networking for years.
- Madrid Games Week — the big generalist show at a national level.
- Gamelab — a conference aimed at the industry and developers.
- Regional conventions — manga, comic and video-game dates that include gaming zones in many cities.
Frequently asked questions about the Barcelona game fair
What was Barcelona Games World?
Barcelona Games World was the city's big video-game show, organised by AEVI (the Spanish video-game association) and Fira de Barcelona. Its editions were held at the Gran Via venue between 2016 and 2018.
Is there still a video-game fair in Barcelona?
The NiceOne Barcelona brand stopped running after 2022. As of today there is no single direct-heir show in the city.
The scene is now spread across smaller events, industry conferences and esports fixtures; in this guide we keep the agenda up to date.
Why did it change its name to NiceOne Barcelona?
In 2019 the event was reframed under the name NiceOne Barcelona (N1B), to widen its focus beyond "pure" video games toward digital experiences, entertainment and gaming culture in a broader sense.
Where was the Barcelona game fair held?
The editions were held at the Fira de Barcelona venue in Gran Via (L'Hospitalet de Llobregat), one of the largest exhibition grounds in Europe.
What could you see at the show?
The show combined a new-releases area with playable demos, live esports competitions, a retro-gaming zone, cosplay contests, talks and family activities.