Thank you! See you in 2026

We’re back to playing — together. And we did it in style. Play – The Games Festival 2025 has come to a close, but the echoes of tumbling dice and epic stories turning into reality at thousands of gaming tables still ring in our ears. It’s been a unique edition — the very first in our brand-new home in Bologna. A bold leap forward that we proudly called Evolution.

More space, more events, more Play

The numbers speak for themselves: over 34,000 unique visitors made their way through the halls of the Festival over the three-day event — a remarkable achievement that far exceeds the turnout in 2024 and marks another year of growth for Play, with a +17% increase from last year.

With 4 thematic Halls, more than 200 exhibitors, nearly a thousand scheduled events, and 3,000 gaming tables constantly buzzing with activity, Play 2025 was not only our biggest edition ever — it was also the most attended. And our new home at BolognaFiere, with its 43,000 m² of indoor space, welcomed everyone comfortably.

A major highlight was the launch of a dedicated Trading Card Games area, joining long-time favourite sections such as those dedicated to board games, roleplaying games, our huge game libraries, and the bustling scientific games zone. This year’s science area welcomed more than 1,500 students from across Italy, in collaboration with six universities and ten research centres.

Play 2025: A Fantastic Evolution

Evolution wasn’t just our 2025 theme — it was the guiding thread of Play’s transformation:

A new venue, BolognaFiere, ready to host an ever-growing and diverse audience;
New services and larger spaces, designed to make Play more welcoming and accessible than ever;
An international outlook: Croatia, our very first Guest Country, brought fresh voices and ideas from authors and publishers alike.

And that’s not all. This year welcomed amazing guests from all over the world — content creators, GMs, indie authors, long-established publishers and exciting new talents. The evolution of Play 2025 was a challenge full of unexpected turns — but one we embraced wholeheartedly, because we believe every edition of Play should be the best one yet.

Let the Games Begin

Our motto “Come in. Choose. Play.” once again came to life, with over 2,600 game library checkouts — that’s more than one game loaned out per minute! — and thousands of games played. As our Art Director Andrea Ligabue highlighted, tabletop gaming has become a powerful social connector:
“Here, cards, tokens, and dice become catalysts for face-to-face encounters, helping to break isolation and fostering meaningful interactions.”

Thank You, Everyone

Thanks to those who played, taught games, organised them, shared stories or just had fun.
Thanks to the exhibitors, associations, publishers — and most of all, thank you (yes, you!) for joining us on this new adventure in Bologna. Your enthusiasm and support were our guiding light. We are evolving, but we’re still the same at heart.

We are looking forward to welcoming you back for an even bigger, even better Play.

See you in 2026. Happy gaming everybody!

The staff of Play – The Games Festival