The third edition of Expo Gamers officially opened its doors on May 29, 2026, at the Marino Cvetković Sports Hall in Opatija, which was filled with visitors, international guests, gaming professionals, students, fans, and video game enthusiasts throughout the day.
This year's largest regional gaming event brings together more than 50 international program participants and features over 70 program items spread across conference stages, workshops, esports competitions, gaming zones, and exhibition space.
The festival was opened by organizers Marta Glažar and Valentina Mišković Yoe, who thanked the City of Opatija and all partners for their support and emphasized how much it means to them to bring the international gaming community back to Kvarner.
“We are extremely pleased to be back in Opatija and to organize an event that grows year after year. Opatija has proven to be an excellent host for international events of this type, and the support from the City of Opatija and the local community has been crucial for the development of Expo Gamers from the very beginning. We are proud to be building an event that connects industry, education, creativity, and entertainment,” said organizers Marta Glažar and Valentina Mišković Yoe.
The attendees were also addressed by Mayor of Opatija Fernando Kirigin, who welcomed participants and visitors from Croatia and abroad and thanked the organizers for their continuous development of the event.
“Expo Gamers positions Opatija on the European gaming map today. We are delighted to see such a large number of international guests and experts in our city, and I believe that each new edition will be even bigger, stronger, and more content-rich,” emphasized Mayor Kirigin.
The first day of the festival was marked by numerous panels, keynote speeches, and discussions with prominent guests from the international gaming industry. A fireside chat with Tim Downie, an actor known for his role as Gale in the global hit Baldur's Gate 3, attracted special attention from the audience. Through the conversation, the audience gained a unique insight into the creation process of one of the most beloved characters in the modern gaming scene, as well as into the world of motion capture acting and video game development.
There was also great interest in the lecture by Borislav Slavov, a multiple award-winning composer and author of the music for Baldur's Gate 3, who spoke through an interactive and well-attended lecture about the role of music in storytelling in video games and the process of creating musical identities for virtual worlds.
Throughout the day, visitors had the opportunity to follow discussions on regional cooperation in the gaming industry, moral dilemmas of using artificial intelligence, project financing, creative entrepreneurship, the role of women in creative industries, and the challenges of video game development in different parts of the world.
There was also significant interest in the exhibition part of the event. The Expo Hall gathered numerous exhibitors from the fields of technology, education, esports, and geek culture, while VR simulators, racing simulators, retro consoles, and the indie gaming zone attracted a large number of visitors throughout the day.
At Računala.hr, esports zone hosted qualifiers in Trackmania and Fortnite challenges with well-known influencers Pabs and Gall Sandall, and the day concluded with a big gaming quiz that once again gathered numerous competitors and video game enthusiasts.
The program continues today, Saturday, May 30, 2026, when visitors can expect another rich day filled with exclusive guests and attractive content. Among the highlights of the program are the big Baldur's Gate 3 panel "The Voice & Music of a Masterpiece", a conversation with Andrew Wincott, known for his role as Raphael, the panel "So, You Want My Job?" aimed at young people who want a career in the gaming industry, as well as many other discussions, lectures, gaming activities, and the final gaming quiz.
Throughout today, the Meet & Greet zone continues with Tim Downie and Andrew Wincott, where fans have the opportunity to take photos with the stars of Baldur's Gate 3 and get autographs on exclusive posters.
The program schedule and tickets are still available through the official site www.expogamers.com, and the organizers invite all interested parties to take the opportunity and become part of the largest gaming weekend in the region.
