Sidequest to NYC Video Game Festival 2026!

THAT’S A WRAP ON THE NYC VIDEO GAME FESTIVAL! 🎬🎮

Level 1 of the NYC Summer of Games is officially complete, and the energy at Brookfield Place was absolutely electric! Don't worry NYC is just getting started with the official kick off of the Summer of Games with the NYC Video Game Festival on May 9, 2026.

Mayor Mamdani as a Minecraft build! 

New York City is one of the fastest-growing hubs for gaming jobs in the country, and this administration is committed to making sure that growth reaches every borough,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani. “The students competing here today are building real skills — in coding, design, and collaboration — and we intend to make sure they have every opportunity to turn those skills into careers right here at home.

We spent the day on the show floor celebrating the 2nd Annual New York City Video Game Festival in Battery Park. The event was was sponsored by NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) along with a full event program showcasing the gaming skills of NYC schools students from Elementary to High School competing in the Mayor's Cup battling for the title of Best of the Borough (BOTB). 

Presenting the middle school winner MOME Commissioner Rafael Espinal was on hand to give out the first trophy of the day to Middle Schoolers Manhattan's NEST+. 2025 defending champions in the Elementary division, team Hyper Pigmentation from Brooklyn’s PS 889, took first place. For High School, Staten Island’s Tottenville won in their division. The students each built a sustainable NYC landmark creating inclusive spaces for all. The overall theme from all of the presentations focuses on togetherness, conservation, and energy efficiency. Students used Minecraft Education to showcase their creations, and the energy was high and the vibe was electric with HOT97 FM radio host, 

Gerard “HipHopGamer” Williams, hyping up the crowd. 

Gerard "HipHopGamer" Williams let his voice be heard during the competition,

I’m completely blown away, I saw a level of greatness in New York City that is not promoted and marketed every day and this changes now. BROOKLYN STUDENTS won the elementary championship in Minecraft, but NEW YORK CITY won the hearts of the community. We need to invest even more into this industry to show that gaming can be a path for a better society.

 

College students also participated in the The NYC Collegiate Esports Circuit Finals (NYCCEC), produced with Video Game Amateurs (VGA). The City College of NY (CCNY) won the League of LegendsⓇ competition. Pace University won the ValorantⓇ competition. For the first time this year, the collegiate finalists shared in a $10,000 prize pool thanks to Red Bull™ and proceeds from festival ticket sales. 

Here are our top highlights from our experience, and why you should visit next and experience the NYC Summer of Games 2026! 

• Battle of the Boroughs Mastery: The Minecraft Mayor’s Cup was a total masterclass in young ingenuity! It was amazing to see K-12 students from all five boroughs step up as junior urban planners, building epic, sustainable versions of NYC. Huge congratulations to the participants and the winners! As native New Yorkers, we were beaming with pride watching NYC school students compete in the Battle of the Boroughs. 

• Chit-Chatting with Indie Devs: We got to talk shop with some of the brilliant minds behind the local indie scene. Hearing their creative process and seeing their passion projects in action is all the proof you need that NYC’s developer community is unmatched. My sons loved the Work Simulator game, which gives students a peek into the daily life of actual professions in healthcare and law enforcement. There’s also a new game that incorporates PvP in real using a phone as a way to play, Thumb Wars!

• Tech for the Next Generation: One of the coolest parts of the day was seeing massive tech and gaming companies gather with a shared mission: bringing cutting-edge technology, hardware, and digital media career pathways straight into NYC schools. The future of esports and game dev starts right here in the classroom! I was so impressed with Community X. The people behind it are students themselves, and they help provide tech to schools like streaming tech, and more.  

What's in store from the Summer of Games?

Tribeca Games Gallery – June 10-14

Pier 57, Open to the Public | https://tribecafilm.com/festival/games    

Power Up Festival – June 20
La Bodega NY Studio, 696 East 135th St., The Bronx, NY 10454
https://powerupfestival.eventbrite.com/

PALEYGX GAMING & VR – July 15
The Paley Center for Media, 25 West 52nd St, NYC
https://www.paleycenter.org/events/paleygx-family

Games for Change Festival – July 21-22
The Glasshouse
https://festival.gamesforchange.org/

New York Videogame Critics Circle Stream-a-thon for Playing With Purpose – August 16, 8am-10pm
https://nygamecritics.com

Play NYC 2026 – August 22-24
Javits Center, 429 11th Ave, New York, NY
https://play.nyc/

GAME DEVS OF COLOR EXPO – September 22-25
https://www.gamedevsofcolorexpo.com/

If you missed out on a ticket, don’t forget you can still catch tons of the summer’s upcoming competitive action live on Twitch!

Here’s more info for the Summer of Games, and experience the fun in person!

Huge thank you to MOME for the invitation to New York Video Game Festival!