Games·eSports Seoul 2026 (GES2026) will take place at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) from September 18 to 20, 2026. According to Seoul’s official information, admission to the event is free. However, the requirements for free on-site viewing differ from those for attending the opening ceremony and forums, so visitors should check preregistration requirements according to their purpose.
Timing: The Main GES Event Runs from September 18–20
The main GES2026 event runs from September 18 to 20. Seoul’s official festival page lists DDP Art Hall as the venue and describes the event as featuring esports competitions, game demonstrations, exhibitions and experiences, and audience-participation events.
Separately, the integrated event announced by Seoul, “Enter-Tech Seoul 2026,” will run from September 17 to 20 around DDP and JW Marriott Dongdaemun. September 17 therefore belongs to the overall integrated-event schedule; visitors planning to attend the main GES event should use September 18–20 as their reference dates.
Because the main GES event and the integrated event differ by one day, confirm your visiting date first.
Main Schedule: Check Competitions and Exhibitions by Venue
DDP offers more than one way to enjoy games and esports. Art Hall 2 will host the Hyundai N Virtual Cup, presented with Hyundai Motor Company. The program will combine Gran Turismo 7 sim-racing competitions with an exhibition of real racing cars, and is scheduled to include opening rounds, matches featuring sim-racing drivers, event matches with automotive and gaming influencers, and the Seoul Cup sim-racing league for university students.
The Conference Hall will host the Krafton-partnered PUBG Weekly Series Phase 2 professional-team competition, a Riftbound tournament, and the youth and senior divisions of the 2026 Seoul Cup. The 2026 Seoul Cup finals will be held at DDP on September 19. The youth division will feature League of Legends team matches, while the senior division will be a StarCraft: Remastered individual competition.
| Venue / Program | Confirmed viewing content |
|---|---|
| Art Hall 2 | Hyundai N Virtual Cup, sim-racing competitions, event matches, university-student Seoul Cup sim-racing league |
| Conference Hall | PWS Phase 2 professional-team competition, Riftbound, 2026 Seoul Cup matches |
| Eoullim Square | Five Hyundai Motor Company racing cars, arcade-game play zone |
| Event-wide | Game demonstrations, exhibitions and experiences, participation events, and spaces linked to game IP exhibitions and contests |
Eoullim Square will feature five Hyundai Motor Company racing cars and an arcade-game play zone. The arcade zone is scheduled to operate from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. throughout the event. This operating schedule can be used when planning time in that area, but the exact start times of individual matches have not been confirmed in the same way.
Game Exhibitions and Experiences: From IP Booths to AI Games
The event will also feature the Seoul Game Alley indie-game joint pavilion and a presentation and awards area for works developed through the Seoul Play-Up AI Game Challenge. The AI Game Challenge is a contest seeking AI-powered games themed around Seoul. Final works are scheduled to be presented and awarded at GES2026 and displayed in a dedicated booth.
The Seoul Business Agency and Com2uS signed a memorandum of understanding to operate major game IP exhibition booths and citizen-participation programs at GES2026. Visitors will therefore be able to explore not only competitions but also game IP exhibitions, the indie-game joint pavilion, and contest-entry displays and other hands-on content.
The Hyundai N x Racing Master Cup finals are expected to include representative players from major Asian regions, including South Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. A defining feature of this event is the combination of programs ranging from sim-racing and mobile racing to indie games and AI games.
Planning Your Visit: Choose Dates and Areas by Interest
Rather than visiting after checking only that admission is free, it is better to decide first which programs you want to see. If a specific competition is your priority, you can place the 2026 Seoul Cup finals on September 19 at the top of your schedule. Visitors interested in cars and racing games can combine the Hyundai N Virtual Cup programs in Art Hall 2 with the exhibition in Eoullim Square.
If your goal is game experiences and exhibitions, focus on the Seoul Game Alley indie-game joint pavilion, the dedicated Seoul Play-Up AI Game Challenge space, and the game IP exhibition booths. The arcade zone is scheduled to operate from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., which may help visitors looking for hands-on activities plan their time.
Reservations and Registration: Free On-Site Admission Is Different from Preregistration
Seoul’s official information states that admission to the event is free. It also says that advance applicants may enter more quickly and provides a Naver Reservation link. General exhibitions, experiences, and on-site programs can therefore be treated as free to attend, while visitors who want to reduce waiting and enter more quickly should check advance registration.
The opening ceremony and forums have separate requirements. According to Seoul’s information, preregistration is required for the opening ceremony and forums, while citizens can participate in major programs such as exhibitions and experiences on site. Free admission does not mean that every program’s seating or registration process is automatically covered, so visitors who plan to attend the opening ceremony or forums should check the separate registration notice.
Possible Changes: Recheck the Official Notices for Detailed Times
The information currently available includes the main event dates, some competition and experience programs, and the arcade zone’s operating hours. However, the official GES website returned a 403 error when checked, so detailed day-by-day schedules and some registration requirements could not be verified directly.
Accordingly, distinguish between the confirmed presence of programs such as the Hyundai N Virtual Cup, PWS Phase 2, Riftbound, and the Seoul Cup and the exact starting times of individual matches. Immediately before the event, visitors should recheck Seoul’s official information and subsequent notices for daily schedules, area-by-area operating details, and opening-ceremony and forum registration requirements. Publicized programs may also change shortly before the event, so it is safest to adjust your route based on the final notice before visiting.