Gothenburg Book Fair 2026 Theme: Games

At the 2026 Gothenburg Book Fair, games finally take center stage – in Sweden, one of the world’s leading gaming nations.
More than 4.7 million Swedes play games, the Swedish games industry is growing rapidly, and it dominates both sales charts and international award shows. Yet the walls between the gaming world and the rest of culture remain high.

The Book Fair wants to change that.

Games are storytelling, language, and creation. That’s why this year’s theme aims to spark new creative conversations between game developers, authors, educators, and the wider cultural community.

At this year’s fair, players, game creators, studios, educational programs, and organizations meet. Visitors can try games, explore future study opportunities, gain insight into a world that many adults find difficult to enter, and take part in in-depth discussions about the possibilities of storytelling.

In addition to digital games, board games and role-playing games are highlighted — a rich and long-established part of Swedish culture that has often been overlooked in mainstream cultural contexts.

The theme is presented in collaboration with Göteborg & Co.