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Freedom251 › Blog › conference attendance

Game Republic New Horizons 2026 drew 461 visitors, but 76% growth claim remains unconfirmed

By Freedom251 Team · · 3 min read

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Game Republic New Horizons 2026 was held at Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough from 14 to 16 October. A secondary report counted 461 visitors, but the event organiser has not yet published an official 2026 total, and the reported increase conflicts with the headline’s 76% figure.

How many people attended Game Republic New Horizons 2026?

The only published figure located for the 2026 event is 461 visitors, reported by Global Breaking News on 16 October 2026. That report compares 461 with a previous figure of 259 and describes the increase as 78%.

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Game Republic’s official material confirms that the conference attracted hundreds of people, but does not state an official 2026 attendance total. Its 2025 recap recorded more than 250 attendees from over 150 companies. Because the organiser’s 2026 post-event total is not available, 461 should be treated as a reported figure rather than a confirmed official count.

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Did attendance really grow 76%?

The 76% claim is not established by the available authoritative material. The secondary report’s own numbers produce a different result:

  • Reported comparison: 259 attendees rising to 461.
  • Difference: 202 additional visitors.
  • Calculated increase: approximately 78% (202 divided by 259).

The 2025 official description used “more than 250,” while the 259 figure appears in the secondary account, so the underlying baseline also needs clarification. Until Game Republic releases a post-event attendance statement, the most accurate wording is that 461 visitors were reported and that the percentage increase remains disputed.

What was Game Republic New Horizons?

New Horizons was a three-day UK games-industry conference at Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough, presented as a flagship gathering for studios, developers, investors and technology companies. The 14–16 October 2026 programme combined education, deal-making and informal networking rather than focusing only on talks.

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Talks, masterclasses and technology sessions

The programme included talks from global studio leaders and developers, masterclasses, technology deep-dives and funding forums. An expo gave attendees a way to demonstrate products and services, while before-and-after parties extended networking beyond the formal sessions.

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MeetToMatch business meetings

MeetToMatch provided scheduled one-to-one meetings between participants. The secondary 2026 account reported 257 meetings. Game Republic’s announcement, drawing on 2025 attendee feedback, said more than 100 MeetToMatch meetings took place that year.

Indie Stars showcase

Indie Stars selected ten unpublished games from developers in Canada, the United States, Europe and the United Kingdom. Attendees voted for a favourite. The winner received a cash prize and 12 months of Game Republic membership, while the top three earned places at GaMaYo.

Pre-party and special programming

The pre-party marked the tenth anniversary of Behaviour Interactive’s Dead by Daylight. It featured a developer fireside chat, themed entertainment, food and drink, and playable sessions.

Who attended and what business opportunities were available?

Game Republic said more than one-third of its 2025 attendees came from outside the region, including London, the South-East and overseas. In feedback cited in its 2026 announcement, 89% of respondents said they secured new contacts and 28% said they secured a new project or deal at the event.

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Those figures describe reported 2025 outcomes, not independently audited 2026 results. They nevertheless show the conference’s intended role: connecting regional companies with national and international partners, investors and clients.

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What was the Investor Zone?

The Investor Zone was a dedicated investment-focused area delivered in collaboration with Games London. It was designed to give game creators and studios access to investor conversations alongside the wider conference programme, rather than separating funding discussions from development and business networking.

For a studio seeking finance, the zone complemented the funding forums, scheduled MeetToMatch appointments and informal networking. The available announcements do not provide a separate number of investors, deals or investments completed through the zone.

Official partners and programme ecosystem

Xsolla, Red Kite Games and Double Eleven were listed as official partners for the 2026 event. Games London collaborated specifically on the Investor Zone. Their involvement covered different parts of the conference ecosystem, including games commerce and funding services, studio expertise, major-development experience and investor access.

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What is confirmed—and what is still missing?

Point Status
Dates and venue Confirmed: Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough, 14–16 October 2026.
2025 attendance Confirmed by Game Republic as more than 250 attendees from over 150 companies.
2026 attendance 461 reported by Global Breaking News; no official organiser total located.
Growth rate Headline says 76%; the 461-versus-259 comparison calculates to about 78%.
2026 business-meeting total 257 reported by the secondary account.
2025 networking outcomes 89% secured new contacts; 28% secured a project or deal; more than 100 MeetToMatch meetings.

The event itself is well documented as a substantial three-day industry conference. The unresolved issue is the final attendance accounting: readers should not treat either 76% or 78% as an official growth rate until Game Republic publishes a definitive post-event release.

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conference attendanceGame RepublicGames industryMiddlesbroughNew Horizons 2026

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