Ukrainian Games Festival to Host Indie Showcase and Cultural Celebration in San Francisco During GDC Week
Kyiv, Ukraine (March 4, 2026) | Ukrainian Games Festival, which generated more than 2.4 million views on Steam during its 2025 online edition, will host its first in-person showcase in San Francisco during GDC week.
Taking place March 10-11, 2026, the two-day pop-up event will present ten playable Ukrainian indie games alongside traditional cuisine, an industry panel discussion, and a charity auction celebrating one of Europe's most resilient creative communities.
The festival will be held at 530 Bush Street, just steps from the Moscone Center, from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM on both days. Admission is free and open to press, industry professionals, content creators, and the public. RSVP HERE.
In recent years, Ukraine has become a notable hub for game development, driven by a growing ecosystem of independent and mid-sized studios. Despite the ongoing war, Ukrainian developers continue to release critically acclaimed titles across genres — from atmospheric horror to strategy simulations. Ukrainian Games Festival was created to spotlight these projects and connect their creators with a global audience.
"This isn't about sympathy. It's about showing the world what Ukrainian creators build when they're given a platform," said Ihor Pospishnyi, co-founder of Palaye agency and festival organizer. "We have studios shipping games while air raid sirens sound outside. Fortunately, nothing can stop determination and creativity rooted in our centuries-old culture."
The San Francisco pop-up is organized by Palaye, Ukrainian Games initiative, Leleka Foundation, and the Consulate General of Ukraine in San Francisco. Proceeds from the charity auction will fund medical equipment for Ukraine through the Leleka Foundation.
Event Details
- Where: 530 Bush Street, San Francisco, CA (near the Moscone Center)
- When: March 10-11, 12:00pm – 5:00pm
- Admission: Free with advance registration (no GDC badge required)
- Games Showcase. Hands-on demos of ten anticipated and critically acclaimed Ukrainian titles.
- Industry Panel. Tue, March 10 2:00 pm. "Navigating games distribution through uncertain times" featuring Maria Grygorovych (Executive producer/Head of Creative at GSC Game World), Olena Lobova (Head of strategic partnerships at Burny Games), Chloé Giusti (ID@Xbox Regional Lead Americas/ANZ) and moderated by Irena Pereira (CEO & Creative Director / Unleashed Games).
- Ukrainian Cuisine. Borscht and more (vegan options available)
- Photo Zone. Themed photo opportunities for all visitors.
- Charity Auction. 100% of proceeds will fund medical equipment for Ukraine through the Leleka Foundation, a U.S.-registered nonprofit operating since 2014.
- Tukoni: Forest Keepers (Dream Operator)
- STONKS‑9800 (Ternox Games)
- Hollow Home (Twigames)
- Back to Hearth (Podoba Interactive)
- Becastled (Mana Potion Games)
- DDoD (The Future Entertainment Company)
- Floralis (SolidCore Games)
- Warfactory (Terykon Games)
- Jitter (Berko Games)
- Titan Chaser (Stas Shostak)
About Palaye
Palaye is a Ukraine-based communications and publishing agency that helps game developers reach and grow their audiences. We collaborate with developers on PR and marketing, and host in-house industry events.
palaye.net
About Ukrainian Games
Ukrainian Games is a Palaye initiative that brings together Ukrainian developers and helps Ukrainian games reach a global audience. We run festivals and showcases, launch media projects, and build cultural and business partnerships.
Our goal is the long-term, sustainable growth of the Ukrainian game industry.
ukrainian.games
About Leleka Foundation
Our organization was founded in December 2014 when several Ukrainians in the United States joined their efforts with several volunteer initiatives in Ukraine to provide medical and first-aid supply to paramedics, ambulances, and hospitals.
In the time of the massive Russian invasion of Ukraine that started in February 2022, we are focusing on the urgent supply of critical medical supplies and protective gear to Ukraine's defenders and civilians. For this purpose, we have rebuilt our logistics chain to deliver all medical supplies to Ukraine and distribute them as humanitarian aid to end users throughout Ukraine.
Ukrainian word 'leleka' translates as 'stork' into English. In Ukrainian culture, the stork symbolizes peace, happiness, home and family. Leleka Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, our tax identification number is 47-2377309. Contributions to Leleka Foundation may be tax-deductible to the extent permitted by US law.
leleka.care
