Check out the top things to do in London for gamers, from huge conventions and cool tech hubs to dedicated esports arenas and quirky board game cafes around the capital.
Best cafes and bars with games in London
- Grab a pint from the on-site brewery and try out some of the games on offer at Four Thieves, including a VR platform and retro arcade games.
- Head to Shoreditch to enjoy a mix of pizza and video games for players of all levels at London esports bar, Platform. Check out its exciting lineup of events, which includes a game-fuelled bottomless brunch.
- Take your pick from cool retro consoles and arcade games (which run on US quarters) at aptly named Four Quarters. Top tip: pay a visit to the hidden basement bar at the Peckham location.
- Check out SideQuest's flagship London store in Chinatown, offering keen gamers a 12-station esports arena and private rooms for hire.
- Play all day long with Loading Bar’s selection of games for Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo consoles, plus dozens of board games and game-themed cocktails.
- Step into the future and play immersive computer games on a Wonderball table at Bounce, the ultimate London bar for ping pong fans.
- Find your new favourite board game at Draughts, with a library of hundreds of games across two venues in Waterloo and Dalston.
- Tee off a round of high-tech golf at Pitch's clubhouses.
- Sharpen your batting skills at Sixes Cricket Club using its bowling simulator and VR cricket.
- Choose from a game of bowling, beer pong or traditional darts at Lane7 in Victoria, before testing your luck in the funfair style games room.
Explore more arcades and top activity bars in London where you can combine food, drinks and good times.
Dedicated gaming spheres in London
- Escape to Otherworld, a VR paradise in Hackney offering 16 fully immersive multi-player games.
- Team up with friends and family for an exhilarating race at F1® Arcade, featuring full-motion racing simulators so you feel like you're really racing.
- Dive into another world at Sandbox VR, where players wear haptic feedback suits that add touch, vibration and motion into the gaming experience. A robotic bartender serves up drinks!
- Check out the Red Bull Gaming Sphere, where you’ll find regular esports tournaments, pro-gamer training sessions and workshops for new gamers.
- Get your adrenaline pumping during an action-packed VR session with your friends at the free-roam MeetspaceVR arena at Boxpark Wembley.
- Visit the home of the Stratford Spartans esports team at Belong to take your turn on a whole host of PC and console games.
- Don your headset and enter your choice of virtual worlds at DNA VR, a dedicated VR games arcade in London with immersive escape rooms and free-roaming experiences.
- Become a racing driver at F1® Drive - London, the official F1 karting track. Immerse yourself in the sport with simulators, challenges and exhilarating races.
Cool tech and game shops in London
- Go for a ride in a VR car and enjoy more tech-themed fun at the Samsung KX store in Coal Drops Yard.
- Drop by the Microsoft Experience Centre, home to a dedicated Xbox gaming lounge.
- Head to RazerStore London to discover the latest gadgets and try out products in the playtest area.
Top gamer and esports London events
- Explore new creative game ideas at Now Play This, a festival of experimental game design. 6-14 Apr
- Attend fascinating talks, prototype introductions and more at the annual London Games Festival. 9-25 Apr
- Celebrate the year's most epic games and esports at the BAFTA Games Awards. 11 Apr
- See who takes the winning title at the League of Legends World Championship at The O2 in Greenwich. 2 Nov
For more things to do in London, check out the best London restaurants, try out an exciting escape room in London, have a drink at a cool and quirky bar or find top events around the capital.
