A new event promises to connect business leaders and senior executives from the games industry with other industries to explore revenue, partnerships, and growth opportunities. The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) is launching the Interactive Innovation Conference (iicon) to showcase the influence of games and game technologies on finance, retail, media, healthcare, professional sports, and beyond. The inaugural gathering will take place April 27–29, 2026 at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas.
“Interactive entertainment now influences how companies across the economy think about technology, storytelling, and engagement,” said Stanley Pierre-Louis, president and CEO of The Entertainment Software Association. “With iicon, the decision makers in our industry can connect directly with innovators in industries like sports, finance, and media. This is the only event that will bring together this level of cross-industry leadership to explore how interactive entertainment drives revenue, grows audiences, and builds brand loyalty.”
ESA’s iicon features top industry voices
The event features a lineup of prominent speakers from across gaming, media, and entertainment. Confirmed game industry CEOs who will take the main stage include Strauss Zelnick, chairman and CEO of Take-Two Interactive; Yves Guillemot, co-founder and CEO of Ubisoft; Dylan Jadeja, CEO of Riot Games; and Brian Ward, CEO of Savvy Games Group. Programming will also feature senior voices from Roblox, Microsoft Xbox, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Scopely, AWS, 2K Games, and more.
Additional speakers come from organizations like Major League Baseball, the NHLPA, WWE, American Red Cross, The New York Times, and Yahoo, demonstrating the successful business impacts of games regardless of industry. Sessions led by Warner Bros. Discovery, Story Kitchen, and Skybound Entertainment will showcase the deep interest of Hollywood in video game IP.
As interactive entertainment continues to expand its influence, iicon reflects how ideas developed in gaming are shaping industries far beyond consoles and PCs. While ESA is best known as the creator of E3, iicon is not a trade show or another consumer event. It is a curated forum for executives and innovators across industries to network, build relationships, and explore new business ideas and partnerships.
It is a forum where the leaders shaping the future of interactive entertainment and global business are in the same room. By bringing together leaders from gaming alongside executives from across the global economy, ESA is positioning iicon as a place where meaningful partnerships and industry-changing decisions will take shape.
Registration for iicon 2026 is open now.
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