Conferences and Festivals for Streamers and Creators in Russia and the CIS: 2026–2027

The main offline events for streamers and creators from Russia and the CIS in the coming months: Comic Con Igromir 2026 in Moscow on December 3–6 (a one-day ticket starts at 3500 rubles) and the SLAY streamer awards on December 16, 2026. The summer and autumn 2026 season is already over: VK Fest, IGROPROM, KRI, Comic Con Astana and Comic Con Tashkent have taken place, and their organizers have not yet announced 2027 dates. Among international events, the nearest is TwitchCon San Diego on November 13–15, 2026, and the next European TwitchCon will be held in Berlin on May 22–23, 2027.

Below are only the events whose dates we found from the organizers or in major media. The data is current as of the end of October 2026: before buying a ticket, still check the organizer's website, because postponements happen (Igromir itself was moved in 2026 from late October to December).

Calendar: events in Russia and the CIS

Comic Con Igromir 2026 — Moscow, December 3–6

The biggest geek event of the year in Russia. In 2026 the festival moved to the Timiryazev Center and became a four-day event: December 3 is open only to VIP ticket holders, December 4–6 to everyone. The program includes game presentations from major studios and indie teams, a 1000 sq. m Hobby World board game zone, Kinopoisk screenings, concerts, a comic artists' alley, the Kanon award and an anime zone.

• A one-day ticket starts at 3500 rubles, a three-day pass costs 8500 rubles.
• VIP and Super VIP start at 15 000 rubles: the fourth day, early entry and priority at autograph sessions.
• Prices rise as the starter tickets sell out.

A separate creator zone is not mentioned in the announcements, and the organizers promised the full program closer to the dates. For a streamer, this is the main chance this winter to shoot live content: thousands of cosplayers, game booths and lots of fellow creators in one hall.

SLAY 2026 — December 16

An annual awards ceremony for streamers. The host will again be Buster, and the categories include SLAY KING and SLAY QUEEN, the best streamers in Dota 2, CS, IRL, Just Chatting and multi-gaming, as well as Breakthrough of the Year and Couple of the Year. The venue, city and ticket prices had not been announced at the time of publication. Even if you do not make it into the hall, the awards are a handy reason for a watch party and live reactions on stream.

VK Fest — already held, next one: dates not announced

In 2026 the festival took place in four cities: Kazan (June 7), Saint Petersburg (July 4–5), Nizhny Novgorod (July 11) and Moscow (July 18–19, VDNKh). Tickets cost from 3000 rubles in Nizhny Novgorod to 9900 rubles for two days in Moscow. According to VK, Moscow drew 85 thousand people and Saint Petersburg about 70 thousand, and 55 creators performed and held autograph sessions in the influencer zone. For a small streamer, VK Fest is less about networking and more about a huge crowd for IRL streams and a chance to film meetups with big creators. If you stream in the VK ecosystem, read our breakdown of why a streamer from Russia should switch to VK Video Live.

IGROPROM and KRI — already held, next ones: dates not announced

IGROPROM 2026 took place on September 18–20 at the Amalthea business center of the Moscow video game and animation cluster in Skolkovo. It is an exhibition of Russian games, from indie to major releases, with a VR zone, car simulators, a motion capture studio, an esports zone, a cosplay parade and the Nash IGROPROM award. A one-day ticket cost from 1300 rubles.

The KRI (Russian Game Developers Conference) returned after a 13-year break and took place on June 26, 2026, in the same place, Skolkovo: more than 1350 attendees, 90 speakers and 50 projects in the demo zone, with VK Play and RuStore among the participants. This is a business event, not a fan fest. A streamer should go if they want to arrange early access to a game, keys or a sponsored stream with developers.

Sveti Gromko by Perfluence — already held

A conference for creators and brands took place in Moscow on September 22, 2026. The format: talks and meetings with advertisers and agencies. If you monetize your channel with brand integrations, watch for the announcement of the next conference: the dates have not been announced yet.

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan

Comic Con Astana 2026 took place on August 6–9 at Barys Arena and Alau Ice Palace: autograph sessions, a cosplay contest with a prize pool of about 20 million tenge, and gaming. In 2025 the festival was attended by more than 75 thousand people. Comic Con Tashkent 2026 took place on August 15–16 at Humo Arena, and a one-day ticket cost 225 000 sum. Also in Astana, from July 29 to August 9, Games of the Future 2026 was held, a tournament in phygital sports and esports (Dota 2, CS 2, PUBG, MLBB). It is a spectator event rather than a conference, but for a streamer from Kazakhstan it is a good reason for an IRL stream. None of the organizers has announced 2027 dates yet.

International events at a glance

A three-day pass to TwitchCon San Diego cost $249 until October 26 and $259 after that. VidCon has a separate Creator Pass for creators. DevGAMM is a business conference for developers: the most affordable ticket, Indie Dev, costs $170 per team of up to 10 people. For a streamer from the CIS these events are more of a benchmark: what the industry is discussing and which formats will appear on the platforms.

What a streamer gets from an offline event

• Connections that turn into collabs. Five minutes of talking at a booth works better than a dozen DMs. Agree on a joint stream on the spot and set a date. We described how to set up a joint stream technically in our article on co-streaming on Twitch.
• A week of content ahead. An IRL stream from the festival, a highlights reel, a booth tour, reactions to announcements: one trip covers several uploads.
• Contacts with developers and brands. At KRI, IGROPROM and the business days of festivals it is easiest to get a game key or arrange a sponsored stream.
• Meeting your audience. Announce in advance where to find you: even ten viewers offline give you great material and strengthen your community.

IRL streaming from the venue: filming rules

For the Russian festivals we checked, there are no publicly available rules on streaming from the venue: see the Visitor Rules section on the organizer's website and on your ticket before you go. If in doubt, ask the volunteers or the press office whether you can bring a tripod, a gimbal and a power bank.

The most detailed published rules belong to TwitchCon. Since 2026 it has had a separate IRL streaming policy:

• do not block aisles, stairs, entrances, exits or evacuation routes;
• do not stream in areas marked No Recording / No Streaming;
• an attendee with a special lanyard does not want to appear in close-ups: do not approach them with a camera, just like anyone who has verbally declined to be filmed;
• a request from staff to stop the stream must be followed immediately, otherwise you may lose the right to stream at the event or be removed from the venue.

These rules are worth following at any festival, even if the organizer has not written them down: ask permission from the people in your shot, especially cosplayers and children, and do not get in the way of queues.

How to prepare for the trip

1. Pack an IRL kit. A phone or camera, a lavalier mic, a gimbal, two power banks and a second SIM card from a different carrier: mobile internet slows down in an exhibition hall with thousands of people. A detailed list is in our article what you need for an IRL stream.
2. Prepare your contacts. A QR code linking to all your socials and your channel, and a short nickname that is easy to say aloud. Paper business cards still work on business days.
3. Arrange meetings in advance. Message fellow creators who are also going and set a meeting time. Ask the press office whether there is accreditation for creators.
4. Make an announcement. A week before the event, tell your viewers when and from where you will stream, and put the schedule in your channel description.
5. Have a plan B. If there is no connection, film on your phone and publish the recording or a highlights reel in the evening.

So that new acquaintances and viewers who come after the festival find a live channel rather than an empty chat, you can support your first streams after the trip: in the viewer management panel you can assemble a plan for the time you need, and for streams in the VK ecosystem there are separate services for VK Video Live.

Frequently asked questions

When is Comic Con Igromir 2026?

From December 3 to 6, 2026, at the Timiryazev Center in Moscow. The first day, December 3, is open only to VIP ticket holders. A one-day ticket costs from 3500 rubles.

When is VK Fest 2027?

The dates of VK Fest 2027 have not been announced yet. In 2026 the festival ran from June to July in Kazan, Saint Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod and Moscow. Follow the festival's official community on VK: the dates and cities of the new season will appear there.

Do I need accreditation to stream from a festival?

There is no single rule: each organizer sets its own conditions for filming and streaming, so read the visitor rules on the festival website. Press and creator accreditation gives access to closed areas and speakers: request it from the press office in advance, several weeks ahead.

Which event should a beginner streamer choose?

For content and meeting your audience, Comic Con Igromir or VK Fest: lots of people and vivid shots. For business contacts with developers, KRI and the business program of IGROPROM. Conferences for creators like Sveti Gromko are useful once you are already selling ads.

Can I film other attendees?

A wide shot of the crowd is usually not a problem, but close-ups, interviews and filming children are best done only with the person's consent. At TwitchCon this is written directly into the rules: you may not approach people who have declined to be filmed with a camera.

How do I find an event in my city?

Follow organizers' communities, the listings of city venues and gaming media. Small gaming and anime festivals in the regions are often announced a month or two ahead, and it is easier to meet local streamers there.