PNN
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 28: As India’s Genenials (Gen Z and millennials) more and more transfer past digital interactions in direction of real-world experiences, STAN, a number one social gaming and neighborhood engagement platform, is ready to host the third version of STANFEST, powered by Garnier, on October 31, 2026, at Presidency University, Bengaluru.
Expected to carry collectively 30,000+ attendees, 1,500+ creators and 20+ manufacturers, STANFEST displays the rising convergence of gaming, leisure, know-how and social experiences. The pageant’s official trailer has already crossed 7.5 million views, highlighting the anticipation surrounding the occasion.
From digital communities to real-world experiences
Founded in 2022, STAN has grown from a house for India’s gaming communities right into a broader social ecosystem, with 50 million customers and over 60 million month-to-month interactions. The first STANFEST in Hyderabad drew 15,000 attendees, whereas its third version is anticipated to welcome over 30,000 folks, reflecting the rising demand for experiences that carry digital communities collectively offline.
This evolution comes at a time when India’s dwell leisure business is witnessing vital development, with the FICCI-EY Media and Entertainment Report 2026 recording 44% development within the organised dwell occasions phase in 2025. An EY-Parthenon and BookMyShow examine additionally discovered that 78% of surveyed Indian customers desire spending on experiences over merchandise, highlighting the rising demand for dwell leisure and neighborhood participation.
Evolving viewers with rising buying energy
As folks throughout age teams are more and more prioritizing experiences, leisure and shared pursuits, STAN’s viewers is increasing in direction of extra mature customers with higher buying energy. The platform has recorded 150% development in its 25-34 age group, whereas customers aged 35 and above account for 30% of its viewers, reflecting gaming’s rising attraction throughout age teams.
This shift can be driving demand for experiences on the intersection of gaming, rising know-how, leisure and tradition, from exploring AI instruments and new gadgets to connecting with creators and communities offline. For STAN, this presents a possibility to interact a wider, digitally fluent and aspirational viewers that’s fast to discover, undertake and spend money on new merchandise and experiences.
Beyond gaming: A platform for know-how, innovation and rising expertise
As STANFEST grows, it’s evolving into a gathering floor for gaming, rising know-how and digital culture-where creators, founders and curious audiences uncover new concepts, expertise what’s subsequent and join with the folks constructing it.
A key addition to this 12 months’s pageant is the Final Boss Arena, the place younger and impartial recreation builders will showcase their video games, many for the primary time, to a dwell viewers and join with enterprise capitalists and traders throughout industries to realize visibility and help their development. The initiative displays STANFEST’s evolution right into a platform that helps the subsequent era of gaming and know-how by rising recreation showcases and interactive know-how experiences, permitting attendees to discover innovation past typical leisure.
Why manufacturers are investing in community-led experiences
As audiences evolve, manufacturers are more and more shifting past conventional promoting to interact customers by experiences and communities they actively take part in. STANFEST 2026 will characteristic Garnier, Noise, Scapia, Google, Sony PlayStation, Gully Labs, Go Zero, ITC, Lighter and others, spanning private care, know-how, journey, gaming, vogue, meals and monetary companies. This various participation displays the rising relevance of gaming and digital communities for mainstream client manufacturers.
Beyond sponsorship visibility, STANFEST gives manufacturers alternatives for direct client engagement and product discovery, with STAN recording 190% development in model collaborations over the past three years. The platform can be increasing right into a broader social ecosystem throughout leisure, know-how and way of life by choices comparable to Jigri, STAN Shop and Yap Club, connecting various communities by social interplay, commerce, rewards and shared experiences.
Parth Chadha, Co-Founder and CEO, STAN, stated, “When we started STAN in 2022, our vision was to bring people together through gaming and shared interests. Today, these communities are evolving, with people seeking experiences beyond the digital world. From 15,000 attendees at our first STANFEST to an expected 30,000+ this year, we are seeing this shift firsthand. With initiatives like the Final Boss Arena, we aim to support emerging developers and connect them with the wider technology ecosystem, while bringing brands and communities together. Our vision is to build a social ecosystem where gaming, technology, entertainment and real-world experiences converge.”
STANFEST 2026 may even characteristic dwell esports tournaments, creator meet-and-greets, cosplay, retro gaming, leisure performances and interactive model experiences, bringing collectively totally different facets of India’s evolving digital tradition beneath one roof.
The third version will happen on October 31, 2026, at Presidency University, Bengaluru.
About STAN
Founded in 2022, STAN is an Indian social gaming and neighborhood engagement platform constructing an ecosystem round gaming, leisure, shared pursuits and digital experiences. With an viewers spanning Gen Z and millennials, STAN goals to attach folks by digital interactions and real-world experiences.
Website: https://stanfest.getstan.app/Tickets: https://www.district.in/events/stanfest-2026-bengaluru-oct31-2026-buy-tickets
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