BOSTON – Nov. 13, 2023 – Show organizers ReedPop and Penny Arcade reveal PAX East returns to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC) from Thursday, March 21, to Sunday, March 24, 2024, for a big birthday bash celebrating the event series’ 20th anniversary. Badges will go on sale this Thursday, Nov. 16, at 1:00 pm PT / 3:00 pm ET.
From its humble beginnings in Bellevue in 2004, Penny Arcade Expo grew from a local event receiving a little over 3,000 attendees in its first iteration to an international series of events gathering millions of gaming fans across Seattle, Boston, Philadelphia, and Melbourne.
Over the past 20 years, PAX has witnessed the reveal of titles like Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft and Borderlands 3, delivered keynote speeches from industry legends including former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé and current Head of Microsoft Studios Matt Booty, massive esports tournaments featuring some of the world’s most popular games and content creators, marriage proposals, the coolest cosplays, and more.In traditional PAX fashion, East’s attendees can expect the East Coast’s largest gaming event to feature its usual showcase of new and upcoming releases including never-before-seen demos and announcements, dozens of panels covering wide-ranging topics, esports tournaments, vendors, community meet-ups, and a ton of festivities to celebrate PAX’s 20th Anniversary, including exclusive merch, epic giveaways, surprise collaborations, and more.
Exciting announcements revealing keynote speakers, exhibitors, and gaming partnerships will be announced soon. Badges for PAX East 2024 will be available for purchase starting Thursday, Nov. 16. Four-day badges will be available for $250, and single-day badges for $67.
“As we start into the twentieth year of PAX, PAX East is sure to set things off in a spectacular fashion,” said Jerry Holkins, co-founder of Penny Arcade, Child’s Play, and PAX. “Years ago, we thought we’d never need a venue like Boston’s incredible BCEC. But gamers proved us wrong.”
LOS ANGELES, CA (November 6, 2023) – Today, FaZe Holdings, Inc. (FaZe Clan), one of the most prominent and influential gaming organizations in the world, and SteelSeries, the original esports brand that fuses gaming and culture and worldwide leader in gaming and esports peripherals, announced they will be launching a new line of FaZe Clan x SteelSeries co-branded gaming products, now available exclusively at Best Buy retail locations across North America and BestBuy.com. Paired with the announcement, FaZe Clan members FaZe Nate Hill, FaZe Proze, and FaZe Scope can be seen showcasing the new line on FaZe Clan social media channels.
With inspiration drawn from the FaZe Clan multiverse, the limited-edition collection features the classic FaZe black and red colorways and brings the iconic FaZe logo and FaZe camouflage to life through SteelSeries’ award-winning Arctis Nova 7 headset, Apex 9 Mini keyboard, Aerox 3 Wireless mouse, and QcK XXL mouse pad.
● Arctis Nova 7 Wireless Headset | FaZe Clan Edition – Featuring the FaZe moniker on the speaker plates and accented with FaZe camouflage on the ComfortMAX ski band, the Arctis Nova 7 is engineered with the Nova Acoustic System, featuring HiFi audio, supercharged by the Sonar Audio Software Suite. Delivering 360° Spatial Audio, the Nova 7 lets gamers hear the finite details that others don’t. Gamers can amplify the sounds of the expansive overworld and listen to two audio streams at once with simultaneous 2.4GHz and Bluetooth, easily swapping between PC, Mac, PlayStation, and Switch with USB-C. Stay in the action with a 38-hour battery and a fast charge function for six hours of use after just a 15-minute charge. Players will experience noise-free communications as AI algorithms guide the ClearCast Gen 2 mic to clean up both incoming and outgoing audio in team chat. The ComfortMax System delivers 4 points of adjustability and breathable AirWeave Memory Foam cushions for marathon sessions on any platform.
● Apex 9 Mini Keyboard | FaZe Clan Edition – The mini is mighty, providing everything gamers need in a small package. Highlighted with FaZe camouflage and designed for those who want to completely maximize their gaming space, the Apex 9 Mini’s 60% form factor gives users more desk space for big deliberate mouse sweeps and movements while offering all the capabilities of a full-size keyboard through printed secondary functions. Custom-built OptiPoint switches harness the power and speed of light for a 0.2ms response time and keystrokes with zero debounce. Double Shot PBT Keycaps are renowned for their durability, quality, and sound, so when gamers have key switches that last 100M presses, they have elite keycaps to match.
● Aerox 3 Wireless Mouse | FaZe Clan Edition – LIGHTning fast and adorned with FaZe camouflage, the SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless mouse is engineered for the fastest swipes, so gamers beat the competition to the trigger. When milliseconds count, speed matters. The Aerox 3 Wireless has an ultra-lightweight 68g design perfectly optimized for super light mouse swipes. A 200-hour battery life with fast charging ensures stress-free dual wireless. The TrueMove Air sensor, silky smooth 100% Virgin Grade PTFE glide skates for enhanced control and speed, while the water-resistant AquaBarrier™ provides safety. A USB-C cable makes for easy connectivity and aftermarket customization.
● QcK Heavy XXL | FaZe Clan Edition – Featuring the iconic FaZe camouflage in a black and grey motif, the QcK XXL Heavy Mousepad serves as a gateway to both the esports and FaZe Clan worlds. The pinnacle of surface performance, innovation, and style, the QcK heavy mousepad has been engineered with exclusive micro-woven cloth for maximum control and optimized for low and high CPI tracking movements. and a 900 mm x 400 mm x 4 mm playing surface provides players with maximum control. An extra thick, non-slip rubber base eliminates unwanted movement. SteelSeries gaming mousepads are engineered for all levels of play and are highly recommended by esports pros.
“We absolutely love working with SteelSeries and after years of our partnership together, we know from experience these products are the best on the market for our respective communities,” said FaZe Clan President, Erik Anderson. “Since our last collaboration, we’re proud to have expanded this collection into additional gaming gear and we’re thrilled to be featured in Best Buy for FaZe’s debut flagship peripherals with our SteelSeries family.”
From L to R: FaZe Nate Hill, FaZe Proze
The latest collaboration is a progression of the FaZe Clan x SteelSeries’ partnership firstannounced in 2018, followed by the debut of the co-branded QcK mousepad. As a sponsor, SteelSeries is featured on the official FaZe esports jersey currently donned by all of FaZe Clan professional teams including Halo Infinite who recently won the Halo Championship 2023 and Counter-Strike 2 who recently won IEM Sydney, CS2’s inaugural event in the new title.
“As the original esports brand that fuses gaming & culture, and the worldwide leader in gaming and esports peripherals, we seek to empower and inspire through our products, our style, and with our partners,” said Tony Trubridge, Global Esports Director at SteelSeries. “Our partnership with FaZe and this limited-edition collection truly embodies and showcases the fusion of gaming and culture at the highest level.”
Happy napping November! Ok, that pun wasn’t all that great, but we were thinking of November = a delicious turkey dinner that puts us to sleep :).
We’ve put together yet another great list of events you can attend this month! Thanks in large to your contributions in submitting events to the calendar.
We’ll often highight a ‘Top Event’ to showcase, but there are just so many this month to choose from. For B2C conventions, take a look at BlizzCon, Guerrilla Games Festival, WePlay Expo, among many others. For conferences, take your pick, they are all rather great events with their own unique qualities. Game Connection, Pocket Gamer Connects, and Unite are always favorites of ours, but so are nearly every other one on this list.
Check out this month’s event list below. You can also click here for the main calendar that includes events into 2023 and beyond.
When you’re in game development and working across international borders or, say, at a conference or convention outside your home country, how often do you encounter a conversation, a presentation, and other occasions where you wish you had an instant guide to help with translating?
Probably fairly often. Me included, when I’ve attended different events in different locales.
While apps, augmented reality (AR), artificial intelligence (AI)/large language models (LLMs), books, and other methods are available as options, the Timekettle WT2 Edge Translator Earbuds represent a mobile-friendly hardware-and-software hybrid approach, utilizing AI with efficiency and accuracy in mind, that may be the right answer for some who often interact with multilingual folks and crowds.
Let’s take a look and see how well the WT2 Edge earbuds can bridge those language gaps.
Front side of the Timekettle WT2 Edge Translator earbuds in-box (Image: E4G)
The package deal:
The TimekettleWT2 Edge Translator Edge Earbuds are bundled up in nested efficient black packaging and a frosted plastic front window, while including everything needed to get started in short order. Very nice and well-organized, especially if you like your packaging done Apple-style.
The WT2 Edge earbuds are included in a white charging case. Two manuals are also included: one for operating the WT2 Edge earbuds through the app, while the other addresses the care and operation of the earbuds themselves. Additionally, a short charging USB-to-USB-C cable for the case and extra ear hooks are also included. Last but not least, a physical Timekettle Fish Card for redeeming up to six offline languages to download is included as well.
Timekettle earbuds in charging case, manuals, FISH card, and other accessories inside the box (Image: E4G)
Specs:
2-way simultaneous translation
100% hands-free
Support 40 online, 93 accents, and 13 pairs offline languages
6.5 oz.
Battery capacity: 440 mAh
Bluetooth 5.0
Protective charging case
USB charging cable
Ear hooks for earbuds
Extra earbud sleeves
Getting Started:
As a first step, it’s a good idea to charge the case first before Bluetooth-pairing the earbuds. In other words, read the smaller instruction manual about the hardware first, then install the app when ready to pair the earbuds. This is the easiest part of operating the earbuds, as a world of translation options opens up after pairing is complete. In my case, I paired the earbuds with an A-series Samsung phone without issue.
The Timekettle app home screen, with the four main translation modes options on display. (Image: E4G)
Once paired, I was brought to the main app screen, which enabled me to explore Simul mode, Listening mode, Speaker mode, and Touch mode.
Simul (Simultaneous) mode allows the user to listen to two different languages, one through each earbud, except it’s a continuous flow, so an earbud can be optionally shared in one language or another.
Listening mode allows a user to listen to content in one language and hear and see it translated to a preferred language on the mobile device.
The Speaker mode is similar to Listening, except it can continuously play the sound through the mobile device speaker and adjust filtering for ambient noise for quietness or noisiness, which is a helpful addition. This is a fantastic mode for when attending events, when translating a single speaker on stage or for a longer video or audio recording to translate.
Touch mode is like Simul mode, except it allows people to tap to speak for a mic or the earbud to share earbuds. This would be optimal for a small group, say three or four people, who speak different languages and are okay passing a single earbud amongst themselves to carry out a conversation.
When exploring each mode, the app leads you through its features and allows trying out the default language test or trying a different language translation pairing (Image: E4G)
Every mode begins with a test run, to get users acclimated to the capabilities. Offline translation can also be toggled on, but unless offline language packers are downloaded (which are a paid option after using the Timekettle Fish Card), offline won’t be immediately useful. Settings that allow for text translation and chat, redemption options, and other settings are included. Also, having access to the archive of translations performed through the WT2 Edge earbuds and app is a helpful feature.
I tested the WT2 Edge translation earbuds with a English-to-Japanese conversation with a friend and videos in Japanese and Spanish (results cross-checked with native speakers).
My ears are shallow, but the WT2 Edge translation earbuds were a generally comfortable and stable fit compared to other earbuds I’ve tried, even when wearing them for a couple hours. Activating the earbuds is as simple as touch-to-turn on or off or to translate when using the app.
Performance:
The four different modes all worked as advertised, but I took a pretty quick liking to Speaker mode and Listening mode. These modes were quick at translating videos, such as game developer videos from different languages, to English. Touch and Speaker modes also may be a better fit for meetups and events, whether it’s having a conversation or listening to a foreign language speaker on stage. But every mode serves a distinct purpose for short or long form conversations, for a single person, a conference, a small group, and so on.
The sound quality was clear in every instance I’d used it, regardless of language used. Having a clear machine voice enunciate back certainly helped.
Charging the Timekettle earbuds in their magnetic clamshell case (Image: E4G)
Battery life for the WT2 Edge translation earbuds clocked in at about 3 hours for me, but that was with off-and-on testing. Different modes and usage frequency are sure to test the battery differently. In any case, keep the charging cord and case nearby if you plan to use them all day. Speaking of charging, it took me a little over the recommended hour-long time to fully charge the earbuds the first time around, and the window to fully charge from empty the second time was closer to 1.5 hours.
After testing, I determined the WT2 Edge translation earbuds’ accuracy to be good to very good overall, especially with formally presented audio and video. To riff on an old saying, occasionally some things are lost in translation. More complex phrasing or casual terms and phrases did not usually process 100% accurately. The speed of translation processing is generally uniform, so you may find it takes time to speak or post the text when engaging with a fast native speaker. But translation process is pretty quick, no more than five seconds to initiate the translation process.
Pros:
Smart, elegant design, from the packaging to the device operation itself.
Generally high-quality translation. I particularly enjoyed using Speaker and Touch mode, for my purposes.
Translates dozens of languages. If the other languages tested meet the performance of the few I tested, the WT2 Edge earbuds should be broadly reliable.
Speedy translation process, which may sometimes lag behind a fast live speaker, but it will eventually process the content you throw at it with few drops and omissions
Clear audio and playback elocution quality
Cons:
At $349 with online and offline capabilities (or $299 for the online-only version), this isn’t a low-cost option for translation — in terms of more casual users, in particular).
Can’t take phone calls or use for music, which is unfortunate for a top-end product.
Ideal for:
The Timekettle WT2 Edge earbuds are not necessarily for everyone with an interest in translation. There are other options that meet that objective, including less expensive options from Timekettle with a lot of the same functionality. Could you use these earbuds to, for example, translate characters in a game, while playing it, from one language to another? Sure, it would fun and doable, but it’s not really what they are intended for.
But, professionals who travel to international meetings or conferences often or game developers who work with people from different backgrounds, they may be looking for a speedy, largely accurate, reliable catch-all translation solution, with enough options to cover whatever language they may reasonably expect to encounter. They may look for offline translation options in parts of the world where Internet is spotty or not available as well. They might not want the hiccups from machine translation, less feature-rich alternatives, or don’t want to wait it out for AI solutions down the road — and for these folks especially, the Timekettle WT2 Edge Translator Earbuds would be a very strong choice.
gamescom asia unveils an expanded publisher lineup participating in gamescom asia 2023. 4Divinity, Arc System Works, Epicsoft Asia, Make Waves, Neopets, PlayStation, and Ubisoft are among the latest publishers and companies to confirm their participation.
Organisers also shared highlights of what to expect at the physical B2C Entertainment Zone exhibition area, from Main Stage performances to new zones within the Entertainment Zone.
Key Entertainment Zone highlights include:
Guest appearances, performances, and entertainment at the Entertainment Zone Main Stage
Meet and Greet sessions with cosplayers, content creators, and voice actors
New zones within the Entertainment Zone exhibition area, including the Retro Games Zone, the Board Games Zone, and the Indie Zone
The only satellite event of the world’s largest video games festival, gamescom, gamescom asia 2023 will be hosted in Singapore from 19–22 October 2023 with trade and public exhibitions, trade conference and several programmes for the public. Online shows PRIMETIME and STUDIO also return on 19 and 22 October for all fans.
For the first time since 2019, FXP Festival, the free Cambridgeshire computer game narrative, design and coding competition for secondary school and college students, will take place in person across three days at Cambridge Regional College next July.
Whether students are experienced in coding, interested in the creative concept and design side of games development, or have a passion for storytelling, FXP Festival 2024 is open to all students across two entry levels: ‘Year 9 to 11’ and ‘Further Education’. There are three competition categories that both entry levels can take part in, in line with a surprise theme that will be announced on the first day of the Festival:
Concept: teams design and map out the creative concept of an original computer game
Development: teams are tasked with the build and programming of an original computer game
Narrative: teams of creative writers will develop the plot and storylines for an original computer game
Alison Taylor, FXP Festival Co-Founder and Trustee, and Managing Director of Conscious Communications said: “For the last eight years, FXP Festival has given young people an exciting games development experience, raising aspirations of young people by building valuable skills. The main purpose of FXP Festival is to provide students with an important connection between what they learn in the classroom, their further and higher education options and the exciting job opportunities right on their doorstep. We are so excited to bring FXP Festival back as an in person event following the disruption of the pandemic – it is going to be bigger and better than ever before.”
First created in 2016 and registered as an official charity in 2020, FXP Festival 2024 will be guided and judged by experts in the gaming industry, including Mark Ogilvie, Creative Director at Jagex, who will lead the Game Concept & Design category. Alongside a practical experience, participating students will also receive mentorship and coaching from industry representatives on how they can enhance their games.
Mark Ogilvie, FXP Festival Co-Founder and Trustee, said: “FXP Festival is incredibly important to us in Cambridgeshire. It gives young students the opportunity to interact with the games industry firsthand and teaches them a vital set of skills that they can use for life such as communication, coding, design and project management. By breaking down the barriers that prevent young people from entering the games industry, we can help strengthen the recruitment pipeline and ensure the next generation are prepared to go on to explore the wide range of careers in the sector.”
Registration is open for FXP Festival 2024, which has a maximum capacity of 55 teams, available on a first come first serve basis. The Festival is open to all schools and colleges across Cambridgeshire and, thanks to its supporters and sponsors, is completely free to enter and take part in. All of the materials needed, along with catering and refreshments, will be provided to participating teams.
Information on registration and sponsorship opportunities can be accessed via the Festival’s website: fxpfestival.com
Happy spooky October! Red alert, we’re overloaded on events this month! We thought September was crazy busy, but check out below what’s going on in October! We’ve achieved yet another new record of how many events you can attend in a month (go ahead, we dare you to attend all of these at once!), thanks to your contributions in submitting events to the calendar.
Notice how few Online/Virtual or even Hybrid events there are this month? Everything is going back to on-site… for events, that makes sense. For a job in the industry? Well, that’s not what this post is about, so let’s move on :).
We’ll often highight a ‘Top Event’ to showcase, but there are just so many this month to choose from. For B2C conventions, take a look at PAX Aus, GeekGirlCon, EGX, among others. For conferences, take your pick, they are all rather great events with their own unique qualities. GAconf from IGDA and GamesBeat are always favorites of ours, but so are nearly every other one on this list.
Check out this month’s event list below. You can also click here for the main calendar that includes events into 2023 and beyond.
Ready for new growth and career opportunities from Games Job Fair Autumn 2023?
Join studios such as Redhill Games, Gaijin, FunPlus, GIANTS Software, and many more for 3 days of networking and fresh new fun, career-boosting activities ONLINE & ONSITE on October 25-27. The onsite part of the Hybrid Day takes place once again in Espoo, Helsinki area on October 27th.
Event Highlights
🎮 Expert talks, panels, workshops
🙋 Dedicated recruitment day
💬 Networking with games studios
💻 Unreal, Unity, and Art Challenges
📔 Creative and Animation Portfolio Reviews
🗺️ Hybrid Day 3 in Espoo + Afterparty at HypeHype HQ
The event features an agenda packed with expert gamedev talks, challenges, and other activities to help you grow your skillset and stand out. If you have been affected by layoffs and their ripples in our industry, it also aims to help you through a dedicated recruitment day.
How to Join
Just fill out this registration form and buy your ticket for Online or Online + Onsite access. Upon purchasing your ticket you receive further instructions by email. Don’t forget to join the Games Factory Talents Discord server and get to know the community.
Diverse Expert Talks Covering CoreGamedev Disciplines
The team put a hard focus on diversifying the covered gamedev specialities and aimed for topics in programming, art, quality assurance, narrative design, and more. Some talks include “The Language of Games: Exploring Verbal and Nonverbal Storytelling Techniques,” “Playtesting Best Practices,” and “Architecture Generation With UE5.”
Dedicated Recruitment Day
The first day of this October’s fair will be dedicated to recruitment. In light of all the layoffs and the increased uncertainty games industry professionals are facing, its goal is to provide you with as many tools as possible to adjust and thrive. Join for talks such as “Respawning with Purpose: Reinventing Your Personal Brand for a Career in Gaming,” “How to Break Into the Industry,” “My Burnout Story: From Acceptance to Recovery,” and more.
About Games Factory Talents
Games Factory Talents (GFT) is a talent attraction agency and event organizer based in Finland dedicated to the games industry. The group’s mission is ‘Connecting passion and talent’ from across the globe.
TOKYO – Sept. 21, 2023 – TOKYO INDIE GAMES SUMMIT, the digital and in-person Japanese event showcasing developers and indie games from both local talent and around the world, returns to Kichijōji for its second annual iteration on Saturday, March 2 and Sunday, March 3, 2024.
TOKYO INDIE GAMES SUMMIT’s debut event showcased more than 80 titles including favorite titles like Meg’s Monster, the adorable adventure RPG developed by Odencat, and Nyaaaanvy, the physics-based 3D feline fighter developed by Team DigitalMind.
Now returning for its second year, developers and publishers can display their latest works to both local and worldwide fans, content creators, and industry peers over the course of a two-day celebration, including a day for the general public to experience the latest indies.
TOKYO INDIE GAMES SUMMIT continues to serve as a catalyst for artistic collaboration. Returning to the vibrant, art-centric city of Kichijoji, the event also celebrates other creative disciplines with the latest anime, music, and manga on display.
“The indie gaming and art space are intertwined, and it’s been our goal to connect these communities under one roof for a celebration of both disciplines,” said Azusa Kawamura, member of the TOKYO INDIE GAMES SUMMIT Organizing Committee. “Last year’s event was met with great fanfare, and we are using that momentum to increase our offerings to both communities. We have exciting things in store coming this March, and look forward to reviewing this year’s submissions!”
TOKYO INDIE GAMES SUMMIT would like to thank last year’s sponsors who helped make the event possible, including Bandai Namco, Cygames, Happinet, Sacra Music, Kids Station, PlayStation, Phoenixx, MyDearest, Universal Sigma Games, TokyoFM, Acquie, Mebius, Mr. Gamehit, Mobb, Outright Games, PQube, Sapporo, Warner Music Japan, Bitsummit, Gyaar Studio, IGN Japan, and many more.
Date: 7 – 9 December 2023 Venue: Homecoming Centre, Cape Town
Drawing inspiration from global alternative games festivals, PLAYTOPIA is back in 2023 and marks a significant milestone as South Africa’s inaugural indigenous event dedicated to games and interactive art. With an impressive track record of generating unexpected worldwide successes, South Africa’s game developers and their distinct creations have firmly established themselves on the global stage. PLAYTOPIA aims to honour the nation’s multifaceted game development and immersive arts community, fostering inspiration for the upcoming generation of innovators, players, and enthusiasts.
By curating a selection of excellent local artworks and games, alongside contributions from international counterparts, PLAYTOPIA guarantees an unparalleled African celebration of gaming and technological artistry. This festival encapsulates the very essence of the future of entertainment, showcasing a convergence of creativity and technology that is truly unparalleled.
This year, PLAYTOPIA will offer an exhilarating two-day experience, offering attendees the opportunity to immerse themselves in both local and international indie games whilst captivating interactive and digital art. Attendees of PLAYTOPIA will have the chance to participate in talks and panels conducted by renowned international and local experts in the realm of Indie Game development.
Enthusiasts of gaming, developers, and event attendees alike will be spoiled for choice with an abundance of games, music, culinary delights, and immersive art experiences. The event will feature exhibitions by prominent South African interactive artists, alternative, artistic, and party games, a dedicated Super Friendship Arcade room showcasing games played with custom controllers, VR rooms, and much more!
PLAYTOPIA will close the festival on Saturday evening with an official after party at Tommy’s Chop Shop, hosted by Diskotekah.
PLAYTOPIA is proudly sponsored by Devolver Digital, Free Lives, Landfall, Super Hot, Raw Fury, Institute Francais and 24BitGames.
PLAYTOPIA 2023 LINE-UP:
PLAYTOPIA TALKS:
PLAYTOPIA 2023’s programme includes a 2 days conference, featuring inspiring talks from a hand-picked selection of trail-blazing game developers, interactive artists and playful creators. Focused on short and engaging talks, the conference aim to be highly accessible for all attendees. From fuelling the passion of Africa’s current game-changers, to being a catalyst for the next wave, the Playtopia Conference aims to celebrate and grow South Africa’s blossoming indie games scene, and continue pushing it towards being one of the most vibrant and innovative hotspots in the future for indie games and the playful arts.
SUPER FRIENDSHIP ARCADE
Super Friendship Arcade (SFA) represents an ever-expanding coalition of friends who employ games as a means to creatively influence The Planet. By establishing impromptu arcades in unconventional spaces, SFA dismantles the conventional notion of a ‘gamer’, celebrating games that are approachable, easy to engage with, and, above all, conduits for shared moments that unite people.
The central tenet of SFA’s mission is to underscore that games are inclusive for everyone. This inclusivity extends beyond mere gameplay—SFA contends that game creation is also accessible to all. Through game jams and workshops, the SFA collective shares their fervour and expertise with newcomers, with the ultimate aim of cultivating an even more varied and dynamic community of DIY game developers.
INDIE PLANET
Indie Planet is a curated exhibition space at PLAYTOPIA, showcasing highlights from other gaming festivals around the world. It’s difficult for South Africans to travel abroad so we thought, why not bring the world to us!
Keep an eye on PLAYTOPIA’s channels for more info to be announced soon!
ART INSTALLATIONS
A selection of interactive and immersive art installations by local artists will be on exhibit. Creatives who embrace technology to express themselves, will exhibit their artworks for festival goers to experience.
PLAYTOPIA MAIN ARCADE
At the heart of PLAYTOPIA lies the main exhibition arcade – a meticulously curated assemblage of games, immersive encounters, and interactive narratives. This showcase embodies a gathering of the most ingenious, dynamic, and emotionally resonant games from the recent past. Encompassing a mix of titles hailing from South Africa and around the globe, this exhibition encompasses lauded indie releases as well as hidden treasures that deserve more recognition. Its purpose is to honour the evolution of digital storytelling and the realm of playful art, presenting a testament to the future of these creative domains.
DETAILS:
Date: Friday, 8 December 2023 – Saturday, 9 December 2023
Times: 10:00 – 22:00
Venue: HCC Events Centre (Former Fugard), Cape Town
TOKYO – Sept. 15, 2023 – INDIE Live Expo, Japan’s premiere online digital showcase series connecting indie game fans all over the world, announces the return of INDIE Live Expo Winter 2023 along with the annual INDIE Live Expo Awards set to take place on Saturday, Dec. 2 and Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023.
Game submissions for indie developers and publishers are now open until Thursday, Oct. 5 at 11:59 am JST (Wednesday, Oct. 4 at 4:59 am CEST / 10:59 pm EDT / 7:59 pm PDT). Applicants can submit one title from their portfolio for free, be it a reveal of a brand new project, news for an upcoming game, major updates for previously-released works, or a sale.
“Summer Spotlight”, featured more than 50 games this past August. Heading into this winter’s showcase, INDIE Live Expo has featured more than 2400 indies to 88 million viewers across eight shows since its debut in 2020.
The annual INDIE Live Expo Awards also make a return for 2023, honoring fan-favorite games released between October 2022 and September 2023. A panel of esteemed industry experts from around the world will help select 2023’s award nominees, with all games eligible for Game of the Year.
“Knowing how incredible the submissions have been in the previous years, we are beyond excited to see what the talented creators around the world have been up to.” Said Ryuta Konuma, Founder and CEO, Ryu’s Office. “Thank you to all of our viewers, supporters and media partners for your support, and a special thanks to the indie game developers for your hard work and for considering participation in INDIE Live Expo.”
Rewatch the full stream of INDIE Live Expo “Summer Spotlight” on YouTube here. Developers interested in information about future INDIE Live Expo events and opportunities can sign up for the INDIE Live Expo Letter here.
SEATTLE – Sept. 4, 2023 – Show organizers ReedPop and Penny Arcade revealed today that PAX West 2024 will return to the Seattle Convention Center for Labor Day Weekend from Aug. 30 to Sept. 2, 2024. Additionally, PAX Unplugged, the most attended tabletop gaming convention on the East Coast, welcomes voice actor and Critical Role Game Master, Matthew Mercer, as the Storytime keynote speaker at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Friday, Dec. 1.
PAX Unplugged 2023, taking place Friday, Dec. 1, to Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023, will feature fan-favorite anime and video game voice actor Matthew Mercer as the keynote speaker for a fun and personal Storytime. Mercer’s many credits include the Game Master for the web series Critical Role, the voice of Ganondorf in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Trafalgar Law in One Piece Film: Red, Jotaro Kujo in Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures: Stardust Crusaders among countless others.
As PAX West 2023 draws to a close, the West Coast’s most-attended gaming event will return on next year’s Labor Day weekend. Friends, families, and gamers from all over the world will have a chance to visit the Seattle Convention Center from Friday, Aug. 30, to Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, to check out the most-anticipated games, watch intense tournaments, and attend delightful panels featuring their favorite content creators and game developers.
“PAX Unplugged is what I want around the end of the year, as more and more of my gaming time is spent around a table,” said Jerry Holkins, co-founder of PAX, Penny Arcade, and Child’s Play. “Plus, this is the show where you can get the purple versions of the shirts and coats and stuff.”
Media and content creators can register for PAX Unplugged here. Potential attendees can purchase three-day badges for $85, and pick up single-day badges for $40 each. Families can pick up Sunday Kids Day badges for their children aged 7-12 for $13 each.
