ACMI has announced the opening of Game Worlds, a major new exhibition spotlighting “original concept art, rare objects, playable demos and never-before-seen designs” from a range of 30 pioneering games, including The Sims, World of Warcraft, and Neopets, as well as anticipated Australian-made releases. This exhibit is set to be on show between 18 September 2025 and 8 February 2026, and it’ll be a major flagship for the museum in these months.
Visitors will be able to wander through a curated space celebrating the realms of each game represented, and “play video games in ways they can’t at home.” This includes being able to play older games, as well as competing against world record-breaking speedruns, for bragging rights. Per ACMI, Game Worlds aims to “unlock new levels of wonder” by allowing visitors to explore video games in a whole new way.
For now, just the first three games of the exhibition have been revealed, but ACMI has promised more reveals in July, in the lead-up to the event. In any case, the lineup is already looking spectacular, with Neopets being a particularly novel choice for the showcase. It’s not often considered such an important part of modern gaming, but it has a vast legacy worth discussing.
The Sims getting another chance to shine after the fervour of the 25th anniversary celebrations at ACMI is also well-deserved. Likewise, World of Warcraft remains an essential game, for its impact on the MMORPG space and social gaming.
Read: The Sims 25th celebration at ACMI was full of whimsy and nostalgia
We expect the rest of the lineup will be just as worthy – but we’ll have to stay tuned to see what else Game Worlds will contain. For its part, the ACMI team is incredibly excited about what’s to come, and for audiences to finally see what they’ve been working on.
“As the home of video games in Australia, Game Worlds celebrates the continuous evolution of this century’s defining artform,” Seb Chan, ACMI Director and CEO said. “It builds on ACMI’s multi-decade experience in making video game exhibitions, and our long-term support of the Australian video game sector through preservation, education, industry partnerships, and our dedicated Games Lab.”
Game Worlds co-curators Bethan Johnson and Jini Maxwell were similarly enthusiastic.
“Video game worlds are meticulously shaped by both game developers and player communities – and the experiences we have within them shape us right back,” they said in a joint statement.
“From the multi-planar worlds of Azeroth, to the haunted platforms of Pharloom, Game Worlds celebrates the groundbreaking feats of engineering, design and artistry that bring video game worlds into being, and the communities and creativity that then bring them to life. Our exhibition is a tribute to creativity, community and ambition that have made video games the most popular entertainment medium on the planet.”
ACMI calls for microgame submissions
In addition to spotlighting 30 iconic games within the Game Worlds exhibition, ACMI is also calling for Australian creators to submit ideas for a series of dedicated microgame commissions. Up to AUD $10,000 is on offer for creators (teams or individuals) to develop browser-based games to be playable in ACMI’s public spaces while Game Worlds is running. You can learn more about the application process on the ACMI website.
ACMI will announce additional programming, including community nights, talks, screenings, and activities in the coming months, so stay tuned for more details.
Those keen to secure tickets to Game Worlds will be able to do so in a presale from 3 July 2025, with general public tickets available from 17 July 2025. A waitlist for the exhibit is now available via ACMI.
