Next month, the Powerhouse is partnering with City of Parramatta, Screen Australia and Screen NSW to introduce ALT: Games, a brand new Sydney-based games festival. Taking place 12-14 April 2025 in Parramatta, ALT: GAMES is set to be the first festival of its kind in Sydney, and will feature an exciting collection of installations, education sessions and a free digital showcase, as well as huge international guests, and some of the best burgeoning talent the state has to offer.
“ALT: GAMES has been curated and designed to support both the games industry and community, not only through the promotion of games but through fostering creativity and connection,” said Chloe Appleby, Powerhouse Games Curator, in a press release. “As a major initiative from Powerhouse Games, Powerhouse is committed to highlighting the breadth of games as a leading contemporary cultural medium.”
The festival will be comprised of segments including ALT: PLAY, a free digital games showcase allowing attendees to have a go at playing a range of both in-development and newly released titles; ALT: EX, a showcase curated by local games collective Serenade that seeks to explore more diverse and experimental work; and ALT: SESSIONS, a series of “deep-dive” workshops that aim to provide insight and experience from industry members across multiple disciplines.
These will go hand-in-hand with ALT: FEATURES, which is comprised of a keynote address from Lemonade Games’ Ally McLean Hennessy and an in-conversation session with special international guests; and ALT: INSTALLATION, an exhibition featuring Playfool’s work, How (not) to get hit by a self-driving car for the first time in Australia.
ALT: GAMES is shining a spotlight on industry talent
The festival is set to be headlined by two international guests: Daniel Mullins (award-winning developer of 2021’s runaway hit Inscryption) and Richard Garfield (creator of the widely popular Magic: The Gathering). Mullins will be running an informal pitching session, with applications now open for budding developers to submit their game for pitching, and Garfield will be speaking on the importance of game balance in game design.
Read: Getting into Magic: The Gathering as an adult has reshaped my brain
Alongside these guests, there will be a series of informative sessions – including a free First Nations-focused workshop led by the team at GUCK, a game writing workshop from Massive Monster’s JoJo Zhou, a talk from Playfool’s Daniel Coppen and Tomo Kihara on how they engage with play, and a ‘how to write about games’ media workshop delivered by yours truly (Steph Panecasio).
It’s a stacked program, with pitching applications open and tickets now available for each session. Whether you’re keen to play some upcoming games or learn from industry experts in an array of fields, it’s safe to say that ALT: GAMES has been curated to cover all bases.
“With talent like AGDA Rising Star Chloe Appleby shaping the program, this festival is set to be a brilliant showcase of Australian independent games and the innovation driving our industry,” said Screen Australia Head of Games Joey Eggar. “Screen Australia is proud to support this initiative, which highlights the incredible diversity of local gamemakers and fosters a stronger, more connected community.”
Taking place across venues including PHIVE, Parramatta Town Hall and Playfool in Parramatta Square, ALT: GAMES is set to breathe new life into Western Sydney’s gaming community.
City of Parramatta Council Lord Mayor Martin Zaiter said, “City of Parramatta is proud to partner with Powerhouse to support local gamers and our homegrown games industry through ALT: GAMES. As the epicentre of culture and creativity, hosting ALT: GAMES in PHIVE, Parramatta Town Hall and Parramatta Square just makes sense.”
Further information about the upcoming festival can be found at the Powerhouse Museum website.
