SAGE: SA Game Exhibition, the annual showcase of South Australia’s game development talent, will officially return on 7-8 February 2025. The announcement follows a very successful showing early in 2024, which saw developers from across SA sharing their latest projects to an enthusiastic audience.
GamesHub attended SAGE 2024 thanks to the organisers at the South Australian Film Corporation, and found it to be a lovely, much-needed showcase for local SA developers who are rarely given the spotlight in discussions of Australian-made games.
“Across two days, developers from South Australia gathered at Adelaide Studios to show off their latest projects – spooky streaming-themed horror games, endless chicken runners, squirrel-starring adventures, cutesy stealth games, and more. There was a real sense of personality in each game build, and seeing the delight of developers showing off their games made clear the passions and talent backing each project,” we wrote of the experience.
Not only did developers show off the latest builds of their upcoming projects, SAGE 2024 was also a chance to hear advice and wisdom from developers, as they talked about their trials and triumphs, the nature of games funding, and how they were able to realise their visions. The insights were invaluable.
SAGE 2025 aims to go bigger and better than its predecessor, with plans to expand the show significantly.
Read: SAGE 2024 showed off the full scope of South Australia’s game studios
As announced, this year’s show will have more floor space to fit in more games, a new, bigger program of SAGE Advice talks and panels, a new “Refuel Zone” for food, drinks, and relaxation, and a new edition of the SAGE Awards. The event will also be part of Adelaide Fringe, so you can pop in to play some games, then head off to a nearby comedy or variety show.
In good news for local SA game developers, the South Australian Film Corporation has now opened applications to be part of the event, with plenty of spots to showcase in-progress builds and demos for other developers, and the wandering public. Last year’s show was well-attended, and it was fantastic to see lots of kids around, playing games, and being inspired about their potential futures.
If you’re eligible and keen to apply, it’s good to note it’s free to participate – and those selected for the end-of-festival awards have the chance to win cash and prizes.
You can learn more about SAGE 2025, and the application criteria to submit your game projects, on the South Australian Film Corporation’s website. The window for entry closes on 10 November 2024.
