IGEA Presents: Vivid Sydney Games District
Vivid Sydney is back in 2022 – and so is the Vivid Sydney Games District
IGEA (Interactive Games & Entertainment Association) is the peak industry association representing the voice of Australian and New Zealand companies in the computer and video games industry. Together with members Game Plus, Unity, and Wargaming, it is organising the Vivid Games District for Vivid Sydney 2022.
Engage with the world’s fastest-growing creative industry in Vivid Sydney’s Games District. Estimated to be worth more than AU$300 billion globally by 2023, video games are bigger businesses than films, music and books – and some of them are made in Sydney. You will get a chance to meet the people behind these titles, play their games and listen to a range of industry talks.
There will be five ticketed events:
Games Industry Open Day: Made in Sydney (Morning)
The morning event is targeted at a younger audience. You will get a chance to hear about pathways into the games industry: it is a big business and offers legitimate career trajectories but how do you actually get into it? A panel of industry professionals will talk about their journeys and answer visitors’ questions.
Visitors will also be able to pitch their game. Everyone has an idea for a video game, now here is your chance to present yours to a panel of industry experts. International publishers and local developers will offer feedback and in the process also help you better understand what is involved in making a video game.
Visit the Made in Sydney Games Exhibition at Game Plus to go hands-on with locally created games and chat with the developers who made them! Game Plus is Australia’s national network of co-working spaces for game developers (with locations in Sydney, Canberra and Adelaide). This exhibit will feature games from Game Plus members and the broader NSW game development industry.
Last but not least, you will get a chance to catch a rare glimpse behind the scenes of Wargaming, makers of some of the most successful free-to-play games in the world. Titles such as World of Tanks or World of Warships attract players in the millions and engage them in captivating online battles. Wargaming operate globally and employ over 5,000 people worldwide. In Sydney, they run one of the largest studios in Australia. Hear about their history, their current projects, and talk to people behind the scenes to better understand the mechanics of game making and everything that comes with it.
• When: 9 am, 11th of June
• Where: Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE), 33 Mountain St, Ultimo NSW 2007
• Tickets: Book now
Games Industry Open Day: Made in Sydney (Afternoon)
The afternoon event is targeted at a more advanced audience. You will hear from award-winning studio Chaos Theory how video games can be used to create a better, more conscious world. Engage with a developer in the Game Plus Unmuted fireside chat and learn how their working life looks like.
You will also get a chance to hear about how the games industry stayed adaptable during the COVID pandemic. In contrast to other creative industries, such as film and TV, games can be made anywhere. So how do you remotely organise the diverse teams it takes to put it all together?
Just like in the morning, you will get to visit the Made in Sydney Games Exhibition at Game Plus and get a chance to catch a rare glimpse behind the scenes of Wargaming, makers of some of the most successful free-to-play games in the world.
• When: 2 pm, 11th of June
• Where: Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE), 33 Mountain St, Ultimo NSW 2007
• Tickets: Book now
Games Industry Open Day: The History and Future of Sydney-based Game Making
Join two of Australia’s premier video games journalists in a conversation with the CEO of IGEA, the peak industry association for the Australian games industry, and Wargaming’s Leigh Harris. The last game you played might have been made in Sydney! Leah Williams and Edmond Tran will explore the history of game making in the city and its exciting future. From AAA blockbusters to indie hits, Sydney has done it all. They will be accompanied by IGEA CEO Ron Curry and Leigh Harris, Associate Lead Game Designer at Wargaming, who has had numerous roles in the Sydney industry, from journalist to game maker.
• When: 8 pm, 11th of June
• Where: Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE), 33 Mountain St, Ultimo NSW 2007
• Tickets: Book now
Games Industry Open Day: Unity Workshops
Unity is the world’s leading platform for creating and operating interactive, real-time 3D content, providing the tools to make amazing games and publish them to a wide range of devices. It powers AAA blockbusters and indie games alike. There will be two Unity workshops, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, that will give you tools to create your own game, something that you will be able to share with family and friends.
• When: 11th of June, 10 am (first workshop), 2 pm (second workshop)
• Where: Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE), 33 Mountain St, Ultimo NSW 2007
• Tickets: Book now (first workshop), Book now (second workshop)