WHAT IS PLAY?
The PLAY - CREATIVE GAMING FESTIVAL invites all enthusiasts for gameculture and interactive arts from October 31 - November 5, 2023, to explore the creative potentials of games in a hybrid form online and on site in Hamburg. Workshops, exhibitions, shows, the Creative Gaming Awards and playful community formats offered a week of participation, discussion, programming, exploration, and, of course, gaming.
In this year's international exhibition we burst the bubbles and want to discover together how soap operas and digital games find each other. Complex relationships, inner conflicts, wild debates on social questions in never ending short episodes with dramatic cliffhangers... Lie, live and love in new roles - With AI and other humans in the game or in front of it - it's drama, baby! PLAY once again offers festival visitors a range of experimental and playful formats with which they can interactively experience and explore the different facets of the theme.
WHAT CAN BE SUBMITTED?
Until September 17, 2023 Indie game developers and artists from around the world have the chance to submit games and playful media works to the following categories - hardware games, performances, theater and installations are very welcome.
THE CATEGORIES:
1. Core Exhibit: In this year's international exhibition we
burst the bubbles and want to discover together how soap operas and
digital games find each other. Complex relationships, inner conflicts,
wild debates on social questions in never ending short episodes with
dramatic cliffhangers.. Lie, live & love in new roles - With AI and
other humans in the game or in front of it - It's drama, baby! We are looking for experimental and playful
formats with which guests can interactively experience and explore the
different focal points of the theme.
2. Hamburg Arts: Showcase of the best games produced by developers from our PLAY hosting city, Hamburg.
3. Creative Gaming Awards: The Most Creative Game Award honors games and playful media works from around the world that give players the opportunity to interact creatively within or with the game. Such creative freedom can arise from the interaction with the game, within the game or in the mind of the player.
For example, works in this category may have multiple story paths, non-linear gameplay, role-play opportunities, unexpected interactions with other gamers, or be open to interpretation. The creativity of the players can also be stimulated by built-in editors or the possibility of enriching the game world with your own creations, designs and your own social rules.
All games shown in the festival exhibition are eligible for the Audience Award. Visitors of the festival will choose their favorite from all the works in the exhibition, which will also be honored at the Awards Show.
