The Freeplay Independent Games Festival is Australia's longest-running and largest independent games festival, first established in 2004. The Festival celebrates fringe artists and game makers, and highlights grassroots developers and art games. It gathers artists, designers, programmers, writers, gamers, creators, games critics, games academics and students to celebrate the art form of independent games and the culture around them.
Freeplay is funded primarily through arts grants. Past and present sponsors include Australia Council for the Arts, Film Victoria, Victoria State Government, City of Melbourne, Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), and RMIT University.
With the aim of celebrating game making as arts practice, Freeplay has consistently aligned itself with the arts, and over the years has partnered with arts organisations such as Australian Centre for the Moving Image, State Library Victoria, Next Wave Festival, Wheeler Centre, Federation Square, Arts Centre Melbourne, National Gallery of Victoria, City of Melbourne, Arts House, National Young Writers' Festival, and more.
The current director of Freeplay is Chad Toprak (2017–). Previous directors have included Dan Golding (2014–2017), Katie Williams and Harry Lee Shang Lun (2013–2014), Paul Callaghan and Eve Penford-Dennis (2008–2012). The founding directors of Freeplay were Katherine Neil and Marcus Westbury.
History The Freeplay Independent Games Festival began in 2004 as Next Wave Festival's three-day-long Melbourne-based indie games conference 'Free Play', to celebrate independent game development and games culture. Since then, it has run in a variety of formats and venues across Melbourne.
In 2009, Freeplay hosted its first festival away from Next Wave, and rebranded itself from 'Free Play: The Next Wave Independent Game Developers Conference' into 'Freeplay Independent Games Festival'. Since 2009, Freeplay events have generally run annually.
In 2014, inspired by Venus Patrol's alternative E3 press conference Horizon, Freeplay introduced Parallels, a one-night event that serves as a counterpart to the main Freeplay festival. It takes place as part of Melbourne International Games Week, and highlights "unique, experimental, personal, and culturally significant games" made in the region. Parallels "is notable for providing the public first looks at games that would go on to be global gaming phenomena," including Untitled Goose Game, Necrobarista, Florence, Paperbark, Heavenly Bodies, the Frog Detective series, Unpacking, and Cult of the Lamb.
In 2015, Freeplay held, for the first time, both a multi-day Freeplay festival (10–19 April 2015) and a Parallels event (24 October 2015).
2020 and 2021 saw a virtual festival take place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the online Parallels showcases, Freeplay created an online pixel art version of the event's in-person venue, The Capitol, called The Zone, described by Kotaku as "a pixel-art version of an art gallery, except its for video games and you're doing the whole thing through your browser."
In 2022, Parallels took place at RMIT, marking Freeplay's return to in-person events.
Freeplay Festival Date Theme Keynote speaker(s)Venue 21–23 May 2004(As part of Next Wave Festival: 'Unpopular Culture') Harvey SmithThe World Wing Chun Kung Fu Association 3rd Floor, 96 Flinders Street, Melbourne 15–17 July 2005 Greg Costikyan, Kieron GillenAustralian Centre for the Moving Image 18 August 2007 Jonathan BlowAustralian Centre for the Moving Image 14–15 August 2009 Petri PurhoState Library Victoria 14–15 August 2010 Play Is EverywhereBrandon Boyer, Adam SaltsmanState Library Victoria 17–21 August 2011 Handmade No keynoteState Library Victoria 19–23 September 2012 Chaos and Grace Mare Sheppard, Morgan JaffitState Library Victoria 25–29 September 2013 Volume of Revolution Erin Robinson, Steve SwinkState Library Victoria 10–19 April 2015 Austin WintoryAustralian Centre for the Moving Image 22–27 May 2018 Intersections Zuraida Buter, Auriea Harvey and Michaël SamynAustralian Centre for the Moving Image 7–12 May 2019 Introspection Hannah Nicklin, Richard LemarchandRMIT University10-14 June 2020BelongingBahiyya KhanOnline (due to COVID-19 pandemic)8-13 June 2021Soft Voices, Loud RoarsSquinky, Zedeck SiewOnline (due to COVID-19 pandemic)
Freeplay Parallels DateGameCreatorVenue201418 October 2014Push Me Pull YouHouse HouseAustralian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI)Gonubie Hotel Booot Action Painting ProIan MacLartyMagister LudiChristy Dena, Marigold Bartlett, Trevor Dikes, Cameron OwenMovement Study 1Sam Crisp, Marigold Bartlett, Jamie Anderson, Adrienne Owen, Alexander PerrinFUTUREVOXIMAGINARIUMDOTEXEBen Weatherall, Jason BakkerMagenta Sunset SpacethingImpromptu GamesProvision Supply CatAlexander PerrinBush BashSK GamesCTRL_CODAJosh Cousins, Maize Wallin, Sine Morris, Amani Naseem201524 October 2015Knuckle SandwichAndrew BrophyAustralian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI)Undercity_DiscotechChalk in RainVertex MeadowIan MacLartyProject Ven (later renamed Necrobarista)Joe Liu, Ngoc Vu, Kevin ChenBroken SoundsLee Shang Lun, Amani Naseem, Harrison SmithUntitled ProjectMarigold Bartlett, Lizzie BartlettIntergalactic Space PrincessIzzy Gramp, Laura StokesPolymodal ArcadeAndrew TrevillianPaperbarkNina Bennett, Kael Jessup, Terry Burdak, Ryan Boulton201726 October 2017Wayward StrandGhost PatternRMIT UniversityTotem TellerGrinning PicklePutty PalsHarmonious GamesOfficeBots: Reality BytesFutureStateMachineRoad Trip Do You RememberJoanna TranA Moment Between UsRuby Simpson, Aaron WilliamsSandstorm Reap PlanetariumDaniel LinssenIt Will Be HardHien PhamFlorenceMountainsAction LoopPlayReactiveUntitled Goose GameHouse House201825 October 2018RiseDakoda BarkerRMIT UniversityUnpackingWren Brier, Tim DawsonPigeon GameLeura Smithif not usRuqiyah PatelSign In / Sign OutTegan WebbNovena Touch MelbourneCecile Richard, Andrew GleesonDesert ChildOscar BrittainSIMULACRALeeYing FooDead Static DriveMike BlackneyVignettesPol Clarissou201910 October 2019Paint GameMax MyersThe Capitol TheatreDollhouseOlivia HainesI Must Reach the Top Every Brick LaidFenrelianiaNeed 4e+9 SpeedKalonica Quigley, Jason BakkerHeavenly Bodies2pt InteractiveThe Library of BabbleDemi Schänzelسايبر تصوف Cyber TasawwufMohamed ChamasAcrylicLucy MorrisMutazioneDie Gute FabrikWay to the WoodsAnthony TanFrog Detective 2: The Case of the Invisible WizardWorm Club20208 October 2020DapMelting ParrotOnline (due to COVID-19 pandemic)Umurangi GenerationORIGAME DIGITALStreet Tape GamesHelen KwokSpiritwellDavid ChenCompletely Stretchy and Uncomfortably StickyDaniel FergusonWebbedRiley Nevillevariations on the word ghostShastra DeoThe Stranger Next DoorFae DauntShort Creepy Tales: 7PMCellar Vault Games20217 October 2021A Long GoodbyeDana McKayOnline (due to COVID-19 pandemic)MonomythSiobhan DentBlueberryMellow GamesAn Altogether Different RiverAaron LimSoup PotChikon ClubWhere the Snow SettlesMyriad Games StudioCult of the LambMassive Monster20226 October 2022Mars First LogisticsShape ShopRMIT UniversityFuture FolkloreGuckGubbinsStudio FollyWizard Chess Song of the FaeTWO PMLetters to ArrallaPink CloudsIsopod: A Webbed StorySbugBits and BopsTempo LabsConscriptCatchweight StudioFrog Detective 3: Corruption at Cowboy CountyWorm Club20235 October 2023Moss IslandIris AnsteyAustralian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI)Beyond the LensBen KoderKnuckle SandwichAndrew BrophyBell's BeachChloe Kilroy, Siobhan DentJanet DeMornay Is A Slumlord (and a Witch)Pete Foley, Scott FordThe Dungeon ExperienceJacob JanerkaVideo Shop Algorithm Jessie ScottMystiques: Haunted AntiquesAlly McLean HennesseyProximateCain Maddox
Freeplay Awards YearAwards2010Best Australian Game: Jolly Rover Best Design in a Game: Up Down Ready Best On-Paper Design: iCrazy Man Best Art in a Game: Captain Forever (Series) Best Concept Art: Exodus Best Technical Innovation: Colourbind Best Game Writing: Transumer Best Audio: Train Conductor Best International Game: Last Hope2011Best Australian Game: Antichamber Best International Game: The Swapper Best Design: Antichamber Best On-Paper Design: Dead Eye Best Art: Warco Best Concept Art: Firo Best Technical Innovation: Kingspray Best Game Writing: MacGuffin's Curse Best Audio: Solar 22012Best Australian Game: Stickets Best Design in a Game: They Love You Best International Game: Splice Best Art in a Game: Toybox Best Concept Art: Peleda Best Audio in a Game: Lunar Flight Best Technical Innovation: Automation Best Writing in a Game: Flatland: Fallen Angle2013Best Game: Framed Design: Framed Visual Art: The Paper Fox Audio Design: Particulars Narrative: Particulars Technical Innovation: Turnover Non-Digital: Outside These City Walls People's Choice: Turnover2015The Freeplay Award: Push Me Pull You Best Design: Push Me Pull You Best Visual Art: Movement Study 1 Best Audio: Submerged Best Narrative: Project Ven Best Tech: Space Dust Racers Best Non-Digital: Rise to Power2018The Freeplay Award: The Catacombs of Solaris Excellence in Design: Dissembler Excellence in Visual Art: Paperbark Excellence in Audio: Florence Excellence in Narrative: Bound By Blood Non-Digital Game Award: {<>} Micro-Game Award: Rise Experimental Game Award: Thomas Bowker's Draw Student Game Award: Lacuna Across The Ditch Award: Echo Grotto2019The Freeplay Award: New Ice York Excellence in Design: JUMPGRID Excellence in Visual Art: Necrobarista Excellence in Audio: Skyward Journey Excellence in Narrative: The Haunted Island, a Frog Detective Game Non-Digital Game Award: Edible Games Cookbook Micro-Game Award: Novena Experimental Game Award: The Common Campfire Student Game Award: Pigeon Game Across The Ditch Award: Toripon 鳥ポン2020The Freeplay Award: A Hand with Many Fingers Excellence in Design: Colestia Excellence in Visual Art: Endless Scroll Excellence in Audio: Unfamiliar Excellence in Narrative: Life Tastes Like Cardboard Non-Digital Game Award: The Outer Whorls Micro-Game Award: Something Looks Weird Experimental Game Award: If We Were Allowed to Visit Student Game Award: Ascent of Grob's Domain Across The Ditch Award: Leap of Leaf2021The Freeplay Award: Umurangi Generation Excellence in Design: Webbed Excellence in Visual Art: Completely Stretchy and Uncomfortably Sticky Excellence in Audio: Mealmates Excellence in Narrative: A Long Goodbye Non-Digital Game Award: The Lighthouse at the Edge of the Universe Micro-Game Award: Under a Star Called Sun Experimental Game Award: Neon Cyborg Cat Club Student Game Award: The Snowgardens Across The Ditch Award: Before We Leave
See also IndieCade Melbourne International Games Week Independent Games Festival
External links Official website
References