Playtopia 2023
Thu Dec 7, 18:00 - Sun Dec 10, 00:00
Homecoming Centre
ABOUT
Playtopia is Africa’s first annual destination Indie Games & Immersive Arts festival and conference. It is a gathering of African and global creators and players, where we celebrate the African “scene” and some highlights from the international festival community. A place for people to come together to play, share ideas, connect across continents and to exhibit work in the interactive and immersive digital arts. This will be our third Playtopia! We look forward to welcoming you all back!
Playtopia kicks off on Thursday the 7th of December for delegates, opens to the public on the 8th of December and runs until the 9th of December 2023. We have a program jam-packed with talks, arcades, exhibitions and after parties!
Thursday (Delegates only)
We are thrilled to be hosting our opening ceremony on Thursday evening at 6pm for all of the delegate pass holders to the event.
We’ll listen to a few opening remarks before we unleash our arcade and installation artworks for a preview evening! Drinks and snacks will be available for purchase.
Friday (Public Opening)
On Friday, the festival opens to all ticket holders! (No under 18’s)
We kick off with our conference proceedings, open our art exhibition, and fire up our arcade room.
The festival boasts a bar, food, a chillzone and a rooftop terrace for attendees to enjoy.
Conference - All ticket holders welcome!
Our conference has a wide variety of talks that delve in indie games, art, the industry and technical aspects of game development. We’re excited to welcome an impressive array of international speakers, from leading games company such as Devolver Digital, Landfall Games, Massive Monster, Nerial, WINGS and many more.
Main Arcade
Our main arcade offers a diverse selection of indie games, representing both local talents and international contributions. We’ve carefully curated a mix of titles from our local gaming scene, showcasing the creativity and innovation of our homegrown developers. Alongside these local gems, we’re excited to present a selection of international games that bring different perspectives and gameplay styles to our arcade.
From narrative-driven experiences to fast-paced challenges, our goal is to provide a varied experience for visitors. It’s not just about the games; it’s about appreciating the creativity and effort that developers, both local and international, put into their work.
Take a look at some of our games HERE.
Super Friendship Arcade
Born out of a desire to inject a healthy dose of irreverence and playfulness into games as a communal experience, SFA is our homegrown experimental punk games event that challenges the status quo. This unique gathering dares to defy expectations by transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary, appropriating anything that can move into an alternative controller. At SFA, innovation knows no bounds – from everyday objects to unconventional devices, everything becomes fair game for reinvention in the name of playful exploration.Come be silly with your friends!
Indie Planet
For the very first time, Playtopia has a dedicated section to expose the South African audience to our festival brethren from distant lands. In our first installment we welcome our Australian counterpart, Freeplay, our Japanese friends, BitSummit and our longtime lover from Germany, A MAZE.
Immersive and Interactive Artworks
As always, Playtopia put out a general call for immersive and interactive artworks and selected the most inspiring pieces to entertain and delight our festival attendees.
Step beyond the traditional gallery setting and explore installations that encourage active participation. Our exhibits aim to break down the barriers between the viewer and the artwork, fostering a more dynamic and personal connection.
From interactive displays that respond to your presence to thought-provoking virtual experiences, our exhibitions offer a blend of creativity and technology.
Friday After Party
On Friday night we continue partying at our venue. The games and artworks will run until late, and we’ll be opening a dance floor provided by Haezer (Classic hip hop set), Hyphen and the disco twins Holy Funk!
Saturday
On Saturday, our festival also welcomes people from ages of 13+, providing a unique opportunity for younger audiences to immerse themselves in the vibrant world of indie games and interactive experiences.
The festival will maintain its full spectrum of activities, including our conference program. Our Saturday offering encompasses the diverse array of games featured in our main arcade, providing teenagers with the chance to discover and enjoy indie titles from both local and international developers. We welcome the next generation of game developers and artists.
Saturday After Party
The venue closes earlier on Saturday (21:30), and our delegate pass holders will move just up the road to Tommy’s Chop Shop, where our party hosts Diskotekah invade the space with their otherworldly stylings. On the music side, we’re excited to welcome Wata Mami, Holy Funk and Purity to keep our guests dancing until late!
Audience Choice Award
For the very first time in 2023 Playtopia will award an audience choice award to our visitor-determined best-in-show. On arrival, all visitors will be supplied a sticker and asked to stick this onto the dedicated voting plaque for the game that they most enjoyed. We’ll be tallying these stickers after the festival and announce our best in show in the weeks after Playtopia wraps.
Don’t forget to cast your vote!
See you there!
DATE: 7- 9 DECEMBER 2023
VENUE: Homecoming Centre in Cape Town CBD
WEBSITE: www.playtopiafestival.co.za
ID required at the door
No under 13yrs old
Friday after party: 8 December
VENUE: Homecoming Centre main bar
LINE UP: Haezer (classic hip hop vinyl set) / Hyphen / Holy Funk
FREE FOR ALL DELEGATE + WEEKEND + FRIDAY DAY PASS HOLDERS
Saturday after party: 9 December
VENUE: Tommy's Chop Shop (Just Like PaPa)
HOSTED BY: Diskotekah
FREE FOR ALL DELEGATE PASS HOLDERS
PLAYTOPIA REVIEWS!
As an event organizer myself, I try to create a platform
for artists using games as a medium, and so it is
baffling to travel to another continent and see the
same zeitgeist reflected. Playtopia managed to
capture both the local as international flavor of the
games-as-art and culture. Seeing South African culture
reflected in the artists, the works and the various
events and exhibits has infused me with creativity and
excitement.
- JOON (Belgium) – Flanders Artist grant
Playtopia, held this previous weekend in
Cape Town, was a definitive statement
regarding the thriving niches of the South
African gaming industry
- Red Bull
SA Delegate Pass (18yrs +) - Full weekend access + Talks + Exhibitions + Delegates only mixer on the 7 December + Official after party 9 December
Limited Phase 1 - R720
Limited Phase 2 - R800 (sales end 26 NOV)
Limited Phase 3 - R850 (sales open 27 NOV)
SA Student Delegate Pass (18yrs +) - Full weekend access + Talks + Exhibitions + Delegates only mixer on the 7 December + Official after party 9 December
Limited Phase 1 - R420
Limited Phase 2 - R500 (sales end 26 NOV)
Limited Phase 3 - R550 (sales open 27 NOV)
International Delegate Pass (18yrs +) - Full weekend access + Talks + Exhibitions + Delegates only mixer on the 7 December + Official after party 9 December
Limited Phase 1 - R800
Limited Phase 2 - R1000 (sales end 26 NOV)
Limited Phase 3 - R1200 (sales open 27 NOV)
SA Two Day Pass Adult (18yrs +) - Full weekend access + Talks + Exhibitions + Official after party 9 December
Limited Phase 1 - R400
Limited Phase 2 - R600 (sales end 26 NOV)
Limited Phase 3 - R650 (sales open 27 NOV)
SA Adult Friday Day Pass (18yrs +) - One day full access to talks + exhibitions + Friday After party Access
Limited Phase 1 - R220
Limited Phase 2 - R300 (sales end 26 NOV)
Limited Phase 3 - R350 (sales open 27 NOV)
SA Adult Saturday Day Pass (18yrs +) - One day full access to talks + exhibitions (No Saturday after party access)
Limited Phase 1 - R220
Limited Phase 2 - R300 (sales end 26 NOV)
Limited Phase 3 - R350 (sales open 27 NOV)
Saturday Day Pass Under 18's (ages 13yrs - 17yrs) - SATURDAY ONLY One day full access to talks + exhibitions
Limited Phase 1 - R80
Limited Phase 2 - R150 (sales end 26 NOV)
Limited Phase 3 - R200 (sales open 27 NOV)
Saturday Family Pass x2 Adults and X2 Ages 13yrs - 17yrs - SATURDAY ONLY One day full access to talks + exhibitions
R900
(no Saturday after party access)
WANT TO DONATE?
By donating to Playtopia, we are able to put more funds towards the production. Funds will be spread across the budget to go towards the artists, volunteer program, production expenses and speaker costs. Follow this link: DONATE TO PLAYTOPIA!
WEBSITE: www.playtopiafestival.co.za
CONTACT: [email protected]
Our epic Sponsors!
