Five Trends from 2020's Online Video Game Festivals
The pandemic in 2020 led to a shift of significant video game festivals to online platforms, such as LudoNarraCon, A MAZE in Berlin, Gamescom in Cologne, and PAX Online. These Steam-hosted events offered streams, discounts, and demos. Five notable trends were identified: 1) 'Videogiocattoli' exemplified by Nathalie Lawhead's Electric Zine Maker. 2) Narrative-driven games showcased at LudoNarraCon, including Suzerain and Paradise Killer. 3) Innovative music-game hybrids like Copy Machine and Nightmare Temptation Academy, which earned A MAZE's Most Amazing Award. 4) Conversations about decolonization featuring developers Sisi Jiang and Allan Cudicio, with PAX Online highlighting Innchanted and an Indigenous Game Design panel. 5) Multiplayer digital environments, particularly Moshe Linke's Neo-Brutalism of Tomorrow architecture for A MAZE SPACE, created in Unity.
Key facts
- LudoNarraCon, A MAZE (Berlin), Gamescom (Cologne), and PAX Online (digital version of PAX West/PAX Australia) were held online in 2020.
- Electric Zine Maker by Nathalie Lawhead is a free 'videogiocattolo' on itch.io used in A MAZE's Chain Zine.
- Narrative games focus on story; examples include Suzerain, Paradise Killer, Wayward Strand, Welcome to Elk, Solace State, and The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante.
- Nightmare Temptation Academy by Lena NW & Costcodreamgurl won A MAZE's Most Amazing Award.
- Decolonization was discussed at A MAZE and PAX Online, featuring Sisi Jiang, Allan Cudicio, Isabelle Arvers, and DragonBear Studios.
- Allen Turner described games as 'ritual spaces' for Indigenous experience.
- A MAZE SPACE was built by Moshe Linke using his Neo-Brutalism of Tomorrow architecture, with Gianluca Pandolfo and Stefan Insam.
- The A MAZE SPACE is now used for other festivals and exhibitions.
Entities
Artists
- Nathalie Lawhead
- Chris Wright
- Jörg Friedrich
- Sisi Jiang
- Allan Cudicio
- Isabelle Arvers
- Allen Turner
- Moshe Linke
- Thorsten S. Wiedemann
- Gianluca Pandolfo
- Stefan Insam
- Lena NW
- Costcodreamgurl
- Björk
- Matteo Lupetti
Institutions
- LudoNarraCon
- A MAZE
- Gamescom
- PAX Online
- PAX West
- PAX Australia
- Steam
- itch.io
- Fellow Traveller
- Torpor Games
- Kaizen Game Works
- Ghost Pattern
- Triple Topping
- Vivid Foundry Corp
- Sever
- 101XP
- Team Lazerbeam
- The Superweaks
- Superhot Team
- Feral Cat Den
- DragonBear Studios
- Off-Score Project
- Artribune
- Scuola Internazionale di Comics di Firenze
- Gravure
- FISAR
- Internet Festival
- Game Happens
Locations
- Berlin
- Germany
- Cologne
- Seattle
- United States
- Australia
- Africa
- Asia
- Latin America
- Turtle Island