Indie Spirit: Video Games as Art

In recent years, Melbourne has become an epicentre of the boom in digital games innovation. The city’s ecosystem has proven robust enough to support game-makers of all shapes and sizes – small indie startups coexist in close proximity to large award-winning developers. The resulting community of games enthusiasts, both makers and players, are influencing each other and redefining what video games are and how they can be played. At this panel discussion, indie game makers and creatives Helen Kwok, Violet LeBeaux and David Parkin join host Lise Leitner to explore video games in all their guises, what it means to make games through artistic practice, and what the current games landscape looks like in Melbourne and Australia more broadly. Suited for pro-gamers and newbies alike, this discussion considers the pathways available for those wanting to catch the wave of digital innovation and those looking to keep the ride going in ever more new and exciting ways. Presented in partnership with Melbourne Knowledge Week and supported by Freeplay Independent Games Festival