SXSW Sydney opens up its Games Festival to the public, Wristbands on sale this Friday

SXSW Sydney has announced it is opening up the festival to the public and expanding the Games Festival. Wristbands for the general public will go on sale this Friday, 25 August 2023 joining badges that have been available for industry professionals to attend the show.

SXSW Sydney is a “visionary six-day festival” with an indie games showcase, an awards night and more. According to SXSW Sydney the Games Festival wristband;

“is your golden ticket to the unmissable games events, granting access to showcases from over 150 game developers from around the world, a Tabletop Expo for lovers of traditional board games and RPGs, and so much more in the heart of Sydney.”

SXSW Sydney

SXSW Sydney has provided the following key information about the event and the wristbands;

“Wristbands: The ultimate experience for all gamers, secure your passage to the SXSW Sydney Games Festival with a wristband. Be among the first to discover the next seminal game, with live play, hands-on demos, product launches, performances and more. Don’t miss out on Early Bird pricing of just $165 to access six days of programming. Wristbands will be available for purchase at SXSWSydney.com from Friday 25 August giving access to:

  • Games Festival Showcase – Experience Australia’s biggest curated collection of brand-new and upcoming indie games from over 150 game developers from around the world. Hosted at Eddy Multispace and Mercure Sydney, the showcase will also include takeover events from leading local publishers, Playside Studios and League of Geeks. New additions to the showcase include Nine Sols (Red Candle Games), Kinder World (Lumi Interactive), Mika and the Witch’s Mountain (Chibig), The Dungeon Experience (Bone Assembly), Mortal Sin (Doronik Games Inc), Toroa (Atawhai Interactive) and many more.
  • Tabletop Expo – Taking place in the ICC over three days, the Tabletop Expo is your destination for traditional board games, card games and roleplaying games (RPG) featuring a mix of hands-on demos, freeplay tables and retailers with the latest releases.
  • Festival Stage – This feature stage will run day to night with a mix of live gameplay, performances and special screenings. It will also serve as the base station for themed feature nights, including Midnighters Horror Games collection and Queer Creator Showcase.
  • Games Awards – An evening event celebrating the best on show and hosted by local comedian and muso Tom Cardy.
  • Charity Marathon Stream – Part talent show, part stage show, part livestream; featuring a huge roster of local content creators coming together for the common good and raising money for SXSW Sydney charity partners.

Wristbands vs Badges: The difference between badges and wristbands? Platinum and Games badges include priority access to all aspects of the Games Festival mentioned above, as well as conference keynotes and panels, industry showcases, workshops, networking events, Intel Extreme Masters, Investment Meet and much more. See further info here.

Venues: Witness the city come alive as the SXSW Sydney precinct is taken over by games. The iconic new Fortress Sydney will be the Games Festival’s anchor venue, in addition to Eddy Multi Space and the Mercure Sydney.”

SXSW Sydney runs 15-22 October with the SXSW Sydney Games Festival Running 18-22 October. The Games Wristband is available for $165 at Early Bird pricing.

Leo Stevenson
Leo Stevensonhttps://powerup-gaming.com/
I've been playing games for the past 27 years and have been writing for almost as long. Combining two passions in the way I'm able is a true privilege. PowerUp! is a labour of love and one I am so excited to share.

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