February 2014 Game Event Roundup
February is a month for sharing love — specifically if you love video games. There are a lot of exciting video game events happening in February, so be sure to check them out.
Don’t forget to check out the Toronto Gaming Calendar, that will be updated as more events become announced throughout the month. (Remember, the calendar can also be added to your googlecal.) Note only the events marked with an asterisk are Hand Eye events — for the rest, we’re just signal boosting for this amazing community.
February Events
Saturday, February 1 – Sunday, February 2: Feb Fatale: The Glitch is Back
Wednesday, February 5 – Wednesday, February 26: Discover Digital Games
Thursday, February 6: DMG Public Policy Edition
Friday, February 7 : Long Winter 2.4 with games curated by Bento Miso
Saturday, February 8-Sunday, February 23: Vector’s Impedance: Games + Resistance exhibition
Thursday, February 11: Game On Or Game Over talk
Wednesday, February 19 to Sunday, February 23: Vector Game Art Festival (individual exhibitions, panels, and screenings are listed on the calendar)
Thursday, February 20: Vector Game Art Festival Opening Reception
* Friday, February 21: Fancy Videogame Party
Saturday, February 22: DMG Speaker Social: Feb Fatale 2 Showcase
Wednesday, February 26: Torontaru
Saturday, March 1 – Sunday, March 2: Board Game Jam (early bird tickets end February 15)
Local Game Releases
Quentin Preik released the PC party game, Battletank L.O.B.A (pictured above).
Hard Head Games released World Destroyers.
merritt kopas created a Naked Twine Jam, featuring Twines from some local Toronto game-makers.
Toronto Folks in the Media
The Dames Making Games make an appearance in The Star. As well, their Long Winter Takeover game curation at the AGO was in the Torontoist and The Canoe. Not to stop there, but the DMG was also in the Winter 2014 issue of McClung’s Magazine (print issue).
Soha Kareem was mentioned The Globe and Mail for her work around feminism in video games.
Rollers of the Realm was featured in the Steam Indie Showcase.
Alexander Martin, aka Droqen, made Forbes’ Top 30 Under 30 In Gaming list.
Game Informer’s 25 Indie Games To Watch in 2014 featured Capy’s Below and Super Time Force, as well as Asteroid Base’s Lovers In A Dangerous Spacetime.
Exist, featuring art from Torontonian Kim Koronya, was featured on Rock, Paper, Shotgun’s The Spectacular 2014 Preview Part Two.
Congrats to The Yawhg and Jazzpunk for making the IGF Nominations.
Not to stop there, IndieGames gave a shout to Damian Sommer’s work on The Yawhg as a highlight of 2013.
Guacamelee! got a Game Developers Choice Awards Honourable Mention.
There is an interview with Christine Love on Gameranx.
Alex Hayter was interviewed on SportsNet GotGame about the Fancy Videogame Party.
Indiestatik gave a nice shout out to the Naked Twine jam.
CBC’s Matt Galloway spoke with Hand Eye Society’s co-founder Jim Munroe about his Artist in Residency position at the AGO.
Indie MegaCast discussed Kaitlin Tremblay’s There Are Monsters Under Your Bed.
NerdAppropriate covered Jazzpunk, also.
Gamemaking Help Offered/Wanted and Special Calls
I’m a game designer and PhD candidate from Melbourne, Australia (I also co-direct and curate Hovergarden, our indie games event thing here in Melbourne!). I’m visiting the US and Canada for about three months, from Feb to May, attending IndieCade East, GDC, the Fancy Videogame Party in Toronto and a few other shenanigans. I visit Toronto twice; once on Feb 18 – Mar 2, and again on Apr 24 – May 7. I’d love to be able to stay with indies in Toronto during my stays, not only to avoid hotel costs but also to experience and interact with Toronto’s rich local indie scene in a more personal way. Email Chad if interested.
(With Vector and the Fancy Videogame Party happening, we have a number of other visitors from the international game scene as well. If you can help them out with a couch for a few days, please drop Jim a line for details.)
Vector is looking for volunteers!
Not what you’re looking for? You can also check out the Help Offered/Wanted board for earlier postings.
That’s all for now! If there’s any March events or Toronto video games news, releases, and rad media coverage you want shared, don’t hesitate to pass it along to Kaitlin via email or on Twitter.
