We’re back in business, baby!
Phew! It’s been a wild couple of months and when I say wild, I literally mean wild. BUT thanks to our amazing members and friends alike, we were able to pull through and be able to stay up and running, and not only that, but also provide to you yet another Super FESTival showcase happening later this year! We seriously wouldn’t have been able to do it without your help for our Hand Eye Society Fundraiser, which is still up for another few days.
Now, there’s going to be quite a few changes as to how things are going to work going forward and I hope you can bear with us as we get things back to normal and host the programming, workshops and more that you expect from us!
Oh, also There’s Toronto Games Week is happening NOW! There’s a lot happening so look through and see if there’s something that interests you!
Here’s what you can look forward to in and around Toronto for TGW!
THU JUNE 13 & FRI 14, 9AM-5PM
XP Game Summit
Over two days, connect with global industry professionals to explore crucial industry trends, develop new and innovative business-building opportunities, and help shape the future of gaming and video game Intellectual Property (IP). Tickets, program, and speaker details.
THU JUNE 13, 6:30PM
Vector Festival Game Jam Keynote: deu(s ex) machina
Kicking off Vector Festival 2024 Game Jam:deu(s ex) machina is a keynote talk by new media artist and poet Shawné Michaelain Holloway. Holloway shapes the rhetorics of computer programming and sadomasochism into tools for exposing structures of power. deu(s ex) machina explores how technology has enriched/hindered pursuits for sexual intimacy and self-understanding. More info and free tickets here.
THU JUNE 13 – SUNDAY 16, 8PM
R.A.V.E.
It’s a dance party. It’s a theatre show. It’s a rave opera for desperate times. Me Time is one of Toronto’s favourite underground DJs, known for her inclusive events and infectious energy. She’s teamed up with Outside the March to “remix” live performance, bringing interactive theatre to the dancefloor. It’s an immersive mashup like no other. In association with Luminato Festival Toronto. More info and tickets here.
FRI JUNE 14 – SUN JUNE 16
Final Kombat
At the Mortal Kombat 1 Final Kombat World Championship nineteen invited players from the Pro Kompetition Global Leaderboard and one final kontender from the Last Chance Qualifier will compete in Toronto, Canada for their share of $200,000 and the title of MK1 first ever world champion. Registration and info here. WELCOME TO FINAL KOMBAT!
FRI JUNE 14, 6:45-11PM
Moon and Double Dragon Screenings
A free screening of working class sci-fi flick Moon paired with a presentation by Trey Smith, creative director of working class sci-fi game Hardspace: Shipbreaker (free tickets here)! Then the legendary Blackbelt Cinema presents 1994’s Double Dragon ($ tickets here, event trailer here).
SAT JUNE 15, 12-4PM
Retro Games Play and Preserve Forum
Join Broken Games Collective and play rare retro games from the University of Toronto Mississauga Library’s Syd Bolton Collection and enjoy a fireside chat with Phil Salvador, Library Director at the Video Game History Foundation and author of 2023’s groundbreaking Game Availability Study. Plus: Bring your game cartridges and we’ll help you to preserve them along with your save data!
SAT JUNE 15, 12-3PM
Playing the curator: an introductory workshop to digital exhibitions
Get started building video game and digital art exhibitions with new artist-driven tools from the MacKenzie Art Gallery! Digital artists and exhibition builders Cat Bluemke and Jonathan Carroll share their software, workflows, and best practices through this free workshop in partnership with InterAccess. The workshop is free but requires registration.
SAT JUNE 15, 1-3PM
Pekoe Tea Party
Join us for a tea paw-ty! We will have tasty tea flavours from local stores and a DIY tea blending stations. Don’t miss our tea-themed stamp rally for a chance to enter the Pekoe raffle for a copy of the game. It’s a celebration of tea, creativity, and furry fun that promises to leave you feeling warm, fuzzy, and utterly delighted.
SAT JUNE 15, 7-9PM
East End Barcade Hang
Socialize and partake in classic arcade games, burgers and craft beer!
SAT JUNE 15, SUNDOWN TO ?
Night Parkcade: Forest Frolick
The sequel to last year’s game projection party in Trinity Bellwoods, in a new secret location! Featuring a shirt that you can play Frogger on and leafcore games like Klei’s Rotwood and A Short Hike presented by the creator Adam Robinson-Yu (who ~might~ have something new?). But in a city blessed with many glorious ravines, where could it be? Only TGW newsletter subscribers will get the treasure map!
~???????~
SUN JUNE 16, 11AM-4PM
Games Made Open
Interested in open source game engines and hardware? Come down to the TTLMakerspace for a day of hands-on hacking and learning about free open-source tools like Godot and Blender. Make and laser-cut your very own mini arcade cabinet for your phone! Create and flash your own game on a Gameboy cartridge with GBStudio, an open source program! FREE with registration here.
SUN JUNE 16, 12PM-4PM
The Dream Game Museum
Get inspired by playing one-of-a-kind games, draw your own game cover and concept, then watch as Hypergame Storytime improvises a theme song right in front of your eyes and ears! An all-ages kid-friendly event in the back room of the last weird video rental store in the city.
SUN JUNE 16, 4-6PM
Writing a New World
The writing workshop hosted by Tanya Kan (Solace State, @vividfoundry) emphasizes designing for positive change and care that you want to see in the world, guided by writing prompts. The workshop will also engage with the challenges with promotional channels, where social media can amplify negative self-image, perfectionist expectations, the infringement of artist and writers’ rights, and the devaluation of creative labour due to the proliferation of non-consensual ‘Gen-AI’. No computer required, just bring paper, pen, and your curiosity!
SUN JUNE 16, 7-9PM
NextGen Showcase
A curated showcase, handpicked by an esteemed international curator, featuring games crafted by emerging talents in Toronto’s vibrant game development scene. Immerse yourself in an evening of extraordinary gaming experiences accompanied by delectable appetizers. Supported by Epic Games Education.
MON JUNE 17, 7-11PM
Bonus Stage
The long-running, free social features multiple talks, with headliner Xalavier Nelson Jr. – a BAFTA-nominated studio head, narrative director, writer, and Forbes 30 Under 30 luminary, with dozens of titles under his belt including Stranger Things VR, Magic: The Gathering and Hypnospace Outlaw.
MON JUNE 17, 11AM-3PM
Mesh to MetaHuman Workshop – Epic Games
This workshop with cover the Epic Games Mesh to MetaHuman pipeline using free photogrammetry software (iPhone or Android compatible), Unreal Engine 5 and MetaHuman Creator. Participants will use scans of their own face to create a high fidelity digital character in their own image that is ready to use in the real-time interactive 3D software Unreal Engine (game dev, animation, virtual production, and more). Free with signup, spots are limited.
TUE JUNE 18 2PM-2AM
Lady Arcaders: Out of Bounds Toronto
Out of Bounds is a women & femme speedrunning event hosted by the Lady Arcaders, schedule here. Folks will play games as quickly as possible, showing off their talents and challenging themselves! You can also watch online at twitch.tv/ladyarcaders! Everyone’s welcome to join the fun!
TUE. JUNE 18 7PM-10PM
Seriously Fun: Showcase and Social hosted by Wero
Join the community of serious game enthusiasts and developers as we gather for a free mini-showcase highlighting innovative projects and fostering a casual exchange of ideas, insights, and camaraderie. Everyone interested in games being used for educational, instructive or political purposes are welcome! Free registration here.
TUE. JUNE 18 7PM-10PM
Lost in Internity: Game demo launch party and performance
Wake up and smell your food pellets as you prepare for your first day of your virtual unpaid internship! Join the Toronto-based art collective Tough Guy Mountain as they launch Internity, a new visual novel in virtual reality. The event features a performance from TGM and audience gameplay stations for both VR and desktop. Free registration here for address.
Near Trinity-Bellwoods
WED JUNE 19, 7PM-12AM
Toronto Games Week Closing Celebration
The final event of the week features a select showcase from Toronto Game Jam 2024, performances by Hypergame Storytime and the Suspicious EXE Files, and a ’90s video dance party presented by Mighty Yell! Visit the tiny but mighty microMix arcade, a collection of 30-second microgames concocted by Sheridan students and hosted on the Hand Eye Society 2UP Bartop Torontrons. Navigate the digitally-corrupted landscapes of Luis Hernandez’s Electro-Vivisection, where classic games have been modified beyond recognition. Bring your game on USB and Render File will improvise music as people play it! Plus, a zine launch by Paradise! Tickets here.
