ALT: Games Festival – Australia's First Indie Games Festival Is Here

alt festival

Summary:

  • Sydney launches its first indie-focused gaming festival – ALT: Games Festival!
  • ALT highlights Australia’s vibrant indie game dev scene and creative storytelling
  • Featuring live talks, experimental games, and interactive AI-powered installations
  • ALT: Games Festival debuts April 12–13 at Parramatta’s PHIVE precinct
  • Most events offer free or low-cost access

If you’ve ever wished for a gaming event in Australia that celebrates creativity, innovation, and local talent, ALT: Games Festival might just be your dream come true. 

Set to debut in Parramatta’s PHIVE precinct from April 12–13, 2025, this festival isn’t just another event—it’s a cultural milestone in Australia's gaming history.

For the first time, Sydney is getting a festival dedicated entirely to games as a creative medium. Think of it as the SXSW for Australian gaming, with an indie heartbeat and a community-first mindset.

What is ALT: Games Festival All About?

Organized by the Powerhouse Museum in collaboration with the City of Parramatta, Screen Australia, and Screen NSW, ALT is paving the way for the Australian gaming scene to really shine. The event is broken into multiple streams like 

  • ALT: PLAY

  • ALT: SESSIONS

  • ALT: FEATURES

  • and even a quirky, eye-catching installation under ALT: INSTALLATION

But ALT isn’t about the big AAA blockbusters. It’s about the intimate, experimental, and deeply personal games coming from passionate indie creators.

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ALT: PLAY, event stream will feature new and in-progress titles from local Australian studios This includes some amazing teams like:

  • Vivink Studios – Known for their visuals and poetic storytelling

  • GUCK – An Indigenous-led studio blending traditional narratives with modern gameplay

  • Pat Naoum Games – Creators of the hand-crafted point-and-click adventure The Master’s Pupil

These aren’t your run-of-the-mill shooters or loot-based grindathons. We're talking about games with unique art styles, emotional stories, and experimental mechanics—the kind of stuff that puts passion over profit.

And what's even more exciting is that ALT provides these developers with a genuine platform. For many, it will be their first opportunity to display their work in such a high-energy, professional festival environment.

Why ALT Matters for Australia’s Gaming Culture

Australia has long been a breeding ground for creative minds, but the gaming industry here often struggles with visibility, funding, and access to large audiences. ALT steps in to change that.

By bringing together talents like developers, artists, musicians, writers, and even tabletop game makers, ALT is aiming to position gaming as an essential part of Australia’s landscape.

It also offers emerging creators access to industry panels, mentorship, and exposure that could help shape their careers.

More than that, ALT feels like a statement: That Australian games are worth celebrating, worth funding, and worth paying attention to globally.

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Talks, Panels, and Industry Heavyweights

The ALT: SESSIONS and ALT: FEATURES parts of the festival bring some serious firepower:

  • Daniel Mullins (creator of Inscryption)

  • Richard Garfield (Magic: The Gathering)

  • JoJo Zhou (art director at Massive Monster – Cult of the Lamb)

  • Steph Panecasio (GamesHub editor and longtime critic)

They’ll be leading talks and deep dives into game design, deckbuilding, narrative construction, and more. For aspiring devs, this is the kind of stuff you usually have to fly to GDC for.

Don't Miss This: An AI-Powered Installation

One of the more left-field (but super cool) highlights is “How (Not) To Get Hit by a Self-Driving Car”, an interactive installation by the artist collective Playfool. 

It uses AI-powered cameras and motion detection to create a weirdly fun—and slightly tense—playground that explores the theme of visibility in tech spaces.

Event Duration & Access

ALT: Games Festival runs April 12–13, 2025, at PHIVE in Parramatta Square. That’s two days packed with playable demos, live talks, and networking opportunities. 

Even better—many of the events are free or low-cost, making it one of the most accessible game festivals out there.

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ALT: Games Festival feels like the fresh, community focused celebration Australia’s gaming culture has been waiting for. And who knows where it might lead them? ALT might just become the hotspot for discovering the next big hit in gaming.

You can find more info and register through the official ALT: Games Festival page.
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