According to Creative Victoria, the upcoming Melbourne International Games Week (MIGW) 2024 is set to foster connections across the gaming community, from enthusiasts and students to local and international industry leaders. This year’s line-up of events seek to highlight how gaming intersects with other industries such as music, fashion, health, and education — in addition to showcasing local talent and emerging games from Victoria and across Australia, with a focus on the positive societal impacts of gaming technology.
MIGW is supported by the Victorian Government, and hopes to position Victoria as a global leader in the gaming industry. Key events include Games Connect Asia Pacific (GCAP), High Score, and Play Now Melbourne, providing local developers opportunities to engage with international experts.
The ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image) is set to be a central hub for the week, featuring a world premiere exhibition on Untitled Goose Game, a Final Fantasy XIV celebration, and a showcase of Australia’s latest games. The event will also include numerous free gaming opportunities.
Melbourne International Games Week celebrates Victoria’s games industry, promotes our local talent and is a drawcard for industry leaders from around the world.
The Hon. Colin Brooks MP – Victorian Minister for Creative Industries
This year marks the 10th MIGW and the Allan Labor Government is proud to continue backing our digital games industry as it goes from strength to strength. I can’t wait to see games fans once again ‘power up’ for a brilliant week of events, education and fun!
Some of the major events in the MIGW lineup include:
Education Symposium (Thursday-Friday, October 3-4): The Education Symposium is a new addition to the MIGW program, aiming to strengthen the connections and pathways between students, educators, and the gaming industry. This two-day event will focus on careers in games, featuring the Great Debate on gaming careers, mentoring sessions with industry leaders, and a rapid-fire session on industry insights. Additionally, a hackathon will see tertiary students compete, and a live session will link with a parallel conference in Denmark to discuss global trends in games education.
Big Games Night Out (Thursday, October 10): This immersive night of games, music, cosplay, and more returns to Fed Square from 3 pm ‘til late. Big Games Night Out is a free, all-ages event that brings together games fans to celebrate amidst a spectacle of games, music, and technology. Attendees can enjoy digital and tabletop game activations, the Cosplay Runway, esports tournaments, main stage dance-offs, treasure hunts, prizes, live music, and more.
High Score (Saturday-Sunday, October 5-6): Hosted by APRA AMCOS, High Score is where Australia’s game audio community gathers annually to learn, network, and celebrate music and sound in video games. The 2024 theme is “Connection is Key,” with speakers including top local and international talent such as composers, sound designers, and audio directors from Remedy Entertainment, Summerfall Studios, and Sony.
Games Connect Asia Pacific (GCAP) (Monday-Wednesday, October 7-9): Led by the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association, GCAP is Australia’s premier professional development and networking event for the games industry. This year’s focus will include workplace culture, studio sustainability, and adapting to industry changes. The event will also feature networking activities to connect local attendees with global counterparts and investment opportunities.
Play Now Melbourne (Thursday, October 10): After a successful inaugural event last year, Play Now Melbourne returns in 2024. Presented by VicScreen, this market event brings together local game developers, publishers, platform holders, and investors. It provides a unique opportunity for local creatives to pitch their games to the international market. Leading global publishers attending include Devolver Digital, Raw Fury, Oculus Publishing from Meta, Team17, and more.
Australian Game Developers Awards (AGDAs) (Wednesday, October 9): The AGDAs celebrate outstanding games and individual achievements within the Australian games community. The ACMI Audience Award allows the public to vote for their favourite local game of the year.
HONK! Untitled Goose Exhibition: During MIGW 2024, ACMI will also host “Honk! Untitled Goose Exhibition,” exploring the making of Untitled Goose Game by Australian studio House House.
Freeplay: Parallels (Thursday, October 10): Celebrating its 10th anniversary alongside Freeplay’s 20th anniversary, Parallels is a one-night-only showcase of experimental, personal, and culturally significant games. For the first time, it will be held at Melbourne Town Hall, featuring “10 talks, 10 games, 10 years of Parallels,” followed by a special after-party.
Games for Change Asia-Pacific Festival (G4CAP) (Friday, October 4): Hosted by ACMI, G4CAP will explore the transformative power of games in education, health, and social change. The 2024 festival will cover topics such as neurodivergence, political debate, role-playing, wildlife education, and training medical rescue teams. Guest speaker Jessica Wilson from Child Nation will discuss engaging children with the real world through interactive platforms.
PAX Aus (Friday-Sunday, October 11-13): PAX Aus is a three-day celebration of games, culture, and community. The event will feature panels, an expo hall, game demos, and tournaments. Notable speakers include Julian Wilton from Massive Monster, Canadian voice actor Mark Meer, and comedian John Robertson with his live-action video game, The Dark Room.
The full program for Melbourne International Games Week 2024 will be available next month via the event’s official website.
