The games exhibition under the motto “Let’s get Physical – Game and Body” focuses on gamer in virtual space as well as innovative VR ideas and prototypes that explore where virtual reality stands and show new developments. At the Kunsthaus Hamburg, next to central station, HTC Vive can help to overcome vertigo during virtual parachute jumps in “Sky Touch” or players can explore fictional and real spaces as British agents in “Unseen Diplomacy”.

Besides such “Head Mounted Displays” visitors can play casually with gamepads: At the Bücherhallen in Hamburg, games like the award winning “Everybodys Gone to the Rapture” by The Chinese Room or the Kinect-Platformer “Fru” by Through Games will be exhibited and playable.

“The games exhibition of PLAY16 invites all gamers to enter virtual reality for the first time, to become the protagonist of fantastic worlds and to experience creative and innovative indie games, new trends and current topics of gaming” explains one of the curators Matthias Löwe. “All the games have one thing in common: They combine game and body and demonstrate in a playful way topics like space, movement, disability, immersion and sexuality.”

The games exhibition of PLAY16 is only one main aspect of the Creative Gaming festival. Gaming fans can, for instance, gain insights in game development during several workshops or admire European game developer’s creative power at the Creative Gaming Awards. Entertaining evening events round out the program – the daily PLAY Show with Uke Bosse or the “Stay Forever” Podcast with Christian Schmidt and Gunnar Lott, who discuss live how virtual reality developed.
About PLAY16

PLAY is the first and unique festival, which combines media art, discourse and education with the culture of digital games. PLAY16 is an event of the Initiative Creative Gaming e.V., of jaf – Verein für medienpädagogische Praxis Hamburg e.V. in cooperation with spielbar.de, the platform of Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung/bpb concerning computer games, JIZ – Jugendinformationszentrum Hamburg der Behörde für Schule und Berufsbildung, supported by numerous partners and sponsors from Hamburg and all over the world. Further information can be found at the official website: www.play16.net.

Press inquiries:
Tina Ziegler
mobil: 0174-4440454
office: 04521-84899-45
tina.ziegler@creative-gaming.eu
www.PLAY16.de

The initiative Creative Gaming will host the Creative Gaming award 2016. As part of the annual PLAY – Creative Gaming festival European indie game developers have the chance to submit their creative and innovative games. The submission starts May 17th.

Indie devs from all over Europe can submit their games. The Creative Gaming award focuses on creative games and
playful media, that give the player the possibility to interact creatively with and within the game. The innovation, that is connected with the development of the game, can be showcased by a special gameplay, transmediality, unknown possibilities of interaction within the game, essential graphic innovations, new interfaces, uncommon atmospheres, visual breakthroughs or new topics that are being dealt with in the game. “We are excited to play novel, innovative and creative submission!”, says Valentina Birke, curator of the exhibition and head of the Creative Gaming award.

The Creative Gaming award will be awarded in two categories:

Most Creative Game
This category is directed to experienced developers that have already published one or more games. Beta versions and completed projects can be submitted. The award is endowed with a prize money.

Most Innovative Newcomer
This category is directed to newcomer developers that have NOT published a game yet. In this category, prototypes as well as alpha and beta versions can be submitted. This award too is endowed with a prize money. Additionally, the winners receive a one-year mentoring.

The nominated games also receive a place in the PLAY exhibition and participate in the festive awarding ceremony on November 5, 2016. During the festival, nominated developers are invited to Hamburg.

The deadline is soon!

The competitive call for this year’s Creative Gaming award starts on May 17, 2016. The deadline is on July 17, 2016. Until then European developers can submit their games and thus take a chance to win the coveted Creative Gaming award.

The agony of choice

An international jury with members from different branches of the gaming industry will chose from this year’s nominees. On November 5, 2016, the Creative Gaming award will be given to the lucky winners at the festive awarding ceremony. The nominated games will be showcased at the PLAY exhibition and can be played by visitors of the PLAY – Creative Gaming festival.

Last year’s overwhelming response

The Creative Gaming award was first presented in 2015 at the PLAY – Creative Gaming festival. More than
150 submissions from over 20 countries proved its popularity. Among the winners were Jolly Jousting (Audience Award), an installation that combined medieval sports with contemporary and virtual techniques, and Lucid (Most
Innovative Newcomer Game), an Austrian eyetracking adventure. The main category’s winners were the Norwegian developers from Krillbite Studios with their atmospheric game Among the Sleep.

Background, organisers and the festival

For the ninth time, PLAY – Creative Gaming festival takes place from November 2-6, 2016 in Hamburg.
The first and unique festival combines media art, discourse and education with the culture of digital games.
The PLAY conference discusses new perspectives on games while our diverse workshops demonstrate the creative, yet critical use of games. Our interactive indie game exhibition foregrounds games off the mainstream.

Since 2007 the initiative Creative Gaming works in the fields of art and education and
could establish itself as a pioneer for the media pedagogical and creative use of
computer games.

This year under the motto ‘Let’s Get Physical – Game and Body’ PLAY16 is putting a special focus on the role the body plays both before and during a game. New technologies such as virtual and augmented reality offer innovative gaming experiences that go far beyond current gaming boundaries. During the festival attendees will be able to develop their own impressions at two exhibitions and will be able to explore exciting VR gaming concepts. The two PLAY exhibitions in the Kunsthaus Hamburg and in the Central Library in the Hünerposten include Indie Games, media art and analog type games. In addition, the „Game Culture Hamburg“ exhibition (also put together by the Initiative Creative Gaming) awaits the visitor in the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe. The interactive exhibits offer
games that you can put your hands on. Creations of various independent game developers as well as playable projects of several artists are on show.

And, what does one do when the sun sets in Hamburg and the city reveals a different face? PLAY at night offers numerous evening events involving gaming, culture and interactive discussions that are both multifaceted and entertaining. On November 3rd, visitors will be able to accompany Gunnar Lott and Christian Schmidt of the Stay Forever Podcast Project on a lively and entertaining archeological expedition through the history of virtual reality.
It is a story well known for its many misunderstandings. On November 3rd and 4th there will be a participative stage play under the direction of the media artist Friedrich Kirschner. His work has appeared in numerous international animation festivals, theaters and exhibitions.

The conferring of the International Creative Gaming Awards on November 5th in the Hamburg City Hall is a special highlight of the festival. Each year during PLAY, the Initiative Creative Gaming gives an award for the best creative (Newcomer) and game production prototypes and games. The award is given in three categories: Most Creative
Game, Most Innovative Newcomer and an Audience Award. Game developers across Europe are invited to submit their games for the competition. The games will be nominated by the Initiative Creative Gaming. They will be exhibited during the festival. The winners will be selected by a panel of professionals and by the festival attendees.
The last day of the festival Is devoted to the family. Attendees are invited to participate in open workshops which provide an opportunity for the entire family to play and make new discoveries. Here children and young people will be able to: build their own controller for a minigame with grandma, play their favorite PLAY Festival game with mom or tryout street games with dad. The Festival Sunday is designed to be an open games day providing opportunities for consultation and discussion.

Background:
PLAY is worldwide the first, and in this sense unique, festival that brings together the disciplines of media art, analysis, and education with the digital games culture. The Creative Gaming Festival is aimed at school children, parents, students, teachers, artists, games professionals and all who are concerned with technology and cultural content. But above all, it invites people of all ages to explore and learn the many possibilities to be found in computer games. PLAY demonstrates what happens when in digital games we don’t follow the rules of the game, but at the same time recognize games as an important cultural component. The five days of the festival also provide insights into the professional opportunities to be found in the games field.

Playing with games!
This is the motto of Initiative Creative Games, the festival organizer. Initiative Creative Gaming has been working in the art and education space since 2007 and has established itself as a pioneer in the application of computer games as creative media pedagogic tools. As the festival organizer Andreas Hedrich explains, “PLAY brings together young people, teachers, researchers, game professionals and those interested in culture in general. Together attendees of all ages experience new perspectives of the game culture and the possibilities offered by digital games”.
PLAY16 – Creative Gaming Festival
2. – 6. November 2016
Let’s Get Physical – Game & Body
For the complete programm with all details, events and ticket information visit: www.play16.de

If you have questions, require additional information or are interested in interviews or photographs, please
contact:
Tina Ziegler (Leitung Presse- und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit)
mobile: +49 (0)174-4440454
office: +49 (0)4521-84899-45
tina.ziegler@creative-gaming.eu
www.play16.de

Download press release September 2016

Under the motto “Let’s get physical”, PLAY16 deals with the role of players in and in front of the game. Not least new technologies like virtual reality and augmented reality offer completely new experiences and push boundaries, sometimes even requiring new controls and interfaces. Gamers can experience this in the games exhibition and try out innovative and surprising VR gaming concepts. However, the newly acquired accessibility is not only important regarding the virtual reality. Thus, PLAY offers a platform for gamers with disabilities and is looking for the right access to otherwise physically and motoricly demanding gaming experiences.

People looking for different barriers and desiring to see what is behind a game, can visit one of the diverse workshops. Gaming experts convey insights and show how games work – for example in regards to topics like character design or storytelling – for amateurs and experienced people alike. At the same time, game developers can gain new inspiration during talks and game jams.

A true inspiration provides the Creative Gaming Award. By now, more than 170 games from over 20 countries have been subitted. An international jury will nominate six selected games within the next months. During the awarding ceremony the most creative game as well as the best newcomer production and the favorite of PLAY16 visitors will be awarded at Hamburg’s townhall and receive prizes. Additionally, the exhibition at the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe (MKG), that is curated by PLAY16 and starts October 27, portrays the most important games-people from Hamburg.

“No matter if gamer or game-creator: This November, PLAY16 celebrates a real Creative Gaming festivals in hanse town with its varying program, exciting topics and last but not least many amazing games”, explains Andreas Hedrich, festival direction of PLAY16. “We cannot wait to show more of our program in the next months. But next we’ll see you at gamescom in Cologne!”

About PLAY16

PLAY is the first and unique festival, which combines media art, discourse and education with the culture of digital games. PLAY16 is an event of the Initiative Creative Gaming e.V., of jaf – Verein für medienpädagogische Praxis Hamburg e.V. in cooperation with spielbar.de, the platform of Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung/bpb concerning computer games, JIZ – Jugendinformationszentrum Hamburg der Behörde für Schule und Berufsbildung, supported by numerous partners and sponsors from Hamburg and all over the world. Further information can be found at the official website: www.play16.net.

Press inquiries:

Tina Ziegler

mobil: 0174-4440454

office: 04521-84899-45

tina.ziegler@creative-gaming.eu

www.PLAY16.de

Let’s get physical: PLAY16 – Creative Gaming Festival
2nd to 6th November in Hamburg

In November, the city of Hamburg will be a digital playground. For the ninth time, the PLAY festival offers creative and unusual perspectives on digital games for its visitors.

This year’s topic is “Let’s get physical – Game and Body”. Aspects like gender, sexuality and boundaries between game and body will be highlighted and discussed in workshops, impulses and the exhibition. The technical development of virtual reality, as for instance cyberglasses like Oculus Rift, amplifies the experience of games and redefines the role of corperality in games.

At the moment, the program is being planned. During more than 100 various events, the visitors can touch, participate and experience games in different ways in the city center of Hamburg. For example, there will be a curated exhibition about Hamburg’s games culture in cooperation with the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, workshops in the Zentralbibliothek, the PLAY exhibition at the Kunsthaus Hamburg, performances in Gängeviertel and the awarding of the Creative Gaming award in Hamburg’s townhall, to name only a few highlights.

“The Creative Gaming festival is a consistent and important institution concerning  the constructive occupation and critical contention with digital games. The festival is an enrichment for political education, that takes importance of the medium seriously”, says Thomas Krüger, president of the Federal Agency for Civic Education, which is going to be a cooperation partner in 2016 again.
Matthias Kempke, game designer at Daedalic Entertainment, summarizes his impressions from last year’s PLAY: “I think it is incredibly exciting that the whole city is involved at PLAY und that artists, pedagogues, developers, critics, theorists, teacher, students and young people get together in the city and celebrate the culture of digital games.”

Creative Gaming Award

For the second time, the initiative Creative Gaming awards the Creative Gaming award. Developers and artists from Europe are invited to submit their creative and innovative games. Thereby, they attain a chance to not only win the award, but also obtain the possibility to present their work at the PLAY exhibition to a large audience. The fact that the awarding ceremony takes place at the townhall is a naturalness for Carola Veit, President of Hamburg Parliament: “Policy is made in a townhall: a creative process that demands readiness, decision-making abilities, and active interventions. Hence, there are indeed parallels to Creative Gaming – however, politics is no game. So it is obvious to invite gamers into the townhall in order to exchange similarities and differences – and to honor the best ideas.”

Playing with games!
That is the motto of the initiative Creative Gaming, that hosts the festival. Since 2007, the initiative Creative Gaming works in the fields of art and education and established itself as a pioneer regarding the employment of media pedagogy and creative employment of computer games.  “PLAY convenes adolescents, students, teacher, scientists, people from the game industry and those who are interested in culture. Together the visitors of every age experience a new perspective on gaming culture and the diverse possibilities that games offer”, explains Festival Director Andreas Hedrich.

Further information:

For further questions and foto inquiries please contact Tina Ziegler:
Tel.: 0174-4440454 or 04521-84899-45
tina.ziegler@creative-gaming.eu / www.PLAY16.net