As the initiator and spokesperson of the Initiative Creative Gaming, Andreas Hedrich has been pleading for the creative use of video games in education and to make digital gaming culture visible and come alive. He teaches media eduaction and active media relations at the Faculty of Education at the University of Hamburg. Furthermore, he is chairman for Mediennetz Hamburg e. V., member of jaf – Verein für medienpädagogische Praxis Hamburg e. V., speaker of GMK-Landesgruppe Hamburg and associate of Frische Medien. As media pedagog and media producer it is important for him to be responsible for projects that highlight the creative use of media and their ability to be used by everybody as a medium for communication.

If asked what his favorite game is, he answers “Riding a bicycle in my mind”.

Monster Lab

Benjamin Heinemann studiert an der Leuphana Universität in Lüneburg Kulturwissenschaften mit dem Schwerpunkt Digitale Medien (B. A.), mit dem Ziel in naher Zukunft Medienkompetenzen zu vermitteln. Zuvor hat er eine Ausbildung im pädagogischen Bereich absolviert. Seitdem war er in diesem Bereich stets tätig und hat diverse medienpädagogische Angebote mit Kindern & Jugendlichen angeleitet und durchgeführt wozu mitunter Creative Gaming und die ComputerSpielSchule Hamburg zählen.

Zu seinen digitalen Lieblingsgenres gehören (vor allem klassische) Rollenspiele, wie “Ultima 9″ und die “Gothic”-Reihe, sowie Jump’n’Runs, wie “Crash Bandicoot” und “Rayman”. Außerdem ist Benjamin ein großer Fan von analogen Gesellschaftsspielen wie “Monopoly”, “Scrabble” oder “Terra Mystica”.

Bei PLAY ist er für die Koordination des Monster Labs während des Festivalzeitraums zuständig.

Björn Rohwer studies digital communication at the HAW Hamburg after receiving a BA in Systematic Music Science. He is a freelance journalist, author and will probably never decide what exactly he is doing. Until he is forced to do so, he switches between culture, data journalism, sports, tech, and constructive journalism.

But it all started with video games. First at an Nintendo Fan Magazine, later as freelance journalist and eventually as author of „Unnützes Wissen für Gamer“ (Unnecessary knowledge for gamer). At PLAY19, he is responsible for Social Media channels.

Due to his studies, he likes clever music games such as „Crypt of the NecroDancer“ or the music levels from „Rayman Legends“ – his all time favorites are Mario Kart games and „The Secret of Monkey Island“.

Carina studied cultural sciences at the University of Koblenz and culture and media management at the University of Music in Hamburg.

During times, when she isn’t entertaining her own offsprings, she is carrying out media and cultural pedagogic projects with children and youths in Hamburg. Her favorite games are strategy games like “Anno” or “SimCity”, if she finds any time besides her duties.

As team coordinator at PLAY18 she is responsible for bringing together the tasks of the festival with the interest of the team and the volunteers. During the festival she can be found at the Festival HQ, where she will answer (almost) any question.

Christiane Schwinge holds a degree in pedagogy and works as a freelance media educator in various fields of education. She is founding member and speaker of the independent and nonprofit Initiative Creative Gaming, thus she campaigns for the creative, capable and critical use of digital games. Since its opening in 2015, Christiane is part of the direction of the ComputerSpielSchule Hamburg, an open media pedagogic institution for adolescents and adults taking place in Bücherhallen Hamburg, the public libraries of Hamburg. Besides, she works as a lecturer at different universities. Since 2016, she also coordinates the MINTforum Hamburg.

Among her favorite games are “B.U.T.T.O.N.”, “Octodad” and “Mimics”, because they are equally silly, funny and unplayable.

Christina Kutscher studied British and American Cultures: Texts and Media at the University of Hamburg and is a tutor at the Institute for British and American Studies. She is also a media educator and writer for Lost Levels. At PLAY19 she is responsible for the Creative Gaming Award an the excursions.

His favorite games change, but ‘Hollow Knight’ remains one of these favorites. His guilty pleasures are the ‘Warriors’ series’ spin-offs.

His interest in DIY culture and interactive media brought him to PLAY’s workshop and Monster Lab areas. Some of his favourite games are those that let players play by their own rules, having spent more time messing around in Metal Gear Solid V’s freeplay, Far Cry’s map editor or in Trackmania’s track creator than actually playing the games as intended.

He is coordinating the Monster Lab during the PLAY19 festival days.