Games Showcase 2025 | SXSW Sydney

Unmissable moments at the SXSW Sydney Games Festival

The SXSW Sydney Games Showcase is a must-see celebration of bold ideas, immersive gameplay, and the best in emerging game talent. Perfect for both industry professionals and passionate enthusiasts, the showcase offers fresh inspiration, discovery, and a firsthand look at the future of interactive entertainment.

Play 120 new indie titles from around the world
Connect with the indie developers from behind the games.
Playtest new and unreleased tabletop and video games
Witness the next generation of talent at the Student Showcase

Whether you're scouting talent, networking, or just here to play, this is where the best in games comes to shine.

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KEY EVENTS WHAT TO EXPECT

Key Dates

Brennan Lee Mulligan Keynote

October 14

Opening Night Happy Hour

October 15

Games Showcase

October 15-18

Games Investment Forum

October 15-16

Tabletop Showcase

October 16-17

Games Industry Networking

October 15-17

Games Professional Development

October 15-16

Don’t Miss Out

Passes available now, buy early to save! Choose between a Platinum Pass, Pro Pass (Games) or a Games Wristband.

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Key Events

Dungeon Master in Dialogue

Join Brennan Lee Mulligan, creator of Dimension 20 and new Dungeon Master of Critical Role in his Keynote session at SXSW Sydney. In his first visit to Australia, Brennan will explore the art of improvisation, collaborative storytelling, and the alchemy of building immersive worlds. With his work now amplified on a global stage and his signature wit and dramatic flair in full force, Brennan invites attendees to discover not just how campaigns are built, but how they connect us all.

Key Events

Games Investment Forum

Step into the 2025 edition of the SXSW Sydney Games Investment Forum — a curated program designed to connect game developers with publishers, investors, scouts, and funding bodies. The Games Investment Forum offers meaningful access to the people who can help make it happen.

Key Events

Kick Back, Network, Connect

Meet fellow industry folk at Games Happy Hour, Breakfasts, meet ups and mixers.

What To Expect

Professional Development

Meet your Mentors

The Games Mentorship Program is your chance to connect with world-leading industry experts. Available for walk up and pre-booked meetings, this program puts developers' needs front and centre. Learn from the best in law, HR, development, leadership, marketing and more. Come prepared with your pitch decks, marketing plans, budgets and missions statements to get meaningful feedback, mentoring and direction.

Featured Session

Skill Up x Noclip

Join YouTube icons Skill Up and Noclip as they discuss their careers, content creation, finding their place in a saturated industry and staying relevant in the ever changing landscapes of games media.

Game Awards

Cue applause

Celebrate the standout titles from the Games Showcase at the annual SXSW Sydney Game Awards.

Opening Night

Games Opening Night Happy HouR

Presented by Beethoven & Dinosaur

Gather on the green at Tumbalong Park and celebrate the open of the SXSW Sydney 2025 Games Festival. Unwind at the end of the day and kick off the evening with a relaxed drink and good company. Presented by the iconic Beethoven & Dinosaur and featuring the playlist from their upcoming title MIXTAPE.

Game Jam Feature NighT

Talent with a timelimit

Slither into the Snake themed Game Jam Feature Night at AIT. All games are made by developers in under a month, these bite-sized projects are filled with charm, weirdness, and delight, offering a glimpse into what happens when imagination meets a tight deadline.

Live Games Commentary

Get behind the scenes

Hear from the brains behind the game and join developers live on stage as their play through their creations. Peak behind the curtain and get into the guts of what it really means to build games today: the hard truths of indie marketing, the pressure to perform as both a dev and an influencer, the fine art of negotiation, and the increasingly blurred lines between film and games.

Student Showcase

Tomorrow's creators, today

Try games crafted by emerging student developers. Support the next generation and get inspired by fresh ideas in game design.

Special Event

Ghost of Yōtei: Behind the Blade

See Ghost of Yōtei come alive at SXSW Sydney with a live one-hour gameplay session on PlayStation 5. Campaign Director Rob Davis plays through a game section while answering questions and sharing behind-the-scenes insights. A spoiler-free deep dive into PlayStation’s next epic adventure, only at SXSW Sydney.

Looking for career changing conversations?

Join the Games Mentorship Program, a series of 1:1 mentoring sessions with games industry veterans from across the world. Connect, network and learn from a range of experts from entertainment law, business management, marketing, leadership, development and more.

All applicants require a Games Pro Pass to attend.

Apply Here

explore TICKETS

Pro Pass Games

7-day Conference, Expo + Game Events

$995

+ Booking Fee

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Platinum Pass

For the ultimate 7-day SXSW SYDNEY EXPERIENCE

The ultimate SXSW Sydney experience. Includes everything – all Games events plus access to Tech, Music, Screen festivals, and the conference. Perfect if you want to immerse yourself in SXSW Sydney end-to-end.