SEE YOU AT SXSW SYDNEY: 13 – 19 OCTOBER IN
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The SXSW Sydney Games Festival is back, and today, we’ve unveiled the full lineup of 120+ jaw-dropping indie titles from 38+ countries. As the largest physical indie games showcase in the Asia-Pacific, this is where the next generation of game makers come to defy genres, upend expectations, and reshape the future of play—all at ICC Sydney this October.
Get hands on with some of the most exciting new games from around the world. Experience airborne hospitality horror in Night Plane, breakneck mini-games in MINDWAVE and slapstick horse-cart hijinx in Castle Cab. Take a trip down memory lane with retro-inspired titles like the claymation platformer Chunk and windows 98 escape room, Desktop Explorer. Or dive into bold new worlds like the Bollywood dance RPG Aikyam, monkey movement-shooter HYPER PRIMATE and painting puzzler Colorbound. Looking for something a bit dark? Try Malys, an exorcism deckbuilder. Looking for something a bit odd? Try Noibs, an off-beat bud-building battler. Whoever you are, we’ve got your next favourite game — check out the full list of titles now on our website.
International Showcases at SXSW Sydney
Play exclusive picks from around the world, brought to Sydney by some of the biggest indie game events on the planet:
Discover what’s making waves around the world - all in one place.
But the SXSW Sydney Games Festival isn’t just about playing games. It’s also a chance to connect with creators, catch unfiltered commentary, and level up your own game—whether you’re an aspiring dev or just game-obsessed.
Kristian Roberts Joins The Lineup
How do you build a thriving games industry from the ground up? Newly announced Featured Speaker Kristian Roberts is set to reveal the strategies behind sustainable growth at SXSW Sydney 2025. As CEO of international consultancy Nordicity, Kristian has worked with governments, studios and investors across the globe to shape funding programs, tax credits and sustainable ecosystems. With nearly two decades of experience translating between public policy and creative practice, he’s become a trusted voice in how to build - and back - a strong games sector. Expect sharp insights, real-world strategies, and maybe even the story of how he talked himself into the job in the first place.
Power-Up Your Career
SXSW Sydney is packed with professional development sessions designed to connect you with publishers, mentors, investors and other brilliant humans who speak fluent game dev. Here’s where to start:
Sit Down, Plug In, Speak Up
Want to hear directly from the minds behind some of the most exciting indie games out there? Our Games Commentary Sessions pull back the curtain on creativity, chaos, and everything in between — with wild stories, live gameplay, and zero filter. From post-mortems to playthroughs, these sessions dive deep into the messy magic of game development, offering the kind of insights you won’t find on a Steam page.
A few highlights from this year’s Games Commentary Sessions include:
Telling a Story Without Talking and Talking A Lot — Remy Karns unpacks how A Week in the Life of Asocial Giraffe uses silence, genre tropes, and experimental mechanics to tell a story without saying a word. Perfect for devs and writers alike, this one’s a masterclass in narrative structure.
Nullstar & Me! — Join the director of Nullstar: Solus for a live playthrough and running commentary on development chaos, tough gameplay, and the scrappy brilliance of a tiny Tasmanian team.
Driving Blind: A Night Bus Post-Mortem — The team behind Night Bus takes you on a ride through the game’s surprise success—sharing early stumbles, unexpected wins, and real talk for fellow indie creators.
This is Your Captain Screaming: Behind the Scenes of Night Plane — A live (and slightly unhinged) demo of Night Plane, a horror-comedy flight sim filled with strange NPCs and even stranger dev choices. Buckle up for a bumpy but hilarious ride.
The Parasite and the Half-Baked Cake — Gareth Fox reveals how Lousy, a game about a parasitic headlouse, came to life through budget constraints, modular systems, and a healthy dose of absurdity.
Kickstart Your Engines: Crowdfunding in the Face of an Industry on Fire — Anna Hollinrake shares how Crescent County hit its Kickstarter goals and kept its cool (mostly). Expect honest crowdfunding advice, battle scars, and a few survival tips too.
Find out more about these Games Commentary sessions now on our website.
The Conversations Driving the Future of Games
This year’s Games Conference sessions aren’t pulling any punches. From making deeply personal games to tackling online abuse, crowdfunding, co-development, AI ethics, and the business of survival, these sessions are sharp, honest, and seriously useful.
The full line up includes talks on everything from marketing to modular engines, identity to industry ethics:
No matter where you sit in the games world—solo dev, studio head, storyteller, or marketer—these sessions are packed with hard-won insights, spicy takes, and future-forward ideas to keep you sharp.
Dive into the full Games Conference line up on our website.
Ready to play, learn, and level up?
Grab your Platinum Pass or Games Pro Pass to unlock hands-on access to the showcase, in-depth conference sessions, exclusive networking events and more this October at SXSW Sydney.
Just here to play? A Games Wristband gets you access to all the indie titles on the show floor—no sessions, no fuss.
Visit our website to explore Pass and Wristband options—and secure yours today.
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