Playframes (MIT Press) builds on the work of Gregory Bateson and Erving Goffman to take a deep dive into Bateson's primary question: How do we know we're playing? In this book, Celia Pearce addresses this question by building a comprehensive theory of the specific mechanisms that meta-communicate the message "this is play." Join us for a book […]
Picking Up Things in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Join us for a talk on how MachineGames developed a first-person game focused on simulating hands-on experiences and adventure over action. This talk goes through the design process for developing the GRIP system (grab, reach out, interact, push), the hurdles of encouraging hand-to-hand combat over gun […]
New York City has become a hotbed for pioneering independent game developers whose unique artistic expression rarely gets the spotlight it deserves. We can change this by finding new ways to work together, creating a more cohesive and inclusive community in the process. Our panel of four community leaders are passionate about this goal. Each […]
NYC’s biggest indie game showcase is here—and it’s your chance to play games before anyone else in the world. On Saturday, October 18, 2025, IGDA NYC takes over Hana House for Game-A-Palooza, a one-day festival built to celebrate and spotlight local game developers. Proudly sponsored by the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, this event puts the city’s creative talent front and center.
🕹️ Play 50+ New and Unreleased Games
From 12–5 p.m., get hands-on with over 50 brand-new and unreleased games from NYC’s most inventive developers. This is your chance to discover the next big thing before it hits Steam, consoles, or anywhere else.
Don’t just play games. Play them first.
join us on saturday 10/18 @ 8pm for an international crossover event with our friends from ]repair in shanghai! at the same time they will be showing our games in new york, we'll have a curation of chinese games, a portal to interact with the attendees in shanghai, and a fax machine(?!!)
Elaine Gómez is a Borikua (Puerto Rican) and Kiskeyan (Dominican) game designer with nearly a decade of experience in game design and development. Her talk will focus on the initiatives, collaboration and advocacy work Latinx in Gaming has launched to best support and uplift Latine developers and creatives, regardless of where they are in the world. […]
Join us for our sort-of ;) monthly Unreal NYC Meetup, where we dive into all the latest features of Unreal Engine and network with other professionals in games, animation, film, broadcast, live events, and more.
Come meet some board game designers, play some unreleased games, and maybe even make some new friends!
Join us for a night of Zohran themed games as we get hyped to vote! During this happy hour, you can play and win Zohran themed prizes!! Know a Zohran game you’d like to submit? Let us know!! Enter the building by using this link and typing ‘ding’ in the bell chat: https://discord.gg/VY9ydwtW6
Join us for a conversation with Dimma Davidoff, creator of the Mafia game. We will talk about the psychological roots of the game (why was it not created before?), ways to look at it from different perspectives (how come it is not about lying?) and lessons opening the new worlds of play (what games would […]
Join the local electronic music community for our showcase featuring an eclectic mix of New York City artists working in a variety of styles. Organized by Metamyther
XR Motion is a mograph, VR, AR, 3D, AI, Metaverse meetup that gathers enthusiasts, professionals, and experts in the field!
Want to add your event? Email: contact@makegames.nyc