A Maze

Last updated
A MAZE.
A MAZE logo.png
Genre Independent games, digital art
Location(s) Berlin, Germany, Johannesburg, South Africa
Years active12
Founded2008
Website amaze-berlin.de

A Maze (stylized as A MAZE.) is an international series of events celebrating independent and arthouse games, immersive media and digital culture. Founded in 2008 by artistic director Thorsten Wiedemann, A MAZE. is most notable for hosting the International Games and Playful Media Festival, held annually in Berlin since 2012, which feature annual awards and prizes for games and digital works.

Contents

History

A MAZE was launched by founder and artistic director Thorsten Wiedemann in Berlin in 2008. [1] Wiedemann stated the event began at a local bar to showcase games and digital art, with the event expanding in 2012 to the first festival, Indie Connect, coinciding with the International Games Week Berlin. [2] The festivals are not primarily commercial and aim to celebrate games and digital culture as "not only a product" but a "medium of expression". [3] In following years, the festival was also co-held in Johannesburg from 2012 to 2017. In 2019, A MAZE experienced financial difficulties following the decision by the German Senate Department of Culture to discontinue funding for the program. [4] Following this decision, the festival organisers launched a successful campaign on Kickstarter to partially fund the event in November 2019. During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the event transitioned to a digital experience titled A MAZE ./ SPACE, hosting an online multiplayer showroom. [5]

Awards

A MAZE Festival events feature awards and prizes decided by an independent jury. The festival awards features an open-ended selection criteria beyond traditional video games, with eligibility extended to interactive fiction and digital art. [6] Nominees are judged by a selection committee, with submitted works reviewed and rated on "innovation, potential, interdisciplinarity, social, cultural and political impact, aesthetics and overall awesomeness". A shortlist of games is then reviewed by a final jury of five to select award winners, including the winner of the previous year. Winners of each category receive a €1000 prize, with the main 'Most Amazing Award' prize winner receiving €2000. [7]

Awards at the A MAZE Festival
YearDateSubmissionsWorkAuthorAward
2023 [8] 10–13 May 2023287Extreme Evolution: Drive to DivinitySam AtlasDigital Moment Award
The MetaMovie Presents: Alien RescueThe MetaMovieHuman Human Machine Award
Season: A Letter to the Future Scavengers StudioLong Feature Award
Lost on MarsTrey RammExplorer Award
ViewfinderSad Owl StudiosAudience Award
Player Non PlayerJonathan CorynMost Amazing Award
Psychotic Bathtub – The Story of an Escalating Mind. And Ducks.natshaWings Award
2022 [9] 13-17 May 2022189BORE DOMEGoblin RageDigital Moment Award
Okthryssia and Saturnia's Bureaucratic AdventuresFantasia MalwareHuman Human Machine Award
NORCORaw Fury / Geography of RobotsLong Feature Award
We Are OneFlat Head StudioExplorer Award
Titanic II: Orchestra for Dying at SeaFlan FalacciAudience Award
Tux and Fanny Albert Birney and Gabriel KoenigMost Amazing Award
A Rejection Story!Faezeh KhomeyraniWings Award
2021 [10] 21–24 July 2021251Adventures of HarriharriHarold HejaziDigital Moment Award
Map to UtopiaFringe ensemble / Platform theatreHuman Human Machine Award
I am deadHollow PondsLong Feature Award
Before Your Eyes Goodbyeworld GamesExplorer Award
Time BanditJoel JordonAudience Award
StilstandIda Hartmann & Niila GamesMost Amazing Award
ColestiaDavid CribbHumble New Talent Award
2020 [11] 21–24 July 2020204PromesaJulian PalaciosDigital Moment Award
Brave Mouse Cartographercommon operaHuman Human Machine Award
Knife SistersTranscenders MediaLong Feature Award
Cook your wayEnric Granzotto LlagosteraExplorer Award
Time BanditJoel JordonAudience Award
Nightmare Temptation AcademyLena NW & CostcodreamgurlMost Amazing Award
N/A Studio Oleomingus Humble New Talent Award

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References

  1. Chan, Stephanie (17 September 2017). "How the A Maze Festival in Johannesburg showcased Africa's indie game scene". VentureBeat.
  2. "Thorsten S. Wiedemann: The New Wave. From Indie to Arthouse Games". GamesNow. 23 January 2023.
  3. Webber, Jordan Erica (21 October 2015). "Sex, art and picnics: the rise of the alternative video game festival". Guardian.
  4. Clayton, Natalie (25 November 2019). "A Maze Berlin secures another year of indie games, Thin Lizzie sing-a-longs". Rock Paper Shotgun.
  5. Vega, Sin (22 July 2020). "The super-artsy A Maze festival has begun". Rock Paper Shotgun.
  6. "The 2023 A MAZE. Award nominees are as weird and wonderful as you'd expect". Game Developer. 14 March 2023.
  7. "Welcome to the A MAZE. Award System". A MAZE. 2022.
  8. "A MAZE. / Berlin 2023". A MAZE. 2023.
  9. "A MAZE. / Berlin 2022". A MAZE. 2022.
  10. "A MAZE. / Berlin 2021". A MAZE. 2021.
  11. "A MAZE. / Berlin 2020". A MAZE. 2020.

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