Poland in Iran

22 of the best student games from 10 countries, creators and experts from around the world, representatives of leading game development studios, discussions on the future of education and the job market, and the prestigious Best Student Game Awards ceremony – on October 8–9, the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw will become the venue for an international celebration of young game creators. The second edition of the Student Games Festival is coming – an event bringing together games, education, culture, and business. Admission to the entire festival is free.

Warsaw will once again soon become a meeting place for young game creators from around the world. The second edition of the Student Games Festival will take place on October 8–9 at the Palace of Culture and Science – an international event dedicated to the work of students and emerging game developers.

The festival is much more than a showcase of the most exciting student productions. It is also two days of meetings, workshops, lectures, discussions, and consultations with industry professionals. The organizers aim to create a space where young creators can not only present their projects, but also gain the knowledge, connections, and skills they need to begin their careers in the game development industry.

22 games from 10 countries

A special festival zone will showcase 22 of the best student games from 10 countries, selected from 192 submissions representing 32 countries. The creators of the nominated games will be present at the festival, giving audiences, industry professionals, and fellow developers the opportunity to meet the teams behind the productions in person.

Another integral part of the event will be the CV & Portfolio Zone, where students will have the opportunity to receive feedback on their experience and professional materials from experts representing renowned game development studios.

“This festival is for students and about students, which is why this year they are co-creating the programme with us. They know best what kind of knowledge and support they need,” says Ewa Maria Szczepanowska, Festival Director.

A Programme co-created with students

This year's edition places particular emphasis on co-creating the festival with students themselves. The conference programme is being developed in cooperation with 12 student academic societies from leading Polish universities educating future game developers and game studies scholars.

This approach is intended to ensure that the workshops, lectures, and panel discussions address the real needs and challenges faced by students and young people entering the game development industry.

The programme will include discussions on the skills currently expected by the job market, funding opportunities for game production, and the relationship between education and a rapidly evolving game industry. Panels will bring together representatives of the games sector, public institutions, academia, and the cultural sector.

Academic representatives from Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania, and the Netherlands will also discuss the challenges involved in educating the next generation of game creators.

Guests from Poland and around the world

The Student Games Festival will provide an opportunity to meet acclaimed creators and experts from the international games industry. Among the special guests announced so far are Rami Ismail, one of the most recognized independent game developers and experts on the global indie scene, and Jakub Dvorský of the acclaimed Czech studio Amanita Design, known for its distinctive auteur adventure games.

Creators behind major titles, including The Blood of Dawnwalker, will discuss their work and experiences. The programme will also feature developers and representatives from studios such as 11 bit studios, Bloober Team, CD PROJEKT RED, Larian, and also GOG.

The festival is intended to bring together a wide range of perspectives – from the experience of independent creators and leading Polish studios to academia and public institutions.

Polish-Czech Video Games Forum

An important part of this year's edition will be the Polish-Czech Video Games Forum, dedicated to cooperation between the Polish and Czech games sectors.

“To further strengthen integration at an international level, this year's edition is being organized together with the Czech games industry. Its history will be presented through the interactive exhibition ‘Infinite Universes’,” says Paweł Miechowski, Festival organizer and game developer known for his work at 11 bit studios.

The “Infinite Universes” exhibition will give visitors an opportunity to explore the history of the Czech game development industry and discover its most important achievements. The Polish-Czech Forum, meanwhile, will provide a space for discussions about education, culture, and international cooperation.

Cooperation with the Czech Republic is the beginning of a broader vision for the festival. Each subsequent edition of the Student Games Festival will be organized in cooperation with a different country, with the aim of gradually building an international network of connections between game creators, studios, experts, universities, and institutions involved in the games industry.

The goal is to bring the community together, foster mutual support, and facilitate the exchange of knowledge, experience, and best practices. In this way, the festival aims to become a space where different countries and their local game development scenes can get to know one another better, establish new partnerships, and work together to further develop the industry.

Best Student Game Awards Ceremony

The festival will culminate in the Best Student Game Awards ceremony, taking place on October 9 at 6:00 PM. The event will bring together representatives of public authorities, cultural institutions, universities, the games industry, as well as students and creators of the nominated games.

Awards will be presented in four categories, alongside a special Amnesty International Award for the best game addressing human rights issues. The ceremony will also feature a concert by the duo DVA.

The Best Student Game Awards will not only mark the conclusion of the festival's competition, but above all serve as a celebration of young creators and an opportunity to showcase their work to a wider audience and representatives of the international games industry.

The following distinguished guests have already confirmed their participation in the event:

Ms. Marta Cienkowska, Minister of Culture and National Heritage; Ms. Karolina Zioło-Pużuk, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education; Mr. Rafał Rosiński, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Digital Affairs; Mr. Ignacy Niemczycki, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Ms. Magdalena Hajduk, Adviser to the President of the Republic of Poland.

Two days of culture, knowledge and connections

The festival will officially open on Thursday, October 8 at 11:00 AM. Over the course of two days, participants will be able to take part in a wide-ranging programme of workshops, panel discussions, lectures, presentations, CV and portfolio consultations, and the nominated games zone.

The detailed programme will be published at www.studentgamesfestival.com.

Admission to the entire festival is free. Registration is required via the following form:

https://tiny.pl/hvk-1nwbf

An international event in the heart of Warsaw

The Student Games Festival is an international event bringing together education, culture, and business, with the aim of showcasing the work of young creators and creating opportunities for their professional development and entry into the games industry.

The second edition of the festival is organized by the Fundacja Kultura Interaktywna in cooperation with the City of Warsaw and the Mazowieckie Voivodeship.

The project is co-financed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage under the Creative Industries Institute's own programme: Development of Creative Sectors.

Organizer:
Fundacja Kultura Interaktywna

Co-organizers:
City of Warsaw
Mazowieckie Voivodeship

Honorary Patronage:
Minister of Culture and National Heritage
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Digital Affairs
Ministry of Science and Higher Education
Marshal of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship
Mayor of Warsaw

Patron:
11 bit studios

Main Sponsor:
AMD

Technology Partner:
G-Master by iiyama

Sponsors:
Larian
Render Cube

Partners:
Polish Games Association, Indie Games Poland, European Games Developer Federation, EUNIC – European Union National Institutes for Culture, Czech Game Developers Association, Slovak Game Developers Association, Lithuanian Game Developers Association, Romanian Game Developers Association, Serbian Games Association, Dutch Games Association, Czech Center Warsaw, Unreal Engine Meetup, Heliograf, Bloober Team, Elsewhere Entertainment, iSpot, GOG, Goethe Institut, Camões, Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua, Świat Tektury, Pałac Kultury i Nauki.

Partner Festivals:
Zespołowe Tworzenie Gier Komputerowych
Anifilm
BLON Animation and Games Festival

Media Partners:
CD-Action, Filmweb, Okiem Deva, Gram.pl, Level, Women in Games, GryOnline.pl, PolskiGamedev.pl

Festival Hotel:
Ibis Warszawa Centrum

The Student Games Festival will take place on October 8–9 at the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw. Admission is free.

Registration form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdrPLR45ko9DN4cPo866DmmR1LBR0SxpEKIRIaefE7dpZtBdw/viewform