IndieCade Comes To The East Coast

By Megan Montalvo

While New York City may be the top metropolis known for its unique plethora of museums, art programs and historic architecture, when it comes to independent video gaming, it is second only to Los Angeles. 

From Feb. 15-17, Indiecade will present its first-ever East Coast edition of its gaming festival at The Museum of the Moving Image. Photo Courtesy of Indiecade.com

As of next weekend, however, that is about to change. 

On Jan. 31, the Museum of the Moving Image announced a new partnership with IndieCade, the country’s premier festival for independent games, which will bring its first-ever East Coast edition, “IndieCade East,” to the City from Feb. 15-17. 

“We are excited to partner with IndieCade to host the very first East Coast sampler and offshoot of this important and influential festival,” said Carl Goodman, executive director of the museum. “Since its inception 25 years ago, the Museum has embraced video games as part of our mission, and we have since maintained close ties with the game-making community. Hosting the nation’s most significant independent game festival is a natural next step.” 

Founded in 2005, IndieCade is no stranger to the video game world. Based in Los Angeles, it hosts the only stand-alone independent-focused game festival in the nation on an annual basis and has been dubbed “the video game industry’s Sundance.” 

“IndieCade is thrilled to bring the Museum audience and the City at large a living, breathing, playing, walking, talking, game-jamming exhibition featuring the cutting edge of this innovative field,” IndieCade Founder and CEO Stephanie Barish said. “All weekend, we’ll spotlight work that provokes thought and conversation, and that pushes the boundaries of interactive entertainment and how we see games.” 

Along with a showcase of 20 playable Official Selection games, seminars and workshops, IndieCade will feature presentations from top designers, such as Kris Piotrowski, who is most recognized for his work in Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP, and Eric Zimmerman, the co-founder of the Manhattan-based game development company, Gamelab, and co-author of the game design textbook “Rules of Play.” 

“With game creators from the region and beyond hosting screenings, giving talks, and presenting their games for gameplay, IndieCade East will provide a window to powerful creative visions before they become commercial successes,” Barish said. 

An ongoing rollout of festival games will include Armada d6, Blindside, Bloop, Chroma Shuffle, Dyad, Find Me A Good One, Gorogoa, Guacamelee, Hokra, The Stanley Parable, Thirty Flights of Loving, Unmanned, and Vornhiem – to name a few. 

In addition to the IndieCade lineup, all attendees are also welcome to visit “Spacewar! Video Games Blast Off,” an exhibition that commemorates the 50th anniversary of video games, which is on view at the museum through March 3.  

Festival passes are available for the full weekend or for each day or evening session and will range in price depending on time and day. For a complete schedule of the three-day event, visit www.movingimage.us or www.indiecade.com. 

The Museum of the Moving Image is located at 36-01 35 Avenue in Astoria. For general inquiries, call (718) 777-6888. 

Reach Reporter Megan Montalvo at (718) 357-7400 Ext. 128 or mmontalvo@queenstribune.com.