The Press Release:
To celebrate what makes New York City and the American gaming industry so special, Playcrafting – the organizers of the Play NYC convention – announced today it will unveil six new “Graffiti Game” installations created by local, first-generation immigrant game developers at the 2nd annual Play NYC on Saturday, August 11 and Sunday, August 12, 2018 at Manhattan Center (311 W 34th St., NYC) from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
“The ‘Graffiti Games’ initiative was launched at Play NYC last year to celebrate all-star developers, giving them free reign to create original games that reflect their creativity and personal stories,” said Dan Butchko, Playcrafting’s founder and CEO. “From the exhibiting studios to the thousands of players who attend from around the world, Play NYC reflects the diversity that makes New York City so special. We’re honored to celebrate these talented developers and bring more people together when the city and nation need it most.”
Like graffiti on a wall, the “Graffiti Games” installations are created exclusively for Play NYC to surprise guests with experiences like no other, around every corner. This year, Playcrafting is partnering with the International Game Developers Association Foundation (IGDA Foundation) and the Bigglesworth Family Foundation to bring the installations to life inside of the six opera boxes that frame Manhattan Center’s historic Hammerstein Ballroom stage for up to 10,000 attendees to discover. The installations and their developers will also be featured on Play NYC’s Twitch stream for thousands more to see.
Play NYC 2018 “Graffiti Games” Developers include:
* Prashast Thapan, Multimedia Artist & Babycastles NYC Volunteer (New Delhi, India)
* Kurt Young, Founder & CEO, Mokuni LLC (Beijing, China)
* Pilar Aranda Bada, Planeta.cc, Mixed Reality (Valencia, Spain)
* Saúl Peña Gamero, VR developer, The Glimpse Group (Lima, Peru)
* Yuxin Gao, Multimedia Technician, Babycastles Gallery & NYU Game Center Master’s Degree Candidate (Hohhot City, China)
* Jose Zambrano, Co-Founder, Stuido Studios & Playcrafting Instructor (Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela)
* Maria Mishurenko, Independent Game Developer & MFA candidate at the NYU Game Center (West Kazakhstan)
* Gordey Chernyy, Independent Visual artist, Game Developer, Live Performer & Creative Technologist (West Kazakhstan)
“Diversity is in New York’s DNA and we’re all about supporting initiatives that help the New York gaming community thrive,” said Jen MacLean, Managing Director of the International Game Developers Association Foundation (IGDA Foundation). “There’s so much happening in the world today that it’s easy to focus on the things that make us different, but our differences make us stronger together. We’re proud to partner with Playcrafting to carve out a safe space for people of all ages and cultural and social backgrounds to learn, laugh, explore and play together.”
Whether you’re looking to check out the latest from teams like Avalanche Studios (Just Cause 4) and BumbleBear Games (Killer Queen Black), some of the hottest indie developers like Fabraz (Slime-san, SpiritSphere DX) and Snowhydra (Zarvot) or top gaming personalities like The Polygon Show hosts, popular Twitch and YouTube streamer Swiftor, and more, we’ve got something for you!
Tickets are available for here ($33.00 USD) for access to the show floor on Saturday, 8/11 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. or 3 – 8 p.m. and on Sunday, 8/12 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. or 3 – 8 p.m. For full access, purchase tickets for multiple time slots. Individual tickets and discounted packs of four are available. Visit play-nyc.com for a list of exhibitors and more on what to expect at Play NYC 2018.
About Playcrafting: Playcrafting is the largest network of game developers in New York. Started as a small Meetup group in 2009, the organization has grown to 30,000 strong across five U.S. cities. From design and programming to business and beyond, developers come to Playcrafting to sharpen their skills and partner with companies that help them succeed. The organization’s hands-on classes lower the barrier for entry for anyone to get started making games and to empower pros to level up their skills. Playcrafting hosts everything from local gatherings like Expos and Demo and Plays to industry-recognized annual events like Play NYC and the largest Global Game Jam site in the U.S. The organization offers over 200 courses and events annually.
About Manhattan Center: Manhattan Center is New York’s premier venue for events, concerts, TV and recording production. It is the home to The Hammerstein and The Grand – two of New York’s most iconic spaces for corporate galas, trade shows, product launches and live performances. The New Yorker Hotel, a majestic Art Deco masterpiece, completes Manhattan Center’s mission of providing New York with a unique combination of world-class events, elite entertainment and unmatched hospitality. Manhattan Center features two TV studios that have hosted a wide range of programming for major networks including NBCUniversal, BBC America, ESPN and HBO. Manhattan Center provides its recording clients two state-of-the-art studios, The Cabin and Studio-7, both recently upgraded to the highest industry standard. Artists including Sting, Jill Scott, Justin Timberlake and Renee Fleming are among the many global superstars who have come to Manhattan Center for its superior recording and engineering capabilities.
About the International Game Developers Association Foundation (IGDA Foundation): A 501(c)(3) charity, the IGDA Foundation believes that every person should love playing games, and the best way to achieve this goal is to support a game development community that is representative of, and welcoming to, the world’s population. The IGDA Foundation is best known for its programs to introduce game development to people around the world, including IGDA Scholars and Women in Games Ambassadors, and also manages initiatives that support the professional growth and retention of underrepresented communities in game development.
About the Bigglesworth Family Foundation: The Bigglesworth Family Foundation (BFF) was founded in San Francisco in 2010. The organization supports programs and projects that help create systemic change by strengthening the capacity of non-profit organizations and addressing delivery system and historic challenges.
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Piercing Ken Thoughts: So I should admit that based on my attempts at the most recent Toy Insider and TTPM events, I am a TERRIBLE gamer. My coordination is just all over the place and I never remember how to manuever whatever character I am playing as. My friends kids always destroy me during visits when the gaming time comes up. Sigh. Yet, that being said the whole idea of it fascinates me and I hope to be exploring at least one of the days of the convention. It sure looks like a lot of fun. What do you think about this? Will you be in attendance? There are still tickets to obtain and you can do so via the link at the close of this announcement. Let me know what you think down in the comments section below.
Official Website: http://play-nyc.com