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Welcome to the A MAZE. / Berlin 2026 program! Add sessions to your profile to get an easy overview of your own schedule!

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Thursday, May 14
 

10:30 CEST

Cubature: How to Make a Game from Wood
Thursday May 14, 2026 10:30 - 11:00 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green]
The talk focuses on the artistic process behind Cubature as a path from a physical experiment to a playable system. The presentation walks through the entire development process — from early concepts and the creation of the visual language, through hand-built scenography, working with wood and simple tools, and video production with actors, to music production and the implementation of these elements into the digital environment. Cubature is presented here as an IP with the potential to operate in different formats — as a digital game, a possible exhibition format, an educational tool, and a project open to collaboration with institutions, institutional partners and — importantly — also with business, with the potential to function within an international market.
Artists
avatar for Dominik Cymer (he/him)

Dominik Cymer (he/him)

Cubature
Dominik Cymer is the Designer and Art Director of Cubature, responsible for the game concept and artistic direction of Cubature: The Art Game and Cubature: The Installation.

An illustrator, designer and visual artist with over 25 years of practice at the intersection of art, design and new media. Founder of Cyber Kids on Real, he works across commercial, cultural and educational projects – with clients including Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, PZU... Read More →
avatar for Oliwia Hajn (she/her)

Oliwia Hajn (she/her)

Cubature
Oliwia Hajn is the Executive Producer of Cubature, responsible for the concept and IP development of Cubature: The Art Game and Cubature: The Installation.
She works across business, culture and social impact – designing and leading projects that bring together strategy, communication and partnerships. Creates innovative formats where art, technology and social engagement intersect... Read More →
Thursday May 14, 2026 10:30 - 11:00 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Talk

10:30 CEST

The Emotional Labour of Making Games
Thursday May 14, 2026 10:30 - 11:00 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green]
Production in game development is often described through the metaphors of engineering: systems, pipelines, resources, deliverables. But beneath the spreadsheets lies another layer of work - one that is seldom named. This talk explores game production as emotional labour: the invisible cognitive and relational work that holds teams together, that facilitates psychological safety. Drawing on the concept of the “mental load” (the often-gendered work of anticipating needs, managing tensions, and carrying responsibility in the background) it questions how we might frame production as care and maintenance. Through studio experience and personal reflection I offer provocations on soft-skill matters of morale, conflict and pressure.
Artists
avatar for Anja

Anja "Nanna" Venter Rausch (she/her)

Anja "Nanna" Venter Rausch is a Cape Town–based producer, researcher, and image-maker interested in infrastructures of practice: the scaffolding, rituals, and quiet negotiations that make creativity possible. Her PhD examined how digital tools shape access to visual design; today... Read More →
Thursday May 14, 2026 10:30 - 11:00 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Talk

11:00 CEST

Folk Games: Game Design by Passing Along
Thursday May 14, 2026 11:00 - 11:30 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green]
From ancient games like Ur and chess to more recent examples like Monopoly, games have always been passed down. Just as players have always been shaping, defining, and altering as they play. This essential culture has collided with copyright-capitalism in the 20th and 21st centuries, but cannot be stopped as we see in the mod-scene and youth-driven development on platforms like Roblox.
Artists
avatar for Joe Bain (he/him)

Joe Bain (he/him)

Hairy Heart Games
Joe Bain is director of Glasgow-based micro studio Hairy Heart Games and has been programming games for 20 years. He is interested in making games with physical artifacts, handmade processes, and real histories. Joe is also one of the founders of the Glasgow Indie Games Festival... Read More →
Thursday May 14, 2026 11:00 - 11:30 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Talk

11:00 CEST

The artist is present: Making personal games
Thursday May 14, 2026 11:00 - 11:30 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green]
Making personal games is hard. But it's also scary. What if people hate it? It of course means, they hate YOU. What if people love it? It means they have some sort of idea of what your art is about and can relate to it. But that doesn't mean they fully understand it as you intended.

How do I distance myself from my art if I've poured my heart and soul into it? How do I survive development if this is so important to me? How do I know it will ever be important to players? Is that even a good way to think of it?
A thoughtful analysis of making personal art, making commercial games, and my own journey of 7 years developing Blueberry, a game about intergenerational trauma.

Content warning
The presentation will contain mentions of trauma, family violence and suicide. It will also discuss other mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety.
Artists
avatar for Mel Taylor (she/her)

Mel Taylor (she/her)

Narrative Designer, Mellow Games
Mel is an indie game developer and has been working in the games industry for 12 years. She is an expert in the narrative game design field and is one of the co-creators of the privacy invasion thriller game Orwell.
She just finished her latest game Blueberry, which is an intimate and personal psychological narrative platformer about a woman's life, memory processing and trauma. It will be released on consoles and Steam on 28th of May... Read More →
Thursday May 14, 2026 11:00 - 11:30 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Talk

11:30 CEST

Invitation to be bored
Thursday May 14, 2026 11:30 - 12:00 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green]
No quest to complete, no points to earn, no boss to fight, no health bar to refill, no loot to collect, no reward. This is a talk about boredom and why I work with it.

Content warning
Mention of discrimination within video games
Artists
avatar for Sondi (she/her)

Sondi (she/her)

Sondi (she/her) is an artist and researcher from Germany, born in Cameroon and based in the Netherlands. Her practice explores the invisible architectures of virtual worlds and technological systems, tracing the biases and power structures encoded within them, whilst creating worlds... Read More →
Thursday May 14, 2026 11:30 - 12:00 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Talk

12:00 CEST

Inside the Skate Story Project
Thursday May 14, 2026 12:00 - 12:30 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green]
Let's take a short interactive tour inside the Skate Story project! Over six years of dev time by a single developer, there's lots of proprietary technologies to be seen. How else do you make such a big game by yourself?
Artists
avatar for Sam Eng (he/him)

Sam Eng (he/him)

Sam Eng is a nyc-native game dev known for creating Skate Story.
Thursday May 14, 2026 12:00 - 12:30 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Talk

14:00 CEST

GamesConnect AFRICA: Building the Continental Gaming Ecosystem
Thursday May 14, 2026 14:00 - 14:20 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green]
Goethe-Institut Sub-Sahara Africa has established GamesConnect AFRICA to cultivate a robust and unified video game ecosystem across the continent. This initiative addresses systemic obstacles like funding shortages, talent migration, and underdeveloped infrastructure by providing strategic support to mid-sized studios.

Through a variety of international collaborations, game jams, and networking events, the programme aims to elevate the global profile of African-developed games. The project also emphasises government advocacy and the professionalisation of the industry to ensure sustainable career pathways for local creators. Ultimately, these efforts seek to transform the continent’s youthful gaming demographic into a commercially successful and globally competitive creative force.
Artists
avatar for Meli Mansu (she/her)

Meli Mansu (she/her)

Meli Mansu has worked with the Goethe-Institut Ghana for over seven years, leading Information and Library Services. She holds a Master’s degree in Marketing and champions the library as an inclusive makerspace through STEM workshops and the recent introduction of games, an initiative... Read More →
avatar for Safurat Balogun (she/her)

Safurat Balogun (she/her)

Safurat Balogun holds a Master’s degree in Project Management from Anglia Ruskin University. She has led key cultural projects with the Goethe-Institut in Nigeria and India. Currently, as Director of Information and Library Services in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, she collaborates with... Read More →
Thursday May 14, 2026 14:00 - 14:20 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Talk
  • about <br>

14:00 CEST

The Seventh Extinction: On the Disappearance of Independent Festival Space
Thursday May 14, 2026 14:00 - 14:30 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green]
This talk frames the progressive dissolution of independent games festivals as a form of cultural extinction, and calls for urgent action to preserve a fragile ecosystem. It compares these festivals to exhausted fireflies, tracing their final journey before they are obliterated against the sterilised windscreen of an industry governed by market repetition and algorithmic visibility. Through an examination of the siloing of games journalism and the narrowing of platform discoverability, the session makes a case for the niche, the suboptimal, and the experimental. It concludes with a set of actionable steps for anyone who wants to nurture a firefly, and dodge the windscreen.
Artists
avatar for Maddalena (she/her)

Maddalena (she/her)

Maddalena Grattarola is an educator, researcher, and curator working at the intersection of games and storytelling. She is Senior Lecturer at London College of Communication (UAL) and Lecturer at Goldsmiths, University of London, where she teaches contextual and theoretical studies... Read More →
Thursday May 14, 2026 14:00 - 14:30 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Talk

14:20 CEST

A Story of Personal Iteration
Thursday May 14, 2026 14:20 - 14:50 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green]
Iteration is usually a technical process, but for some, it’s a personal one. This talk is an honest look at a journey through development, art, and new experiences.
It’s about the friction of growth, the necessity of being a student, and the quiet work of becoming the artist you need to be.
Artists
avatar for Apau Gyedu Ebenezer (he/him) aka Mhiracle

Apau Gyedu Ebenezer (he/him) aka Mhiracle

I’m Ebenezer Apau Gyedu, though I work under the name Mhiracle. I’m an artist and game developer based in Accra, working across 2D, 3D, and code. For me, the goal is always to be a better version of the creator I was yesterday. I’m deep into the craft of storytelling,not just... Read More →
Thursday May 14, 2026 14:20 - 14:50 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Talk
  • about <br>

14:50 CEST

With Love From Kenya: Connecting My Culture to Games
Thursday May 14, 2026 14:50 - 15:25 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green]
What do you do when you don't see yourself, or the people around you represented in games? You make them anyway.

With Love From Kenya presents Joanna Oluoch's exploration of how to representing her culture through games in a still-developing games industry.

She draws from two of her projects: ARGO and Nyam3.
ARGO is an augmented reality game based on her childhood home in a forest, designed with accessibility in mind and built to run on low-end smartphones, prioritising a Kenyan audience first. Nyam3 was developed during the Playful Obscura residency under Games Connect Africa, and reimagines a traditional Kenyan children's game through Kinect motion capture, connected through the principle of using your body as a controller. Both games are love letters to her experiences expressed through play and interaction, founded in her practice as a game designer under Sike Studios.

She reflects on cross-cultural exchange, making games as accessible public art, and her learnings so far as an African game developer.

Please bring your questions and your competitive spirit.
Artists
avatar for Joanna Oluoch (she/her)

Joanna Oluoch (she/her)

With a career that is the epitome of "Both. Both is good." when pressed to choose between engineering and art, Joanna Oluoch is a Kenyan game designer and developer with a background in Mechatronics Engineering. By founding Sike Studios, she creates interactive experiences like ARGO... Read More →
Thursday May 14, 2026 14:50 - 15:25 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Talk
  • about <br>

15:30 CEST

Expanding OTHERWORLDS
Thursday May 14, 2026 15:30 - 16:00 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green]
Expanding OTHERWORLDS is a talk on a completed multi-user XR performance that bridges Ukrainian seasonal rituals with immersive technology. The project synchronises participants across virtual and physical layers, where VR environments, spatial sound, choreography, and scenography directly correspond, creating a communal experience rather than an isolated one.

In this session, Sophia Bulgakova reflects on building this correlation between digital and embodied space and what it reveals about designing collective presence in immersive art. She will also discuss how this research is now extending into her ongoing Malanka continuation, which carries the same inquiry into a new ritual cycle.
Artists
avatar for Sophia Bulgakova (she/her, they/them)

Sophia Bulgakova (she/her, they/them)

Sophia Bulgakova (b. 1997, Odesa) is an ArtScientist and interdisciplinary artist based in the Netherlands. Her work spans art, technology, and contemporary social structures, exploring cultural identity, perception, and imagination through immersive installations using projection... Read More →
Thursday May 14, 2026 15:30 - 16:00 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Talk
  • about <br>

15:30 CEST

Gray-scale: the past, present and future of Pigeon: A Love Story
Thursday May 14, 2026 15:30 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green]
Learn pigeon facts and travel through time with a special version of Pigeon: A Love Story featuring multiplayer "coo"-op chat. While you birdwatch, game designer Alex Taylor chats with Krish Raghav ([untitled games event] Amsterdam) about durational art, gamedev reveries, and the .EXE as a sumptuous container.   
Artists
avatar for Alex Taylor (he/him)

Alex Taylor (he/him)

Wristwork
Alex Taylor runs Wristwork, a mini studio focused on making concept-driven games and interactive experiences. Past and future games include FACEMINER and Pigeon: A Love Story.
avatar for Krish Raghav (he/they)

Krish Raghav (he/they)

Krish Raghav is a comic book artist. He made a game called "Don't Get Your Hopes Up" about the Amsterdam housing crisis. He was a co-founder of the newsletter Chaoyang Trap, about everyday life on the Chinese Internet.

He now co-organizes [untitled games event], a monthly space for experimental games and playable arts in Amsterdam... Read More →
Thursday May 14, 2026 15:30 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Talk

16:30 CEST

Plum Road Tea Dream - From theatermaking to game design
Thursday May 14, 2026 16:30 - 17:00 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green]
A talk on the creation of Plum Road Tea Dream: a multiformat project that takes shape as a videogame, performance and exhibition.

Content warning
Trauma, gaybashing, police violence and murder against people of color
Artists
avatar for Samuel Baidoo (they/them)

Samuel Baidoo (they/them)

Samuel Baidoo (they/them) is a theatremaker, performer, game designer, and mentor.
They studied dance at the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp and graphic design at Sint-Lucas. Samuel maintains an independent artistic practice, is a member of the Hanafubuki collective, and creates c... Read More →
Thursday May 14, 2026 16:30 - 17:00 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Talk

17:00 CEST

Counterfeit Games: Anti-Game Approaches to Playable Experiences
Thursday May 14, 2026 17:00 - 17:30 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green]
On games that don't want to be games. Rules that refuse to function. Mechanics borrowed and then broken. Born from the friction of working with a medium that constantly pushes toward reward loops, player satisfaction, and dopamine hits. This talk proposes counterfeit games as a framework: works that sit on the spectrum of playable experiences, using the language of games while refusing to play by their rules, and finding a creative practice in that refusal.
Artists
avatar for Jade Lin (she/her) aka strawberrycongee

Jade Lin (she/her) aka strawberrycongee

Jade (aka strawberrycongee) is a London-based computational artist, solo game maker, and creative technologist working across art, physical-digital play, and interactive media. With a bleak and detached gaze on harsh realities, their practice explores the affective dimensions of weirdness... Read More →
Thursday May 14, 2026 17:00 - 17:30 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Talk

18:00 CEST

Talk by Rasheed Abueideh (tbc)
Thursday May 14, 2026 18:00 - 18:30 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green]
Talk by Rasheed Abueideh (TBA)

Rasheed is currently running a crowdfunding campaign for the production of his game Dreams on a Pillow. www.launchgood.com/1948
Artists
RA
Thursday May 14, 2026 18:00 - 18:30 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Talk
 

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