Yorkshire Games Festival 2019

Yorkshire Games Festival 2019 ended on 10 February 2019. For details of our current events and exhibitions, take a look at our what’s on page.

With exciting new additions to the programme, Yorkshire Games Festival 2019 was the biggest (and best!) festival yet.

Our Game Talks programme featured a host of inspiring speakers from studios such as Media Molecule, Vlambeer and MachineGames. The Let’s Play! family weekend once again took over the museum for two days of fun activities, shows and hands-on gaming, and the Young Developers Conference introduced a new generation to the science and art of games development.

Read more about Yorkshire Games Festival 2019 on our blog

Gem Abdeen on stage in Pictureville Cinema — Gem Abdeen speaking about Media Molecule’s game Dreams at Yorkshire Games Festival 2019
© Andy Garbutt

Visitors investigate innovative games as part of the Northern Games Showcase — Visitors investigate innovative games as part of Videogames, But…
© Andy Garbutt

Students and presenters networking at Yorkshire Games Festival 2019 — Networking in Pictureville Bar at Yorkshire Games Festival 2019
© Andy Garbutt

An image from the videogame Dreams displayed on Pictureville Cinema screen, seen from among the audience — Gem Abdeen introduces Media Molecule’s new game Dreams at Yorkshire Games Festival 2019
© Andy Garbutt

Audience members at Yorkshire Games Festival 2019
© Andy Garbutt

Rami Ismail on stage at Yorkshire Games Festival 2019 — Rami Ismail discusses his career in games at Yorkshire Games Festival 2019
© Andy Garbutt

A BAFTA Careers Bar speaker giving a talk in the museum foyer — BAFTA Careers Bar talks in the foyer at Yorkshire Games Festival 2019
© Andy Garbutt

Mette Andersen on stage at Yorkshire Games Festival 2019 — Mette Anderson discusses Hitman at Yorkshire Games Festival 2019
© Andy Garbutt

Andreas Öjerfors on stage at Yorkshire Games Festival 2019 — Andreas Öjerfors of MachineGames speaks about the Wolfenstein franchise at Yorkshire Games Festival 2019
© Andy Garbutt

Hwa Young Jung on stage at Yorkshire Games Festival 2019 — Hwa Young Jung gives a talk on art games at Yorkshire Games Festival 2019
© Andy Garbutt

A visitor wearing a headset tests out a virtual reality game as part of the Northern Games Showcase — Trying out VR games as part of the Northern Games Showcase
© Andy Garbutt

Steve Filby on stage at Yorkshire Games Festival 2019 — Steve Filby of Motion Twin talks Dead Cells at Yorkshire Games Festival 2019
© Andy Garbutt

The presenter of The Incredible Playable Show on stage in Cubby Broccoli Cinema — The Incredible Playable Show, an interactive comedy game for families, at Yorkshire Games Festival 2019
© Andy Garbutt

Richard England on stage at Yorkshire Games Festival — Richard England talks about Jurassic World VR Expedition at Yorkshire Games Festival 2019
© Andy Garbutt

Visitors and volunteers speaking in the museum foyer at Yorkshire Games Festival 2019 — Melissa Phillips of BAFTA Young Game Designers greets visitors at the BAFTA Careers Bar
© Andy Garbutt

Brjann Sigurgeirsson on stage at Yorkshire Games Festival 2019 — Brjann Sigurgeirsson of Image & Form talks SteamWorld at Yorkshire Games Festival 2019
© Andy Garbutt

Charles Cecil is on stage at Yorkshire Games Festival 2019 — Charles Cecil discusses Revolution Software’s adventure games at Yorkshire Games Festival 2019
© Andy Garbutt

The Yorkshire Games Festival 2019 team and volunteers in the museum foyer — The Yorkshire Games Festival 2019 team!

Festival programme

A unique programme of talks, masterclasses and Q&A events featuring high-profile industry guests. Designed for industry professionals, recent graduates and those studying games-related subjects, Game Talks encouraged attendees to be inspired, network, and improve their knowledge and employability.

Thursday 7 February

09.30–17.00 Up Your Game business matchmaking event

10.35 Gem Abdeen, Media Molecule: Inside the imagination of Media Molecule

11.35 Richard England, Reflex Arc: Creating Jurassic World VR Expedition

12.30 Demos and Drop-Ins

13.30 Rami Ismail, Vlambeer: Experiences of independent games development

14.30 Mette Andersen, IO Interactive: Designing Hitman levels as social spaces

15.15 Demos and Drop-Ins

15.30 Brjann Sigurgeirsson, Image & Form: Living in SteamWorld

17.00 Meet the Developers networking event

Friday 8 February

09.00–11.30 Rise and Design: Applications of immersive technologies

09.30–17.00 Up Your Game business matchmaking event

10.35 Charles Cecil, Revolution Software: Reinventing the adventure

11.35 Hwa Young Jung: Art games—an alternative career path

12.30 Demos and Drop-Ins

13.30 Steve Filby, Motion Twin: Creating Dead Cells

14.30 George Rule, Lucid Games: Building a community

15.15 Demos and Drop-Ins

15.30 Andreas Öjerfors, MachineGames: The Wolfenstein franchise

19.00–late The Game Talks afterparty!

The weekend saw Yorkshire Games Festival taking over the museum with gameplay, activities and live shows for all the family to enjoy together. Visitors could explore unique and boundary-pushing videogames, try out new games from Northern studios and play along in an interactive comedy show, all under one roof!

Saturday 9 February

10.00–16.30 Northern Games Showcase

10.00–16.30 Videogames, But...

10.00–16.30 Exploring Analogue with Button Mash

10.00–16.30 WizeFloor: Motion and magic!

10.00–16.00 Make a Banana Spaceship with the National Videogame Museum

10.00–16.00 Rotherham United Esports FIFA Hub

10.30 Film screening: Wreck-It Ralph (PG)

11.00–16.00 Creative Crunch at Bradford College

14.00 The Incredible Playable Show

Sunday 10 February

10.00–16.30 Northern Games Showcase

10.00–16.30 Videogames, But...

10.00–16.30 Exploring Analogue with Button Mash

10.00–16.30 WizeFloor: Motion and magic!

10.00–16.00 Make a Banana Spaceship with the National Videogame Museum

10.00–16.00 Rotherham United Esports FIFA Hub

10.30 Film screening: Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 (PG)

14.00 The Incredible Playable Show

New for 2019 was the Young Developers Conference, a brand-new partnership with BAFTA Young Game Designers. Designed to engage the industry’s youngest and brightest stars, the conference inspired and informed younger game makers—and their families—about the amazing opportunities available within the games industry. All events were free.

Wednesday 6 February

09.30 Learning packages for KS3

16.30 BAFTA Young Game Designers parent/teacher workshop

Thursday 7 February

13.00 BAFTA Young Game Designers autism friendly workshop

Friday 8 February

13.00 BAFTA Young Game Designers autism friendly workshop

Saturday 9 February

10.00–16.30 BAFTA Careers Bar

Sunday 10 February

10.00–16.30 BAFTA Careers Bar

Festival programme

Thursday 7 February

Friday 8 February

Saturday 9 February

Sunday 10 February

Wednesday 6 February

Thursday 7 February

Friday 8 February

Saturday 9 February

Sunday 10 February

Partners

Supporters

Part of the Science Museum Group

Yorkshire Games Festival 2019

Festival programme

Game Talks

Let’s Play! family weekend

Young Developers Conference

Partners

Supporters

Permanent gallery

Games Lounge

Part of the Science Museum Group