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Welcome to the A MAZE . / Berlin 2025 program! Add sessions to your profile to get an easy overview of your own schedule!

Program is regularly updated with new sessions.
Wednesday, May 14
 

TBA

Sokpop x A MAZE.
Wednesday May 14, 2025 TBA
Ten years and over a hundred games: Time for a retrospective!

Sokpop is the collective of game designers Aran, Ruben, Tijmen, and Tom from the Netherlands. They started out together, making one game per month for their online subscribers. Financing Sokpop with this monthly support of loyal fans they chose not to worry about the competitive games market, but instead focus on making fun, inventive, and charmingly weird little worlds - games that surprise the players and sometimes leave them wondering.
Moderators
TV
Speakers
PS
Wednesday May 14, 2025 TBA
  Conversation

18:00 CEST

A MAZE. / Exhibition
Wednesday May 14, 2025 18:00 - 23:30 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green]
The main exhibition features the nominees and the honorable mentions of the 14th International A MAZE. Award including some extra gems which we showcase out of competition.

​Nominees and Honorable Mentions​​​
Extra Gems: (tba)

Artistic and experimental games are often off the mainstream and allow for different experiences with forward-thinking and playful views, often not for entertainment only. Technology is used as playground for artistic expression and innovative interaction with audiences interested in critical reflection and meaningful interaction. Discover different experiences, local multiplayer games, interactive installations and many more of this versatile art-form.

For Festival Pass holders, One Night at A MAZE. Ticket holders
Wednesday May 14, 2025 18:00 - 23:30 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Exhibition

18:00 CEST

Sokpop x A MAZE.
Wednesday May 14, 2025 18:00 - 23:30 CEST
Transmediale Studio [Silent Green]
Ten years and over a hundred games: Time for a retrospective!

Sokpop is the collective of game designers Aran, Ruben, Tijmen, and Tom from the Netherlands. They started out together, making one game per month for their online subscribers. Financing Sokpop with this monthly support of loyal fans they chose not to worry about the competitive games market, but instead focus on making fun, inventive, and charmingly weird little worlds - games that surprise the players and sometimes leave them wondering.
Wednesday May 14, 2025 18:00 - 23:30 CEST
Transmediale Studio [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Exhibition

18:00 CEST

Doors are open!
Wednesday May 14, 2025 18:00 - 23:30 CEST
Silent Green (Betonhalle, Garden, Kuppelhalle, Ateliers, Transmediale Studio)
Welcome everyone!

The doors for A MAZE. / Berlin 2025 are open. Check-in and get a first glimpse of what to expect in the next 3,5 days.
Wednesday May 14, 2025 18:00 - 23:30 CEST
Silent Green (Betonhalle, Garden, Kuppelhalle, Ateliers, Transmediale Studio) Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Welcome

20:45 CEST

AFTERLIFE by Only Slime
Wednesday May 14, 2025 20:45 - 21:45 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green]
AFTERLIFE is a computer game opera by the music and arts duo Only Slime. It is performed by 2 players in a staged setting, who control avatars in a video-projected 3D Game Engine universe using motion capturing technology. The opera thematizes death and life after death using traditional computer game storytelling devices, such as scripted sequences, cutscenes and respawning. The piece allegorically employs immersive simulation as a postulated metaphysical model for life, death, reincarnation and conscious existence.

Wednesday May 14, 2025 20:45 - 21:45 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Performance

22:00 CEST

Panke Exhibition
Wednesday May 14, 2025 22:00 - Thursday May 15, 2025 02:00 CEST
Panke Culture
A MAZE. presents a self curated exhibition by Distraction Collective from Paris at Panke Gallery. The exhibition will be open only during the opening hours of Panke. Wednesday - Saturday from 10pm - 2am.

Also we are showing a new games by Free Lives and an LED Installation by Robin Baumgarten.
Wednesday May 14, 2025 22:00 - Thursday May 15, 2025 02:00 CEST
Panke Culture Hof V, Gerichtstraße 23, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Exhibition

22:00 CEST

A MAZE. Opening Party
Wednesday May 14, 2025 22:00 - Thursday May 15, 2025 02:00 CEST
Panke Culture
The opening continues after an amazing opening at Silent Green with more Games and Music until minimum 2am at Panke Culture.

Music and Visuals: 
BuboBubo + Ralt144MI (live)
Miss Tigra & Leo Solter (live)
Metrosoft (live)
Comfi Boy (DJ)

Games: 
Distraction Collective Exhibition
LED Games Installation by Robin Baumgarten
Sex with Friends by Free Lives

For Festival Pass holders, One Night at A MAZE. Ticket holders, Public Play Day Ticket holders.
Wednesday May 14, 2025 22:00 - Thursday May 15, 2025 02:00 CEST
Panke Culture Hof V, Gerichtstraße 23, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Party
 
Thursday, May 15
 

TBA

Singing Rainbow
Thursday May 15, 2025 TBA
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green]
A collaborative multiplayer dome game created by A MAZE. and Katpatat Collective.

This work is inspired by crowd games. This audio-reactive playful art piece brings people together to sing along different notes. The more you sync with the sound pattern the more bright and dense you paint colors to the dome and move the clouds above away. The game has 7 levels as a rainbow has colors. The rainbow symbolizes ethnic and racial diversity, to express LGBTQ identity and pride, also it is a symbol for happiness, feelings of togetherness, hope, and good fortune.

This installation will run at the Kuppelhalle throughout the festival. Between sessions, A MAZE. visitors will be able to take the microphone and experiment with the artwork projected on the dome ceiling of the Kuppelhalle. Gather people around (or fly solo), lie down and hum, sing or do poetic readings and enjoy the mesmerising visions.
Thursday May 15, 2025 TBA
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Interactive

09:30 CEST

A MAZE. / Exhibition
Thursday May 15, 2025 09:30 - 23:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
The main exhibition features the nominees and the honorable mentions of the 14th International A MAZE. Award including some extra gems which we showcase out of competition.

​Nominees and Honorable Mentions​​​
Extra Gems: (tba)

Artistic and experimental games are often off the mainstream and allow for different experiences with forward-thinking and playful views, often not for entertainment only. Technology is used as playground for artistic expression and innovative interaction with audiences interested in critical reflection and meaningful interaction. Discover different experiences, local multiplayer games, interactive installations and many more of this versatile art-form.

For Festival Pass holders, One Night at A MAZE. Ticket holders, Public Play Day Ticket holders. 
Thursday May 15, 2025 09:30 - 23:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Exhibition

09:30 CEST

Sokpop x A MAZE.
Thursday May 15, 2025 09:30 - 23:00 CEST
Transmediale Studio [Silent Green]
Ten years and over a hundred games: Time for a retrospective!

Sokpop is the collective of game designers Aran, Ruben, Tijmen, and Tom from the Netherlands. They started out together, making one game per month for their online subscribers. Financing Sokpop with this monthly support of loyal fans they chose not to worry about the competitive games market, but instead focus on making fun, inventive, and charmingly weird little worlds - games that surprise the players and sometimes leave them wondering.
Thursday May 15, 2025 09:30 - 23:00 CEST
Transmediale Studio [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Exhibition

10:00 CEST

A MAZE. Bazaar: 6th International Arthouse Games Market
Thursday May 15, 2025 10:00 - 16:00 CEST
MARS | Küche & Bar
TICKETS
The A MAZE. Bazaar - 6. International Arthouse Games Market is a business module of A MAZE. Connect. It is the only and first market for arthouse games, independent games and playful media productions which gives authors and digital artists the opportunity to meet with publishers, funding institutions, art institutions and collaborators. Our goal is to bring culture and games industry closer together.

The marketplace will be open on Thursday 15th and Friday, 16th of May from 10:00-16:00 CEST at Silent Green, Mars Restaurant and Cubus.

We are the annual marketplace where game creators, digital artists, virtual worldbuilders can either connect to publishers and labels or funding institutions, festivals and curators, but also finding new opportunities in working on theater- or museums projects. Our major goal is to create a sustainable environment for playful media creators, and game studios to get their works properly produced, released and exhibited.

Thanks for the cooperation with MeetToMatch. Additional 'A MAZE. Bazaar - 6th International Arthouse Games Market Ticket' ticket for only 42€. (excl fee & service costs) LINK. 
Thursday May 15, 2025 10:00 - 16:00 CEST
MARS | Küche & Bar Gerichtstraße 35, Seiteneingang, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Business and Networking, Meetings

10:30 CEST

The German Federal funding program for the games industry „Games-Förderung des Bundes“
Thursday May 15, 2025 10:30 - 11:30 CEST
Workshop Room 1
The games industry is a rapidly growing global sector. Germany is the largest market in Europe and the fifth largest market worldwide. In order to ensure the competitiveness of the German location, the funding instrument has created an incentive system for positive trends: with increasing total sales in the industry, the market share of German companies should also grow. The number of people employed in Germany should also increase. This will counteract Germany's wage price level, which is an obstacle to competition in international comparison. As part of the creative industry, games development has innovation potential. There are technical innovations as well as socio-cultural innovations. But new business models are also recognisable as economic innovations. Federal funding has created better framework conditions for development from Germany.


AUDIENCE:
Developers, Entrepreneurs, and especially Start-Ups
REQUIREMENTS:
No requirements
BRING:
Nothing

For this workshop online registration is not required to attend. The spots will be assigned on a first-come first-served basis, so make sure to be at the workshop location at least 10 minutes before the starting time.
Artists
avatar for Dr. Matteo Riatti

Dr. Matteo Riatti

DLR e.V.
Matteo Riatti, born in 1989, Is working as head of department for the German federal funding-program for video game development within the DLR Projektträger. Matteo has a background in semiotics and media science and a PhD in Game Studies. He is an avid gamer and is still waiting... Read More →
Thursday May 15, 2025 10:30 - 11:30 CEST
Workshop Room 1 Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Workshop, Funding

11:00 CEST

Creative Crises - Resilience and Recovery
Thursday May 15, 2025 11:00 - 12:30 CEST
Workshop Room 2
Creative crises can strike any creative, but when your passion has to pay the bills, they can be devastating. This workshop offers a safe space to better understand, prepare for, and overcome your own creative crisis. Through shared experiences and guided discussion we'll develop strategies for recovery and resilience. Join us for an honest conversation about creative struggles and leave with your personal toolkit for creative tenacity.

AUDIENCE: Creatives who struggle with the way they do their work. Those suffering from the tension between creative passion and source of livelihood, from self-exploitation or self-doubt. Especially those that want to find ways to better manage these many divergent pressures.
REQUIREMENTS: No hard skills required. Willing to share about their own struggles, at most.
BRING: If desired, a pen and paper to take some notes. No computers or screens.

For this workshop online registration is not required to attend. The spots will be assigned on a first-come first-served basis, so make sure to be at the workshop location at least 10 minutes before the starting time. 
Artists
avatar for Martin Nerurkar

Martin Nerurkar

Creative Director, Sharkbomb Studios
Martin managed to combine his passion for games with his architecture degree. Currently he lives a double life. By day as an independent game developer and by night as freelance game and UX designer. Under his label Sharkbomb Studios he builds games about community, vulnerability... Read More →
Thursday May 15, 2025 11:00 - 12:30 CEST
Workshop Room 2 Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Workshop

12:00 CEST

Beyond Loops: Crafting Dynamic Game Music using FMOD
Thursday May 15, 2025 12:00 - 13:30 CEST
Workshop Room 1
This workshop is designed for game developers of all experience levels who want to integrate interactive music into their projects. Using FMOD and prepared audio assets, participants will implement dynamic music that reacts to gameplay.

Participants will work with provided audio assets or their own music, implementing systems that range from simple transitions to complex adaptive scores. The session will cover concepts such as vertical layering, horizontal re-sequencing, and parameter-driven music changes.

No prior music or audio experience is required - this workshop is designed to be beginner-friendly for developers, while still offering valuable insights for those with more experience in game audio.

AUDIENCE:
Game developers, designers, and anyone interested in game music implementation, from beginners to experienced devs.
REQUIREMENTS:
No coding skills required. Basic familiarity with digital audio workstations (DAWs) or game engines is helpful, but not necessary.
BRING:
A headset & laptop installed with FMOD Version: 2.03.06 or newer
Download FMOD here after registration: https://www.fmod.com/download

For this workshop online registration is not required to attend. The spots will be assigned on a first-come first-served basis, so make sure to be at the workshop location at least 10 minutes before the starting time. 
Artists
avatar for Stepan Sobanov

Stepan Sobanov

Stepan Sobanov is a composer and music producer for video games and film, specializing in dynamic and interactive scores. His work can be heard in the award-winning Nintendo Switch game Tilt Pack, the TV series Tatort Borowski, and various short films and commercials. He teaches media... Read More →
Thursday May 15, 2025 12:00 - 13:30 CEST
Workshop Room 1 Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Workshop, Sound

12:00 CEST

Door Daan
Thursday May 15, 2025 12:00 - 14:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Door Daan is a 2.5D fighting game inspired by Senegalese traditional wrestling — a cultural treasure of West Africa. The game invites players to step into the ring as powerful champions and battle in fast-paced matches that blend tradition with modernity. With its competitive gameplay, rich folklore, and Afro-futuristic art style, Door Daan delivers a uniquely African gaming experience.
Thursday May 15, 2025 12:00 - 14:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

12:00 CEST

Ginger
Thursday May 15, 2025 12:00 - 14:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Kevin wants to know what home is, so he writes a novella within a dictionary. Welcome to the unbeatable home.
Thursday May 15, 2025 12:00 - 14:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

12:00 CEST

Open Screens
Thursday May 15, 2025 12:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Open Screens are back!
Following the success of previous years, our goal remains the same: to provide a convenient platform for developers to showcase their creations to the press and their peers. These exhibits will be on display at the physical A MAZE. venue.

See for the full line up: https://2025.amaze-berlin.de/openscreens/
Individual Times exhibited projects Open Screens
Thursday May 15, 2025 12:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Exhibition

12:30 CEST

Betonhalle Stage - BREAK - (12:30 - 14:00)
Thursday May 15, 2025 12:30 - 14:00 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green]
Thursday May 15, 2025 12:30 - 14:00 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany

12:30 CEST

Kuppelhalle Stage - BREAK - (12:30 - 14:00)
Thursday May 15, 2025 12:30 - 14:00 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green]
Thursday May 15, 2025 12:30 - 14:00 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany

13:30 CEST

Too many gamedevs and only one game: a continue-the-Bitsy minijam
Thursday May 15, 2025 13:30 - 15:00 CEST
Workshop Room 2
A tiny gamejam with a chaotic premise: Bitsy, but we all take turns building on the same game. We will form tiny teams of developers, and each team will take a turn building on the same Bitsy game. One team will have a limited time to realize their vision, then the next team will take over to do the same. Ongoing results will be displayed on a projector so we can all scheme and plan until it's our turn. Join us as we incrementally and collectively build one game!

How will it look? Are too many gamedevs a good thing? Will it be chaotic or cohesive? Does it matter? We have 90 minutes. Lets join forces and make a Bitsy!

And if too many people join then some can take on the role of shouting instructions at the screen. Full filling the role of producer, which can sometimes be a useful role in gamedev.

AUDIENCE: Ideal for people interested in experiencing making a game in a silly yet time sensitive setting. Time pressure can bring people together, and so can Bitsy!
REQUIREMENTS: Knowledge of Bitsy.
BRING: One computer for everyone to work off will be provided. We share the same machine. This is a collective effort.

For this workshop online registration is not required to attend. The spots will be assigned on a first-come first-served basis, so make sure to be at the workshop location at least 10 minutes before the starting time. 

Artists
avatar for alienmelon

alienmelon

Nathalie Lawhead is a solodev creating interactive art and video games. They are passionate about the electronic world, cyberspace, broken systems, the profound poetry of computer glitches, error art, desktop pets, weird freeware, and the beautiful existential horror of our digital... Read More →
Thursday May 15, 2025 13:30 - 15:00 CEST
Workshop Room 2 Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Workshop

14:00 CEST

Drawing from your identity to create unique games: a round trip through concept generation
Thursday May 15, 2025 14:00 - 15:30 CEST
Workshop Room 1
Our own identity is inevitably reflected into the games we make. Personal life and anecdotes, 'zeitgeist', culture, country and family of origin — all these diverse elements of identity are getting more visible as themes for story-driven games, either autobiographical or historically-set. But what if we try to apply the notion of our identity as gamemakers not only to the aesthetics/semantics of a game concept but to its very mechanics? Goal of the workshop is to collectively experiment such a different approach by taking a 'round trip' through concept generation: first, analysing conventional game genres and mechanics and finding narrative elements that connect them to our identity; then, elaborating and enriching different game mechanics by drawing from these narrative elements and from our own identity.

AUDIENCE: Game designers and writers, but everyone is welcome!

REQUIREMENTS: Average knowledge of conventional game genres and mechanics, no specific skills required

BRING: Pen & paper (notebook is optional)

For this workshop online registration is not required to attend. The spots will be assigned on a first-come first-served basis, so make sure to be at the workshop location at least 10 minutes before the starting time.
Artists
avatar for Claudia & Matteo

Claudia & Matteo

Game Designers, We Are Muesli
We Are Muesli is an independent and unconventional game development studio founded in 2013 and based in Milan, Italy. Known for their award winning art and narrative projects rooted in culture and history, the studio’s previous works include the multi award winning Visual Novels... Read More →
Thursday May 15, 2025 14:00 - 15:30 CEST
Workshop Room 1 Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Workshop

14:00 CEST

Edelweiss Knights
Thursday May 15, 2025 14:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Edelweiss Knights is a roguelite tactics RPG, where a trio of Saints battles divine beings in a world suspended between faith, folklore and mysticism. Blending retro aesthetics with modern design reinterpretations, the game fuses 2D sprites and low-poly 3D environments to convey the idea of the characters moving across different spiritual dimensions, in a dream-like scenario originated from nostalgia but aiming to deal with uncommon themes for RPG games, such as the belief, or non-belief, in a God, nihilism and the role of organized religion.

Players guide Saints Edel, Aliza, and Violet across a series of bit-sized skirmishes, using positioning, synergy, and tactical foresight to defeat the mysterious Godlings and forge alliances with not-so-sacred Deities. A node-based overworld offers randomized encounters and environmental puzzles, while visual novel dialogues allow to explore the bond between the characters and change the tides of battle, as some choices have the potential to influence the character's survival parameters.

Edelweiss Knights is an experiment in taking the team's beloved narrative and visual tropes from anime and games of the yesteryear, and reshape them into a toolset for creating new meanings.
Thursday May 15, 2025 14:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

14:00 CEST

El Salar
Thursday May 15, 2025 14:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
A young flamingo is left behind during migration season. In search of Illapa, the Ancient God who might teach him to fly, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery and spirituality, in this "single-player co-op" adventure game inspired by Bolivian folklore.
Thursday May 15, 2025 14:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

14:00 CEST

Go Groundshel!
Thursday May 15, 2025 14:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Go Groundshel! is a puzzle adventure game in which a groundhog girl endeavors to save her male partner from the villain. However, before locating him, she needs to solve a personal issue: finding a usable toilet!

Genre: Puzzle/Adventure/Story-rich/Female-protagonist
Thursday May 15, 2025 14:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

14:00 CEST

Path of the Oxiflame
Thursday May 15, 2025 14:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Path of the Oxiflame is a 3D sokoban-puzzle-adventure inspired by classic Team Ico games.

After a boy and his brother were hunted down by fearsome creatures during an attack on their village, he finds himself in rough shape in an unfamiliar forest. Strange monuments line the path etched with peculiar markings. On a clearing he discovers a brasier, burning bright with a green flame, that holds a great power...
Thursday May 15, 2025 14:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

14:00 CEST

Queen Boat
Thursday May 15, 2025 14:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
The game is based on personal experiences and the famous Egyptian LGBT+ incident in 2001 called the Queen Boat Incident (https://www.ankhfrance.org/queen-boat) or Cairo 52 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairo_52).

The game is inspired by an Egyptian novel called :In the Spider's Room" by Mohamed Abdel Nabi (https://aucpress.com/9781617978920/). The game use the same storytelling framework from the book to explain the events. Although these events never happened directly to the game author, they used the framework to explore also their experience as a queer person who was raised in Egypt. It explores topics that face most queer people such as stigma, fear, and loneliness that could push young queer people towards hating themselves and sometimes suiciding. The author aims that the game might help younger audience connect and understand that being queer is not a problem and they don't need to change. The game also tries to raise awareness about LGBT life in Egypt and showing that our work as an LGBT+ community is not finished yet. There is a lot of work to be done to make sure the world is a safe place for everyone.
Thursday May 15, 2025 14:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

15:30 CEST

Cumbersome Coding: Using creative constraints to break from (ecologically questionable) design conventions
Thursday May 15, 2025 15:30 - 17:00 CEST
Workshop Room 2
Creative constraints can be a great tool if you want to get out of a design rut. In this workshop, we'll have a look at game design conventions that would benefit from fresh ideas -- especially those that, from an ecological perspective, may be a bit questionable. To come up with alternatives to such conventions, we'll be coding some prototypes using the p5 library for JavaScript -- and we'll intentionally make our lives harder by self-imposing coding constraints we'll have to work around! 

AUDIENCE:
This workshop is for people with an interest in designing videogames with an ecological perspective in mind. It's for people curious about experimental coding and wacky prototyping methods, mainly as a tool to break away from established design conventions
REQUIREMENTS:
Participants need some coding experience. Being a pro is not a requirement, but you need to be comfortable enough with writing code in JavaScript/p5 that you can use it to create a quick prototype without too much help and code around self-imposed constraints. The workshop won't teach you to code!
BRING:
- Bring your own laptop :)
- You need a browser that can run p5 without issue
- Having a p5 account will make things slightly easier, but we can work around it if you don't have one

For this workshop online registration is not required to attend. The spots will be assigned on a first-come first-served basis, so make sure to be at the workshop location at least 10 minutes before the starting time. 
Artists
avatar for Saskia Joanna Rauhut

Saskia Joanna Rauhut

Joanna is a creator of games, digital toys, and other playful media. She is interested in the many roles games can play in society. Lately, she has been researching how potentially harmful ideas can unintentionally find their ways into the games we design through patterns and mechanics... Read More →
Thursday May 15, 2025 15:30 - 17:00 CEST
Workshop Room 2 Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Workshop, coding

16:00 CEST

Betonhalle Stage - BREAK - (16:00 - 16:30)
Thursday May 15, 2025 16:00 - 16:30 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green]
Thursday May 15, 2025 16:00 - 16:30 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany

16:00 CEST

Kuppelhalle Stage - BREAK - (16:00 - 16:30)
Thursday May 15, 2025 16:00 - 16:30 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green]
Thursday May 15, 2025 16:00 - 16:30 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany

16:00 CEST

Crowded Controller
Thursday May 15, 2025 16:00 - 17:30 CEST
Workshop Room 1
The workshop consists of crafting game controllers meant to be used by a group of people. The session begins by creating our own actuators that later will be combined to create a basic game controller. To conclude, we will play a given game, all together using the controller we created. 

AUDIENCE:
People interested in videogame hardware design
REQUIREMENTS:
Creativity (No technical knowledge needed)
BRING:
Your playful body (Nothing specific)

For this workshop online registration is not required to attend. The spots will be assigned on a first-come first-served basis, so make sure to be at the workshop location at least 10 minutes before the starting time.
Artists
avatar for Pablo San Gregorio

Pablo San Gregorio

Shaman Garage
Shaman Garage is a narrative studio which aims to brew the essence of storytelling and explore new experimental ways of expression.The studio, founded in Enschede, the Netherlands, is formed by Iván McgIll, Pablo San Gregorio and Pako Portalo. Together, they combine their artistic... Read More →
Thursday May 15, 2025 16:00 - 17:30 CEST
Workshop Room 1 Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Workshop

16:00 CEST

Bear
Thursday May 15, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
"Bear" is an AR enhanced jigsaw puzzle, that tells the story of the pieces that don't fit.
Thursday May 15, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

16:00 CEST

CARIMARA - Beneath the forlorn limbs
Thursday May 15, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
You are the Carimara, and your mission is to exorcise a ghost by answering their questions using your cards. A short and creepy fairytale, full of surprises and mysteries.
Thursday May 15, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

16:00 CEST

InBetween
Thursday May 15, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
InBetween is a multiplayer game where players are challenged to join forces and solve various puzzles! However, here comes a catch... they need to do it all together while sharing one controller. Set in a cozy and playful environment game provides an exciting challenge for both players!
Thursday May 15, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

16:00 CEST

Rubber Bird
Thursday May 15, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Rub is not like other birds...he has long stretchy arms! Help him to find his place in the world by visiting weirds and colorful islands and meeting their inhabitants. A physics based platformer where you have to find the best use of your arms to overcome the challenges and help the other birds.
Thursday May 15, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

16:00 CEST

Treeplanter
Thursday May 15, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Welcome to Treeplanter, an interactive woodland that grows and changes with the seasons. Piece together a small grove of trees branch by branch. Watch as their roots blossom under the soil. As time goes by, an ecosystem of animals, plants and birds will move in, turning your creation into their home!

Treeplanter is created by digital artist Henry Driver, previously known for [Secrets of the Soil](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1610820/Secrets_Of_Soil/) (‘[A Spectacular Underground Cosmos](https://www.vice.com/en/article/discover-a-spectacular-underground-cosmos-in-secrets-of-soil/)’ – Vice). Each copy of the game sold helps Henry plant trees, wildflowers, meadows and community orchards through partnerships with schools, farms, communities and woodland charities. This means you’ll help restore real-life nature, too!! Last year, Henry planted 700 trees on Suffolk-based farms and schools. We're on track to plant 8000 trees and millions of wildflowers in 2025, and that’s without any sales!

Combining meditation and education, Treeplanter aims to teach players about the interconnected wonders of the natural world, both above ground and below.
Thursday May 15, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

18:00 CEST

15 Things That Happened
Thursday May 15, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
15 Things that happened an experimental essay-game about a portion of my life just before and after leaving Athens where I lived for years, coming back to the United States, and going to different places, told in 15 small vignettes of my life  
Thursday May 15, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

18:00 CEST

Kevin (1997-2077)
Thursday May 15, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Kevin wants to show what his life would be and why.他用没人懂的语言写了一本书。 A language-deciphering game.
Thursday May 15, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

18:00 CEST

Knuckle Jet
Thursday May 15, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
What's this? An off-the-wall, riveting jetpunk nose-breaking ricochet action platformer, lovingly crafted by the oddballs behind the Teslagrad series? 
Thursday May 15, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

18:00 CEST

Looking Up I See Only A Ceiling
Thursday May 15, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
A short psychological adventure about a stressed girl who wants to explore her ceiling.
Thursday May 15, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

18:00 CEST

ocean::ephemera
Thursday May 15, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Explore the kaleidoscopic::contours of ocean::ephemera
Thursday May 15, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

18:00 CEST

A MAZE. INVITES
Thursday May 15, 2025 18:00 - 21:00 CEST
MARS | Küche & Bar
The networking event A MAZE.INVITES is aimed exclusively at invited guests from the games industry, as well as cultural institutions and artists from Berlin and the surrounding area. The aim of the event is to offer an open discourse between (international) cultural practitioners who work on the crossover between digital culture and games and playful media – whether in developer studios, the independent arts, or established institutions such as museums and theaters.

Invite only Event!
Thursday May 15, 2025 18:00 - 21:00 CEST
MARS | Küche & Bar Gerichtstraße 35, Seiteneingang, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Networking Event

21:00 CEST

HOLY SHIT. A Multimedia Project to Save the World by Evy Schubert
Thursday May 15, 2025 21:00 - 21:45 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green]
HOLY SHIT is satire, poetry, and pop. Artwork, irritation, and social sculpture. We have a dream and the fountain of great content! We're giving you our videos to rewrite the current internet algorithm and its fueled polycrisis. So if you like it, post it. The Holy Temple will also be opening its doors offline again at A MAZE. / Berlin 2025: Immerse yourself completely, find synthetic dreams and speculative futures – hybrid, digital and offline at its best!

Team:
Text, Concept and Direction: Evy Schubert, Acting: Esther Agricola, Margarita Breitkreiz, Sabine Waibel, Almut Zilcher Video: Komposter, Web Design, Multimedia: Carl-John Hoffman, Live Music: Carl-John Hoffmann + N.N., Costume: Gloria Brillowska, Dramaturgy: Anja Quickert, Makeup: Rebekka Schwark, Johanna Hinsch, Production manager: Jasna Witkoski, Assistant: Su Jung




Thursday May 15, 2025 21:00 - 21:45 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Performance

22:00 CEST

Panke Exhibition
Thursday May 15, 2025 22:00 - Friday May 16, 2025 02:00 CEST
Panke Culture
A MAZE. presents a self curated exhibition by Distraction Collective from Paris at Panke Gallery. The exhibition will be open only during the opening hour of Panke. Wednesday - Saturday from 10pm - 2am.

Also we are showing a new games by Free Lives and an LED Installation by Robin Baumgarten.
Thursday May 15, 2025 22:00 - Friday May 16, 2025 02:00 CEST
Panke Culture Hof V, Gerichtstraße 23, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Exhibition

22:00 CEST

Super Open Sound System
Thursday May 15, 2025 22:00 - Friday May 16, 2025 02:00 CEST
Panke Culture
Some of you remember the Super Open Sound System? Back in the days at the Urban Spree Garden with the little Red Polish Firetruck by Sos. That was so amazing and build the community. This year we are going to bring that experience back and provide the Super Open Sound System a full night on the legendary club stage at Panke. Let’s party to the best and worst tunes the community has to offer. Amazing !

Registration for a dj set only onsite at the entrance!

Games:
Distraction Collective Exhibition
LED Games Installation by Robin Baumgarten
Sex with Friends by Free Lives


Thursday May 15, 2025 22:00 - Friday May 16, 2025 02:00 CEST
Panke Culture Hof V, Gerichtstraße 23, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Party
 
Friday, May 16
 

TBA

Singing Rainbow
Friday May 16, 2025 TBA
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green]
A collaborative multiplayer dome game created by A MAZE. and Katpatat Collective.

This work is inspired by crowd games. This audio-reactive playful art piece brings people together to sing along different notes. The more you sync with the sound pattern the more bright and dense you paint colors to the dome and move the clouds above away. The game has 7 levels as a rainbow has colors. The rainbow symbolizes ethnic and racial diversity, to express LGBTQ identity and pride, also it is a symbol for happiness, feelings of togetherness, hope, and good fortune.

This installation will run at the Kuppelhalle throughout the festival. Between sessions, A MAZE. visitors will be able to take the microphone and experiment with the artwork projected on the dome ceiling of the Kuppelhalle. Gather people around (or fly solo), lie down and hum, sing or do poetic readings and enjoy the mesmerising visions.
Friday May 16, 2025 TBA
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Interactive

09:30 CEST

A MAZE. / Exhibition
Friday May 16, 2025 09:30 - 23:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
The main exhibition features the nominees and the honorable mentions of the 14th International A MAZE. Award including some extra gems which we showcase out of competition.

​Nominees and Honorable Mentions​​​
Extra Gems: (tba)

Artistic and experimental games are often off the mainstream and allow for different experiences with forward-thinking and playful views, often not for entertainment only. Technology is used as playground for artistic expression and innovative interaction with audiences interested in critical reflection and meaningful interaction. Discover different experiences, local multiplayer games, interactive installations and many more of this versatile art-form.

For Festival Pass holders, One Night at A MAZE. Ticket holders, Public Play Day Ticket holders. 
Friday May 16, 2025 09:30 - 23:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Exhibition

09:30 CEST

Sokpop x A MAZE.
Friday May 16, 2025 09:30 - 23:00 CEST
Transmediale Studio [Silent Green]
Ten years and over a hundred games: Time for a retrospective!

Sokpop is the collective of game designers Aran, Ruben, Tijmen, and Tom from the Netherlands. They started out together, making one game per month for their online subscribers. Financing Sokpop with this monthly support of loyal fans they chose not to worry about the competitive games market, but instead focus on making fun, inventive, and charmingly weird little worlds - games that surprise the players and sometimes leave them wondering.
Friday May 16, 2025 09:30 - 23:00 CEST
Transmediale Studio [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Exhibition

10:00 CEST

Kiko's Apple Adventure
Friday May 16, 2025 10:00 - 12:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
A Sokoban game about a curious bear who loves tasty apples. Explore islands, move the finish line, and outsmart your enemies.
Friday May 16, 2025 10:00 - 12:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

10:00 CEST

lombric
Friday May 16, 2025 10:00 - 12:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
this is your own little terrarium. you'll have to gather and sell your worms to find new items to play with and make even more worms.
Friday May 16, 2025 10:00 - 12:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

10:00 CEST

SCHROTT
Friday May 16, 2025 10:00 - 12:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
SCHROTT - the roguelite driving game: Pull off insane stunts, collect valuable loot, and customize your absurd vehicle.
Friday May 16, 2025 10:00 - 12:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

10:00 CEST

Spooky Express
Friday May 16, 2025 10:00 - 12:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Plan the train route for the world’s spookiest theme park! All the passengers are all just dying to ride the Spooky Express. Pick up the creepy cryptids and drop them at their destinations around the park. But be careful! Don’t let them scare or bite the human passengers. Stay on track of the situation or you’ll have a grave problem.
Friday May 16, 2025 10:00 - 12:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

10:00 CEST

A MAZE. Bazaar: 6th International Arthouse Games Market
Friday May 16, 2025 10:00 - 16:00 CEST
MARS | Küche & Bar
The A MAZE. Bazaar - 6. International Arthouse Games Market is a business module of A MAZE. Connect. It is the only and first market for arthouse games, independent games and playful media productions which gives authors and digital artists the opportunity to meet with publishers, funding institutions, art institutions and collaborators. Our goal is to bring culture and games industry closer together.

The marketplace will be open on Thursday 15th and Friday, 16th of May from 10:00-16:00 CEST at Silent Green, Mars Restaurant and Cubus.

We are the annual marketplace where game creators, digital artists, virtual worldbuilders can either connect to publishers and labels or funding institutions, festivals and curators, but also finding new opportunities in working on theater- or museums projects. Our major goal is to create a sustainable environment for playful media creators, and game studios to get their works properly produced, released and exhibited.

Thanks for the cooperation with MeetToMatch. Additional 'A MAZE. Bazaar - 6th International Arthouse Games Market Ticket' ticket for only 42€. (excl fee & service costs) LINK.
Friday May 16, 2025 10:00 - 16:00 CEST
MARS | Küche & Bar Gerichtstraße 35, Seiteneingang, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Business and Networking, Meetings

10:30 CEST

Let’s talk about sounds & music: what would the colour pink sound like and is it happy?
Friday May 16, 2025 10:30 - 12:30 CEST
Workshop Room 1
If you didn’t study music, how would you talk about it? If you’re writing a brief for a composer for your game, where do you start? How can you articulate audio descriptors to help direct your design decisions? Have you ever felt intimidated with giving directions to your audio team? Are you composing without any direction in the hopes that it gets approved? In this workshop we’ll collectively listen to some music tracks and expand on different ways to talk about you hear. No prior music knowledge required.

AUDIENCE:
People who are interested in audio, creative designers working with audio people, people wanting to improve their directing/design skills
REQUIREMENTS:
Just an openness to discuss things!
BRING:
Pen & paper if you want to take notes.

For this workshop online registration is not required to attend. The spots will be assigned on a first-come first-served basis, so make sure to be at the workshop location at least 10 minutes before the starting time.
Artists
avatar for Jade Leamcharaskul

Jade Leamcharaskul

Composer, JDWasabi - Music
Jade Leamcharaskul is a Thai Chinese-Malaysian composer, orchestrator / arranger, and Game Audio Producer. A Game Dev Heroes Award Winner for Sound (2020), BAFTA Member, and multiple-timed juror for the Best Music / Audio Achievement for BAFTA and the Ivor Novello Awards. She has... Read More →
Friday May 16, 2025 10:30 - 12:30 CEST
Workshop Room 1 Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Workshop

10:30 CEST

Self-Publishing my Indie Game: How to get a bite of the $184 Billion annual revenue
Friday May 16, 2025 10:30 - 12:30 CEST
Workshop Room 2
Explore the challenges and opportunities developers face in today’s changing industry. By combining data-driven insights with real-world experience, we will highlight potential pathways to success. During this workshop we will cover topics like lessons from recent indie launches, pre-launch strategies, the role of Steam Wishlists and their conversion to sales, indie sales performance in 2024 and early 2025, and effective marketing approaches—especially through social media.

But besides that people can also apply here with an unreleased game to receive feedback from the guest marketeer and indie publisher Thomas Reisenegger (FFG), or simply join as part of the audience.

AUDIENCE:
Developers, studio owners or indie marketeers who are developing a game as an indie and want to find out how they could approach today’s game market or want to hear or/and share Insights from recent indie game launches REQUIREMENTS:
For those who are actively involved in creating or promoting a game and want to explore business and marketing strategies within the indie game space.
BRING:
Something to take notes with.

For this workshop online registration is not required to attend. The spots will be assigned on a first-come first-served basis, so make sure to be at the workshop location at least 10 minutes before the starting time.
Artists
avatar for Maria Aloupi

Maria Aloupi

beyondthosehills
With a rich background in music and art productions, Maria Aloupi brings a holistic approach to game production. Eight years ago, she transitioned into game development, where she now leads with expertise in production, business development, and self-publishing. Maria has played... Read More →
avatar for Thomas Reisenegger

Thomas Reisenegger

Thomas founded the UK-based indie games promotion agency Future Friends Games with the goal of working on cool cool cool indie games such as Vampire Survivors, Content Warning, Thronefall, What the Golf?, Rusty’s Retirement, and Frog Detective. Since then, Future Friends has also... Read More →
Friday May 16, 2025 10:30 - 12:30 CEST
Workshop Room 2 Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Workshop

12:00 CEST

Bearly News
Friday May 16, 2025 12:00 - 14:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Bearly News is a short, empathetic game from the newsgame genre, where facts and gaming experience merge into one narrative. Instead of telling a story, it allows you to play it and thus create your own relationship with the topic. You play as a bear living in a landscape shaped by human intervention. The game combines simple mechanics, stylized visuals and verified news to sensitively convey a complex issue: what does it mean to survive as a wild animal in a landscape dominated by humans?
Friday May 16, 2025 12:00 - 14:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

12:00 CEST

Find Your Self
Friday May 16, 2025 12:00 - 14:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
A short interactive poem about the arbitrariness of identity, with gameplay mostly based on hidden-object genre with pacman influences.
Friday May 16, 2025 12:00 - 14:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

12:00 CEST

LightFight
Friday May 16, 2025 12:00 - 14:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
In a colorful duel for the light of an LED column, strategy and intuition are the keys to success, because only your own side of the cylindrical game screen is visible.
Friday May 16, 2025 12:00 - 14:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

12:00 CEST

Mops & Mobs: A Sweeping Dungeon Novel
Friday May 16, 2025 12:00 - 14:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Mops & Mobs is a Visual Novel and Dungeon Crawler mix (with a bit of card game thrown in). You're the janitor of a dungeon, responsible for the well-being of the the various monsters. Decorate their rooms, fulfil tasks for the dungeon master, play some cards and maybe also try to find *the artifact*!
Friday May 16, 2025 12:00 - 14:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

12:00 CEST

Rope Session
Friday May 16, 2025 12:00 - 14:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Rope Session is a cozy educational game about Japanese bondage, that provides players with deeper context about the Japanese art of Shibari, the BDSM community with which it is closely connected, and especially the importance of consent that accompanies these activities. It highlights its ethical and safety principles, which are mostly absent in games or other forms of (especially mainstream) media. The game presents Shibari as an art form and a consensual act, avoiding gender stereotypes and any sexualization of characters that would present them merely as sexual objects intended for personal gratification. On the contrary, the characters are portrayed as two equal beings, without any objectification, with their own boundaries, personality, and motivations. As players, we take on the role of the rigger, and with it, responsibility for her own decisions, as well as their consequences. The character of the model is depicted as an equal entity, reacting to her own discomfort.
The game also portrays human diversity, the queer community, and gender identity with the same respect and sensitivity.
It's a mix of a walking simulator with elements of narrative, point-and-click, and hypercasual gameplay.
Friday May 16, 2025 12:00 - 14:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

12:00 CEST

Open Screens
Friday May 16, 2025 12:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Open Screens are back!
Following the success of previous years, our goal remains the same: to provide a convenient platform for developers to showcase their creations to the press and their peers. These exhibits will be on display at the physical A MAZE. venue.

See for the full line up: https://2025.amaze-berlin.de/openscreens/
Individual Times exhibited projects Open Screens
Friday May 16, 2025 12:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Exhibition

12:30 CEST

Betonhalle Stage - BREAK - (12:30 - 14:00)
Friday May 16, 2025 12:30 - 14:00 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green]
Friday May 16, 2025 12:30 - 14:00 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany

12:30 CEST

Kuppelhalle Stage - BREAK - (12:30 - 14:00)
Friday May 16, 2025 12:30 - 14:00 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green]
Friday May 16, 2025 12:30 - 14:00 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany

12:30 CEST

AI Sidekick: Power-Ups for Indie Game Devs
Friday May 16, 2025 12:30 - 14:00 CEST
Workshop Room 2
AI isn’t here to steal the show—it’s here to jam with you! In this hands-on workshop, we’ll explore how AI tools can boost your game dev workflow without taking over the fun parts. From early ideas and prototyping to vibe coding, 3D art, and sound, we’ll dive into how generative AI can lend a hand at every stage. We'll also get practical with a live demo on creating 3D assets using AI. Come hang out, swap ideas, and chat about how indie devs can use AI in creative, collaborative, and even weird ways.

AUDIENCE:
Game Developers, 3D artists. People looking to incorporate AI tools into their everyday work.
REQUIREMENTS:
Workshop is made for beginners. No need for any particular skills. Drawing, 3D modeling, or coding skills is a plus.
BRING:
Laptop or tablet. No need to pre-install anything.

For this workshop online registration is not required to attend. The spots will be assigned on a first-come first-served basis, so make sure to be at the workshop location at least 10 minutes before the starting time. 
Artists
avatar for Vladimir Storm

Vladimir Storm

creative director, artist, Sirpin Studio
Vladimir Storm is a visual artist, a filmmaker and a creative director focused on AR/VR storytelling, narrative games and interactive computer graphics. He worked with clients like Microsoft, Netflix, Niantic, Valve, Snapchat, etc. Vladimir collaborates with film and game studios... Read More →
Friday May 16, 2025 12:30 - 14:00 CEST
Workshop Room 2 Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Workshop

13:30 CEST

The Future of Video Games on Kickstarter: New Era, New Challenges
Friday May 16, 2025 13:30 - 15:30 CEST
Workshop Room 1
Kickstarter had its strongest year in video games in 2024, the best since almost a decade ago, which in turn translates to more projects, a bigger backer community, and more funding.  In recent years, many changes and new challenges have emerged, especially for small creators and indie developers. Discoverability has become the Holy Grail for video game developers, while the market remains a bumpy ride for creative individuals. At the same time, small to medium-sized video game creators are standing tall against industry giants. By sharing data, insights, and showcasing new tools and features, this workshop explores how Kickstarter continues to be a valuable market validation and viable funding solution for video game developers.

AUDIENCE:
People interested in crowdfunding, publishing their game and/or building their community
REQUIREMENTS:
None
BRING:
Pen & paper if you want to take notes.

For this workshop online registration is not required to attend. The spots will be assigned on a first-come first-served basis, so make sure to be at the workshop location at least 10 minutes before the starting time.
Artists
avatar for Elina Roinioti

Elina Roinioti

Games Outreach, Kickstarter
Elina Roinioti is an Assistant Professor of Interactive Digital Storytelling at the University of the Peloponnese in Greece, and for the past five years, she’s also been part of Kickstarter’s European Games Outreach team. She’s spent over a decade moving between indie studios... Read More →
avatar for Michael Liebe

Michael Liebe

Outreach Games Europe, Kickstarter
Michael Liebe is CEO and founder of Booster Space, the company that initiated gamesweekberlin, Womenize! Games and Tech or VR NOW Con. He acts as Outreach Games Europe lead for Kickstarter. During his eight years with Kickstarter, he worked with more than 1.000 projects, with a funding... Read More →
Friday May 16, 2025 13:30 - 15:30 CEST
Workshop Room 1 Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Workshop, Funding

14:00 CEST

Amazen
Friday May 16, 2025 14:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
You were always worried that AI would take your job. Well, what if it takes everything else instead? Fulfillment. Security. Happiness. Balance. You will perform! You will be content! You will deliver!
Friday May 16, 2025 14:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

14:00 CEST

Keybound
Friday May 16, 2025 14:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Keybound is a 2D platformer whose main feature is that the key bindings randomly change while playing, so the player has to adapt to the new controls on the run. “Your usual 2D plaftormer right? Guess what, now you have to press SPACEBAR to move right, P to move left and L to jump. GL with that!”
Friday May 16, 2025 14:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

14:00 CEST

Sisyphe's Backspace
Friday May 16, 2025 14:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
A game about Love and Hesitation. Use Backspace to play
Friday May 16, 2025 14:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

14:00 CEST

Will The Man Get Frog
Friday May 16, 2025 14:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Will The Man Get Frog is a chill little game about composing silly or sweet haikus (short poems) and sharing them with the world!
Friday May 16, 2025 14:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

16:00 CEST

Intro to live coding in XR with p5.js
Friday May 16, 2025 16:00 - 17:30 CEST
Workshop Room 1
You will learn to code simple p5.js sketches and run them on the Oculus Quest 3. Other participants wearing the headsets will interact with your sketch in real-time as you are live-coding.
We will use p5.js, a creative coding library and P5LIVE, a collaborative web editor to see results instantly.
The workshop will focus on rapid prototyping with this immediate loop. You will use simple inputs such as hand and head tracking data, and create outputs using p5.js primitives, colors, and shapes. Advanced rendering or complex game-engine like features will not be covered.
More info at spatialp5.com

AUDIENCE:
People interested in creative coding and Mixed Reality
REQUIREMENTS:
Minimal programming experience with p5.js and javascript is preferred, but not mandatory. We will form groups so everyone can partake.
BRING:
* Laptop with a chromium based browser
Nice to have:
- USB-C port on laptop or adapter (for headset mirroring)
- Preinstalled software: Meta Quest Developer Hub (for headset mirroring)
- Oculus Quest 3 headset (if you want to bring your own)  

For this workshop online registration is not required to attend. The spots will be assigned on a first-come first-served basis, so make sure to be at the workshop location at least 10 minutes before the starting time.
Artists
avatar for Tibor Udvari

Tibor Udvari

Tibor Udvari is a creative technologist based in Lausanne, Switzerland. He has recently finished an MA in Media Design at HEAD Geneva, graduating in the fall of 2024. Previously, Tibor was the head of the technology center at ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne, where he used... Read More →
Friday May 16, 2025 16:00 - 17:30 CEST
Workshop Room 1 Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Workshop, coding

16:00 CEST

doggoworld
Friday May 16, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Play as Doggo, the debt-ridden dog in search of part-time jobs, friendship and love in a magical, late-capitalist world. On their adventures Doggo meets desperate fan-fiction writers, awkward ghosts, Angelo (the sexy fish) and loads more.

riprip is also presenting their accessible game-making tool that they used to create 'doggoworld'!
Friday May 16, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

16:00 CEST

Dome-King Cabbage
Friday May 16, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
A short visual novel set in the world of a monster-collecting RPG. Grappling with their ability to perceive reality through an RPG lens, Mush navigates their way to a job interview for the enigmatic title of “Dome-King.”
Friday May 16, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

16:00 CEST

HOMMAGE
Friday May 16, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Inspired by the works of Moebius, Jodorowsky, Laloux, and Métal Hurlant, Hommage is an interactive odyssey through surreal landscapes and philosophical depths.
Players begin in the dreamlike world of Arzach, confronted by a formidable Loc-Nar, an ominous force of corruption and power.
To escape, they must follow the Loc-Nar's words, mount Arzach's companion, Zoch, and navigate this world in pursuit of the fabled Incal.
Along their path, Players may be invited to a cryptic gathering where a Jodorowsky-inspired figure imparts esoteric wisdom, bending perception and reshaping intent. Others may wander different roads, uncovering hidden truths and encountering a trapped Djinn—a being whose fate is uncertain, bound to choices yet to be understood.
Players must unite to unravel the ultimate revelation, which transcends the journey and embodies themes of liberation, enlightenment, and artistic legacy.
Friday May 16, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

16:00 CEST

mystic arcave: the electric underground arcade
Friday May 16, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
A beyond screens project where a multiplayer 2D game is projection mapped and everything is synced with music including custom made LED lights. In our submission for the A MAZE. Award we said our setup would take 6 hours and need either a room to itself or a curtain. Fortunately the mystic arcave is scalable, and we can do a much simpler pop up setup where we take over the corner of a room if something like that would be doable. We're very happy to work with the team to make sure our install is streamlined while maximizing for fun and amazement.
Friday May 16, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

16:00 CEST

Truer than You
Friday May 16, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Truer than You is a choice-packed visual novel about love, loss and being lost in life. In an attempt to run away from the past, Rin arrives in an unfamiliar city, hired as a gig-working actor to play roles in real-life situations. But is escaping from yourself really possible - or could playing someone else bring you closer to who you actually are?
Friday May 16, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

16:30 CEST

Let's All Make One Really Big Game (with Downpour)
Friday May 16, 2025 16:30 - 18:30 CEST
Workshop Room 2
This is a casual session to make a game with Downpour! Use craft materials, collage, go take some photos around the venue -- and then put it together into a videogame on your phone using Downpour, an approachable game making app (that I made). And then, using the power of hyperlinks, we will link them all together into a single game for everyone to play.

AUDIENCE:
It's for people who want to make a fun game together!
REQUIREMENTS:
No existing knowledge needed - it's an opportunity to make something fun with a bunch of other people. 
BRING:
A phone

For this workshop online registration is not required to attend. The spots will be assigned on a first-come first-served basis, so make sure to be at the workshop location at least 10 minutes before the starting time.
Artists
avatar for V Buckenham

V Buckenham

Downpour Limited
V Buckenham is the creator of Downpour, an app that makes it easy to make little games on your phone. Before that, she was the creator of Cheap Bots Done Quick, a website that made it easy to make little Twitter bots on your computer. She's also worked as a game designer and developer... Read More →
Friday May 16, 2025 16:30 - 18:30 CEST
Workshop Room 2 Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Workshop

17:00 CEST

Gameplay, Culture, Vision: The Italian Way To Meaningful Design
Friday May 16, 2025 17:00 - 17:45 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green]
At the invitation of the Italian Cultural Institute Berlin, a panel with artists from Italy will take place to shed light on new creative developments and trends in indie and arthouse gaming. The panel will address the topic of meaningful design: how can expressive needs, artistic visions, storytelling and gameplay be combined to create interactive experiences that are meaningful and engaging from both a cultural and entertainment perspective?
Moderators
DM

Davide Mancini

IIDEA
Davide Mancini is the Developer Relations Manager at IIDEA, the Italian video games industry trade association, where he oversees relationships with Italian developers and related programmes. He is also the Artistic Director of the Italian Video Game Awards, the event celebrating... Read More →
Artists
CM

Claudia Molinari

We are Müesli
We Are Muesli is an independent and unconventional game development studio founded in 2013 and based in Milan, Italy. Known for their award winning art and narrative projects rooted in culture and history, the studio’s previous works include the multi award winning Visual Novels... Read More →
LR

Lorenzo Redaelli

Santa Ragione
Lorenzo Redaelli, known as EYEGUYS, is a video game and music artist from Milan. In 2023, he won the Excellence in Narrative award at the San Francisco Indipendent Games Festival for the visual novel Mediterranea Inferno.
MG

Maddalena Grattarola

Space Backyard
Maddalena Grattarola is Senior Lecturer at London College of Communication (University of the Arts London) and Lecturer at Goldsmiths, University of London. She teaches Contextual and Theoretical Studies of Games Design and Interactive Narrative & Digital Storytelling. Narrative... Read More →
Friday May 16, 2025 17:00 - 17:45 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Conversation

18:00 CEST

Happy Puppets! Kill! Kill!
Friday May 16, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
All work no play makes Murm wanna smash things!!! Happy Puppets! Kill! Kill! is a physics-driven, rogue-lite dollhouse crawler. Imagine Cuphead and the Muppets had an angry child, and you let that child wreak havoc in a physics-based game world.
Friday May 16, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

18:00 CEST

I Write Games Not Tragedies
Friday May 16, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
‘I Write Games Not Tragedies’ is a narrative-driven rhythm game that pays homage to British emo and goth subcultures. In the game’s narrative levels, the player experiences the story of Ash, from “baby bat” in the 2000s to “elder emo” in the 2020s via a period of addiction in the 2010s, with awkwardness, humour and romance along the way.

‘I Write Games Not Tragedies’ features rhythm levels with three original songs composed by the developers and their friends. These rhythm levels give the player the opportunity to exorcise their own angst, teenage or otherwise. In the verses, there is a distinctive rhythm game mechanic where players hit musically considered beats within the lyrics. In the choruses, players are invited to sing or scream into the microphone, and the louder they vocalise, the higher their score.
Friday May 16, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

18:00 CEST

Off-Score: A game of songs
Friday May 16, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Off-Score is a game that tells the stories of 3 songs. From a piece of paper striving to survive in the society of a copy machine, to a hunter of elephants that struggles with regrettable memories, and lastly a song-sized universe that unfolds as you change your point of view, these songs will bring you to 3 different worlds of fantasy and secrets. 
Friday May 16, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

18:00 CEST

Symbiosis/\Dysbiosis
Friday May 16, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Symbiosis/Dysbiosis: Mutualism invites audiences to slow down and experience an interconnected, psychedelic forest adventure through whimsical storytelling live performance within an evolving soundscape. Reminding us that the future depends on our ability to recognize our connection to the non-human world.
Combining real-time fungal biodata streams with EEG data from Players, haptic sensations, and scent emitters triggered by the living fungi create an environment where participants see, feel, and interact with the microscopic connections formed within us, on us, and around us. Within the expanded reality installation, Nanotopia creates an evolving soundscape with living Mycelium that is directly connected to a custom synthesizer and bio-electrically connected to the virtual environment.
A large spherical, sealed terrarium holds locally cultivated living Mycelium within the installation/performance space. Electrode wires grown within the Mycelium lead to a custom synthesizer system and into a PC, bringing the bio-electrical data into the VR experience.
Friday May 16, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

18:00 CEST

Velvet 89
Friday May 16, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Velvet 89 is a hidden-object game that tells the story of ordinary people taking part in the peaceful demonstrations that changed the course of history. Big crowds hide those, who want to tell you why they took to the streets.

How did the communist regime in Czechoslovakia fall? What do people making a stand against the unjust regime dream of? What do they fear?

Velvet 89 takes you on a trip across the revolting country – from cautious ecology-themed protests to huge crowds. Investigate the moments before police brutally attacked a peaceful demonstration and unveil the stories of those who decided to speak up.

Velvet 89 was developed with experts from the renowned Czech project Stories of Injustice. Every piece of the story in the game is based on actual testimonies. It shows how the revolution gained momentum, from the border regions onto the squares of Prague and further.
Friday May 16, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

20:00 CEST

A MAZE. AWARD SHOW
Friday May 16, 2025 20:00 - 21:30 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green]

YEAH IT IS SHOWTIME AND WE ARE EXCITED TO HIGHLIGHT THE NEW WAVE OF GAME & PLAYFUL MEDIA CREATORS

The winners are selected by an interdisciplinary, international and 100% independent jury: Always reflecting the current times, A MAZE. / Berlin extended and changed awards which are now: “Most Amazing Award”, “Human Human Machine Award”, “Long Feature Award”, “Digital Moment Award”, “Explorer Award” and “Audience Award” and the Gender Diversity Award presented by WINGS.


Moderation by Tim Rogers
Tim has worked in most aspects of video game development and criticism for two decades. Since 2007 he has owned Action Button, a design consulting agency and game development studio which since 2020 also produces video essays on YouTube. He currently lives in Manhattan, New York, New York, USA in a small apartment near Central Park with two Pomeranian dogs and one human person.

youtube.com/actionbutton
discord.gg/actionbutton
twitch.tv/actionbutton

Jury:
Aluta Null, Luis Díaz Peralta aka Ludipe, Sarah Reimann, Somi, Tanja Tankred


Live Performance by Dogshow
Dogshow are an unmistakable band formed by 2 brothers traversing the astral planes of dance music - whilst dressed as poodles. These two full-bodied canine brothers are on a mission to create the ultimate party experience, and might accidentally be the most surreal band you’ll witness anytime soon. Fusing live techno, jazz, dance musicianship, their show comprises a battery-powered ‘Dog-Trolley’ placed in the centre of the audience where they conduct a ritualistic ‘howling at the moon’ ceremony. Join the spectacle and unleash your inner canine. ‘Boiler Room meets Crufts on a trip to space’

dogshowdisco.com

Nominees:
https://2025.amaze-berlin.de/nominees/

The doors will open at 19:30. The Kuppelhalle will have limited seating, that is why the A MAZE. AWARD SHOW is also streamed at the Betonhalle Stage.
Friday May 16, 2025 20:00 - 21:30 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Special

22:00 CEST

Panke Exhibition
Friday May 16, 2025 22:00 - Saturday May 17, 2025 02:00 CEST
Panke Culture
A MAZE. presents a self curated exhibition by Distraction Collective from Paris at Panke Gallery. The exhibition will be open only during the opening hour of Panke. Wednesday - Saturday from 10pm - 2am.

Also we are showing a new games by Free Lives and an LED Installation by Robin Baumgarten .
Friday May 16, 2025 22:00 - Saturday May 17, 2025 02:00 CEST
Panke Culture Hof V, Gerichtstraße 23, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Exhibition

22:00 CEST

The legendary A MAZE. Jump'n' Run Party
Friday May 16, 2025 22:00 - Saturday May 17, 2025 02:00 CEST
Panke Culture
The A MAZE. Jump 'n' Run Party is the legendary A MAZE. Awards Aftershow Party.

Music:
uppercut.continue (dj)
YUI (dj)
DogShow (live)
Rama (dj)
Debmaster (dj)

Games:
Distraction Exhibition
LED Games
Free Lives Game
and more.

Let's jump ! Jump, jump high!

For Festival Pass holders, One Night at A MAZE. Ticket holders, Public Play Day Ticket holders.

Friday May 16, 2025 22:00 - Saturday May 17, 2025 02:00 CEST
Panke Culture Hof V, Gerichtstraße 23, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Party
 
Saturday, May 17
 

TBA

Singing Rainbow
Saturday May 17, 2025 TBA
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green]
A collaborative multiplayer dome game created by A MAZE. and Katpatat Collective.

This work is inspired by crowd games. This audio-reactive playful art piece brings people together to sing along different notes. The more you sync with the sound pattern the more bright and dense you paint colors to the dome and move the clouds above away. The game has 7 levels as a rainbow has colors. The rainbow symbolizes ethnic and racial diversity, to express LGBTQ identity and pride, also it is a symbol for happiness, feelings of togetherness, hope, and good fortune.

This installation will run at the Kuppelhalle throughout the festival. Between sessions, A MAZE. visitors will be able to take the microphone and experiment with the artwork projected on the dome ceiling of the Kuppelhalle. Gather people around (or fly solo), lie down and hum, sing or do poetic readings and enjoy the mesmerising visions.
Saturday May 17, 2025 TBA
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Interactive

12:00 CEST

AMAZING X-MARKET
Saturday May 17, 2025 12:00 - 19:00 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green]
The AMAZING X-MARKET is a place where people sell unqiue self-produced geeky stuff from 3d-printed characters, plushies, home-brewed experimental video games, usb sticks with coolest content on it, selfmade synths,  to services (like pixelart, lofi mocap, 3D scanning), boardgames, alternative controllers, digital toys, robots, OSTs, all kinds of wearables, postcards from VR, fanzines, illustrations, paintings, books, clothes and also merch.  

Want to take part? You have untill may 7th.
[[ REGISTER HERE ]]
Saturday May 17, 2025 12:00 - 19:00 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Maker Market

12:00 CEST

Trigg ‐ Build an Open‐Hardware Portable Handheld Games Console
Saturday May 17, 2025 12:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green]

Trigg is an open-source, DIY portable games console that you can code for directly in the browser. It's our hand-solder-friendly version of the Hack Club Sprig, designed to introduce coding for hardware in our maker space and coding school (fablab|nk and 42 Berlin).

In our workshop, you’ll solder and assemble your own Trigg from a kit of parts, test it, then upload the code for your first game. Kits cost 30 Euros, and the workshop is free.

Each kit includes a Raspberry Pi Pico microcontroller, custom circuit board, display, speaker, and all necessary components (AAA batteries not included). For more information and a build guide, visit: https://www.github.com/fablabnk/TriggWorkshop


Artists
avatar for Graham Booth

Graham Booth

42 Berlin, Workish.berlin
Graham Booth is a tech educator working at the intersection of software engineering education and hands-on hardware experimentation. He manages FabLabNK, a collaborative makerspace within the tuition-free coding school 42 Berlin, which aims to foster a community where code, hardware... Read More →
Saturday May 17, 2025 12:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Maker Market, Workshop

12:00 CEST

Public Play Day
Saturday May 17, 2025 12:00 - 21:00 CEST
Silent Green (Betonhalle, Garden, Kuppelhalle, Ateliers, Transmediale Studio)
The Public Play Day is for the whole family to explore the amazing alternative and independent games and playful media world of A MAZE. / Berlin.

Kids until 12 getting in for free... we do have family passes.

We show the best of arthouse gaming including alternative controller games, vr experiences, indie games. We also have some community talks and game design workshops for everyone interested in game creation.This year also have a local multiplayer tournament, an analog market .

For more info please check on our website: www.amaze-berlin.de
Saturday May 17, 2025 12:00 - 21:00 CEST
Silent Green (Betonhalle, Garden, Kuppelhalle, Ateliers, Transmediale Studio) Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Amazing Day

12:00 CEST

A MAZE. / Exhibition
Saturday May 17, 2025 12:00 - 21:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
The main exhibition features the nominees and the honorable mentions of the 14th International A MAZE. Award including some extra gems which we showcase out of competition.

​Nominees and Honorable Mentions​​​
Extra Gems: (tba)

Artistic and experimental games are often off the mainstream and allow for different experiences with forward-thinking and playful views, often not for entertainment only. Technology is used as playground for artistic expression and innovative interaction with audiences interested in critical reflection and meaningful interaction. Discover different experiences, local multiplayer games, interactive installations and many more of this versatile art-form.

For Festival Pass holders, One Night at A MAZE. Ticket holders, Public Play Day Ticket holders.
Saturday May 17, 2025 12:00 - 21:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Exhibition

12:00 CEST

Sokpop x A MAZE.
Saturday May 17, 2025 12:00 - 21:00 CEST
Transmediale Studio [Silent Green]
Ten years and over a hundred games: Time for a retrospective!

Sokpop is the collective of game designers Aran, Ruben, Tijmen, and Tom from the Netherlands. They started out together, making one game per month for their online subscribers. Financing Sokpop with this monthly support of loyal fans they chose not to worry about the competitive games market, but instead focus on making fun, inventive, and charmingly weird little worlds - games that surprise the players and sometimes leave them wondering.
Saturday May 17, 2025 12:00 - 21:00 CEST
Transmediale Studio [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Exhibition

13:00 CEST

It All Flows Somewhere - A game-making workshop
Saturday May 17, 2025 13:00 - 15:00 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green]
A map-making game for everyone! Together we'll make a map of a new community, and chart the folk histories of the area. Get hands-on with collage and mark-making to create sprawling maps, which will then get transformed into a digital game that you can explore during the workshop and at home!

AUDIENCE: Anyone with an interest in making games with traditional/physical materials. Also people who enjoy playing tabletop games. It's a very crafty session!
REQUIREMENTS: Anyone with an interest in making games with traditional/physical materials. Also people who enjoy playing tabletop games. It's a very crafty session!
BRING: Just yourself and a willingness to cut and stick

For this workshop online registration is not required to attend. You can just come by and drop in!
Artists
avatar for Nick Murray

Nick Murray

Nick Murray is a game-maker and artist making interactive sonic and narrative work focusing on memory and digital cultures. This often takes the form of games, interactive poetry and performance... Read More →
Saturday May 17, 2025 13:00 - 15:00 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Workshop

14:00 CEST

Frame of Mind - A game of thoughts
Saturday May 17, 2025 14:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Frame of Mind - A game of thoughts is a brief and cozy narrative game that lets you explore a character through thoughts and momentos you find in stages of their life. Its an introspective game, meant to share some experiences a peer-group of neurodivergent queers, including the developer, had growing up.
Experience through the eyes of a character as they return to their childhood home, after moving out. What mementos will they find? What thoughts will they go through? Can they be happy? Maybe not. You decide which thoughts to keep or discard. Help them find a better Frame of Mind.
Saturday May 17, 2025 14:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

14:00 CEST

Laika
Saturday May 17, 2025 14:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
The game "Laika" is a visual novel that tells an imaginary story about the launch of a rocket and the preceding events at the Kosmodrom Baikonur. There the dog Laika is looking for someone. Suddenly she finds herself in a human body and then in that of a firefly. In each form she has a new mission. Will she find what she is looking for? And what happened to cause her interdimensional journey?
Saturday May 17, 2025 14:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

14:00 CEST

Merana and the Cubewalker
Saturday May 17, 2025 14:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
A 3D Puzzle-Platformer with a Rubik's Cube world.
Saturday May 17, 2025 14:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

14:00 CEST

Nerdiger Look mit Polygon-Masken und temporären Tattoos / Nerdy Looks With Polygon Masks and Temporary Tattoos
Saturday May 17, 2025 14:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green]
- Create your own low poly papercraft mask and make the festival an even more colorful place
- Wanna have amazing tattoos? Bring your own designs to life with printable temporary tattoo paper

Workshop Language: German and English
Audience: 8+ (teenagers and adults are welcome as well), single persons, small groups or families
Requirements: no prior knowledge needed, for beginners

The workshop is an open drop in-format. For the working station you need up to 1h or more if you like. You can come to the workshop in the timeframe from 14-18h. 


German version:
Nerdiger Look mit Polygon-Masken und temporären Tattoos

- Gestalte deine eigene Low-Poly-Papiermaske und mache das Festival noch bunter.
- Willst du amazing Tattoos haben? Erwecke deine eigenen Designs mit bedruckbarem Papier für temporäre Tattoos zum Leben.

Workshopsprache: Deutsch und Englisch, je nach Bedarf
Zielgruppe: 8+ (Jugendliche, aber auch Erwachsene sind willkommen), Einzelpersonen, Kleingruppen oder Familien
Anforderungen: Kein Vorwissen benötigt

Der Workshop ist ein offenes Drop-in-Format. Für die Arbeitsstation brauchst du bis zu 1 Stunde oder mehr, wenn du möchtest. Du kannst in der Zeit von 14 bis 18 Uhr zum Workshop kommen.
Artists
NS

Nils Sommer

Nils Sommer (@nilssommer) is a Media Educator and Game Writer, specialized in TTRPGs and Narrative Design.
SA

Svenja Anhut

Svenja Anhut is a game designer, artist and educator who works freelance. She mainly focuses on creating concepts and content for public gaming experiences, jams and workshops. But I also host and organize such events. She is also part of the AMAZE Orgateam.:::::Svenja Anhut (@svenjaanhut... Read More →
Saturday May 17, 2025 14:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Workshop

14:00 CEST

Open Screens
Saturday May 17, 2025 14:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Open Screens are back!
Following the success of previous years, our goal remains the same: to provide a convenient platform for developers to showcase their creations to the press and their peers. These exhibits will be on display at the physical A MAZE. venue.

See for the full line up: https://2025.amaze-berlin.de/openscreens/
Individual Times exhibited projects Open Screens
Saturday May 17, 2025 14:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Exhibition

16:00 CEST

Lost Mirror
Saturday May 17, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Little Mirror ended up in the Mirrorland together with Plastic Bag. It found itself there already broken with all of the pieces fallen out of the frame. Mirror shards are flying so high that it is impossible to catch them. And Plastic Bag… Feels as if he’s been here forever, and knows a lot more about the Mirrorland than his mouth could ever tell even if plastic bags had mouths. Little Mirror doesn’t know what’s behind the door with the sign “THERE”. Actually, it knew back then. But it doesn’t remember, and that’s why Little Mirror needs to go there. To collect its fragments, Little Mirror has to relive its memories: the good, the sad, the scary, and the funny ones. Based on the musical “Lost Mirror” by SBP4, the game is currently in development and is expected to be released in 2026.
Saturday May 17, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

16:00 CEST

Squishy World
Saturday May 17, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Shooter-Platformer hybrid prototype with cute candyworld aesthetics & a plot exploring the difficulties of belonging. The demo is currently behind what's complete but playable: https://youtu.be/pkvEEd7zPjE?si=cyUpDjOge4kajotw&t=1

Saturday May 17, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

16:00 CEST

Wee Boats
Saturday May 17, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
A wholesome, multiplayer boating world to discover secrets and surprises in the ocean. Chat and honk to your heart's content! Wee Boats is an act of self care!
Saturday May 17, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

16:00 CEST

《Meme Survival Simulation》
Saturday May 17, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
meme生存模拟游戏（Meme Survival Simulation）
"STAND ALONE COMPLEX" (isolated individual set) appeared in the series "Ghost in the Shell SAC" which was distilled into the title to express the core of the series, this potential social behavior was reduced to "meme" by Dawkins---- survival behavior and material carrier, that is, just as animal behavior is mostly determined by “genes”, most of human behavior is also determined by “memes” stored in the brain, which are transmitted by continuous self-replication. Inspired by this, I developed a survival simulator game with "memes" as the protagonist. Players need to constantly copy themselves and switch hosts, and choose according to the environment to create more memes in the game to reach groups. consensus.
Meme Survival Simulation (Meme Survival Simulation) attempts to simulate the social interaction form of meme and create a similar virtual gathering, invisibly pushing the group to reach some kind of consensus, the simulator reveals this by using the follow meme propagation mechanism visualization, in this In the game scene of the reversed perspective, the audience is also in the field created by the subtle memetic game.
Saturday May 17, 2025 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

18:00 CEST

Placeground
Saturday May 17, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Placeground, a relaxing home builder where the way you design a space shapes the stories that unfold inside it. Build freely, decorate to your heart’s content, and watch as characters interact with your created space - playing out small moments, surprises, and stories right before your eyes.
No goals, no pressure, and no wrong choices to make. Just you, a blank room, and the joy of watching life play out in the rooms you design. Every object you place nudges the direction of your characters' stories, making every room feel like a tiny stage for everyday life.

Create, decorate, relax, and let stories unfold.
Saturday May 17, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

18:00 CEST

Shop Crush
Saturday May 17, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Manage your Thrift Shop. Sell a hodgepodge of merchandise to picky customers. Set the prices, bargain with clients, and turn down suspicious offers. Order popular stock, fight off shoplifters, and manage your reputation — gain or lose it based on your choices!
Saturday May 17, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

18:00 CEST

Something To Reach For
Saturday May 17, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green]
Have you ever found yourself elbow-deep in a sewer? Or followed ants disappearing into a hole? But most importantly, have you ever lost something that was important to you? Then you and Leah have something in common.
Saturday May 17, 2025 18:00 - 20:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Open Screens

19:00 CEST

Sons and True Sons by Total Refusal
Saturday May 17, 2025 19:00 - 20:00 CEST
HAU - Hebbel am Ufer (HAU2)
TICKETS
In "Sons and True Sons," the Viennese media guerrilla group Total Refusal examines the connections between toxic masculinity, gaming culture, and the 2021 storming of the US Capitol. In a live gaming lecture, they question the parallels between the video game "Tom Clancy's: The Division 2" (2016) and real-life extremist movements – and highlight the dangers of hypermasculine self-empowerment. A brief overview of the game: Set in a 2010s Washington, D.C., rocked by a smallpox pandemic and chaos, players must liberate the city from rival factions. The similarities between the game's depiction of the civilian militia (True Sons) seizing control of the digital seat of Congress and the emergence of paramilitary, crypto-fascist groups in 2021 are uncanny. Inspired by this, the live gaming lecture overwrites the game's version of the Capitol storming. Total Refusal explores the crisis of liberal democracy and hypermasculinist self-empowerment within and outside of gaming spaces.

With the live gaming lecture “Sons and True Sons,” HAU is partnering for the second time with the A MAZE. / Berlin Festival. 

Get your extra ticket via our ticket shop -> special event tickets.

Artists
avatar for Total Refusal
Saturday May 17, 2025 19:00 - 20:00 CEST
HAU - Hebbel am Ufer (HAU2) Hallesches Ufer 34, 10963 Berlin, Germany
  Performance

22:00 CEST

Panke Exhibition (22:00 - 02:00)
Saturday May 17, 2025 22:00 - Sunday May 18, 2025 02:00 CEST
Panke Culture
A MAZE. presents a self curated exhibition by Distraction Collective from Paris at Panke Gallery. The exhibition will be open only during the opening hour of Panke. Wednesday - Saturday from 10pm - 2am.

Also we are showing a new games by Free Lives and an LED Installation by Robin Baumgarten.
Saturday May 17, 2025 22:00 - Sunday May 18, 2025 02:00 CEST
Panke Culture Hof V, Gerichtstraße 23, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Exhibition

22:00 CEST

A MAZE. Final Boss Night
Saturday May 17, 2025 22:00 - Sunday May 18, 2025 02:00 CEST
Panke Culture
This is our Final Boss Night at Panke.

Music:
Acid Radio House and Gartenschau

Games: 
Distraction Collective Exhibition
LED Game Installation by Robin Baumgarten
Sex with Friends by Free Lives

For Festival Pass holders, One Night at A MAZE. Ticket holders, Public Play Day Ticket holders.
Saturday May 17, 2025 22:00 - Sunday May 18, 2025 02:00 CEST
Panke Culture Hof V, Gerichtstraße 23, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Party
 
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