A MAZE. / Berlin 2025

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.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.