Play NYC Returns in 2020 With a Special Online-Only Show, Free to Indies, and Open to All

The 4th annual Play NYC game convention moves online Aug. 10-16, 2020, to highlight the power and influence of gaming and celebrate the spirit of New York City.


NEW YORK — The 4th annual Play NYC convention — the biggest, multi-day game convention in New York — expands to a week and goes online-only this summer with the support of the New York City Mayor’s Office for Media and Entertainment, Playcrafting announced today.

“Playcrafting founded Play NYC in 2017 to give New York a game convention of its own,” said Dan Butchko, founder and CEO of Playcrafting and the convention organizer. “Each year, we welcome over 5,000 people and 150 games for two days, unlike any other. Last fall, we announced the 4th Play NYC. A lot of games were already confirmed for the show. It was shaping up to be our biggest yet. Then COVID-19 changed life as we know it.
“New York has been on pause. Our community has struggled through this pandemic. Yet
despite trying times and ongoing tensions, we’ve seen so much hope in how folks have risen up to face the challenges of our reality. This is the greatest city in the world with the strongest people in the world. And games have the power to unite, inspire, educate, and heal. Especially now. That’s why I’m excited to re-announce Play NYC 2020. For the first time, this year’s show will be online, free to join, and a full week-long.”

The seven-day event, which kicks off on Aug. 10 and runs through Aug. 16 at Play-NYC.Com, is open to all indie developers, larger studios, and anyone interested in virtually attending.

For the first time in the show’s history, the New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and
Entertainment is also supporting Play NYC with an advertising campaign in July that includes bus shelters and phone kiosks throughout the city.

While this year’s event has moved online, Play NYC will still feature an eclectic mix of powerful talks, demos, and panels, and will continue to harness, elevate, and celebrate the essence and impact of New York City on the international gaming community.

Where more than 5,000 people packed the Metropolitan Pavillion during last year’s paid-event, this year’s event will take place on a variety of platforms all brought together through the Play NYC website. Among the many exciting events taking place during Play NYC 2020 will be the annual Graffiti Games installations created exclusively for Play NYC. This year’s initiative will amplify the work of Black game developers and be curated by indie game company Decoy Games.

Graffiti Games installations celebrate the diversity that makes the American gaming industry and New York City so special. Previous installations have featured the talent and stories of first-generation immigrant developers, and celebrated the voices, talent and impact of the LGBTQ community in gaming and the importance of creating safe spaces.
“Games bring people together, but they’re nothing without the people who make them. We’re honored to amplify the important voices of Black game creators through this year’s Graffiti Games. In these challenging times, it’s more important than ever for Play NYC to represent the vital contributions that the Black community makes to the art and culture of games, in New York and beyond.”

More details on this year’s speakers, live-streams, panels, and demos will be released in the coming weeks. Play NYC runs Monday, Aug. 10 through Sunday, Aug. 16.

Visit play-nyc.com and follow us on Twitter @Playcrafting and #PlayNYC for more updates.

This entry was posted in Conventions, Events & Expos, PLAY NYC, Video Games. Bookmark the permalink.