Level Up: Pixels, Play, and Progress delves into how game designers view their creations as avenues for fostering empathy, forging human connections, promoting healing, and driving activism. (Image courtesy: Liv Donaldson)
Level Up: Pixels, Play & Progress
June 6-September 24, 2023
Museum of Design Atlanta
1315 Peachtree Street Northeast
Atlanta, GA, 30309
United States
A new exhibition featuring a variety of indie games including Assemble with Care, Gone Home, Season: A letter to the future, Bury Me, My Love, Atuel, Eliza, Before Your Eyes, Endling. Extinction is Forever, Inua: A story in pixel and ice, The Artful Escape, Oxen Free, Thomas Was Alone, I Was A Teenage Exocolonist, Dots Home
press release
We think, remember, and convey our experiences through storytelling. The narratives we weave possess immense power—they inspire change, challenge norms, and shape our collective consciousness.
From oral storytelling to the written word, theater to film, and television to virtual reality, our capacity to tell and share stories has evolved hand-in-hand with technology. Video games mark a significant shift in this intertwined history. Game designers create realities that empower players to shape stories as they explore fantastical realms, experience different viewpoints, and embark on extraordinary adventures.
The immersive nature of video games blurs the lines between the physical and digital. Contemporary games tap into human emotions and fill needs. They bring people together by transcending boundaries, building communities, and creating opportunities for collaboration across diverse backgrounds.
The stories told in video games — and how players interact with those stories — provide a lens into how humans navigate and understand the world. With this exhibition, we invite you to explore the potential of game design to make the world more empathetic, inclusive, and interconnected.
Related events: Guided Tour of Level Up: Futuristic Fiction (August 20 2023) and Guided Tour of Level Up: Nature's Narratives (September 9 2023), both in person.
