What
to
Expect
Playtopia kicks off on Friday the 5th of December and runs until the 6th of December 2025. We have a program jam-packed with talks, arcades, exhibitions and after parties!
Read more below
Thursday (Delegates only)
The venue opens on Thursday evening for delegates at 5:30pm for our opening ceremony, with an exclusive preview of the arcade afterwards. The venue will stay open until 9:30pm.
Drinks and snacks will be available for purchase.
Friday (Public Opening)
On Friday, the festival opens to all ticket holders at 9am! Like last year, we are excited to welcome delegates of all ages (parental guidance is advised for those under 15 years of age).
We kick off with our conference proceedings, open our art exhibition, and fire up our arcade room.
The festival boasts a bar, food, a chillzone and a rooftop terrace for attendees to enjoy.
Conference
Our conference has a wide variety of talks that delve into indie games, art, the industry and technical aspects of game development. We’re excited to welcome an impressive array of international speakers, from leading games companies and collectives such as PlayStation, Unity, Devolver Digital, Nyamakop, Team17, and many more.
Main Arcade
Our main arcade offers a diverse selection of indie games, representing both local talents and international contributions. We’ve curated a mix of titles from our local gaming scene, showcasing the creativity and innovation of our homegrown developers. Alongside these local gems, we’re excited to present a selection of international games that inspired us.
Take a look at some of our games HERE.
Super Friendship Arcade
Born out of a desire to inject a healthy dose of irreverence and playfulness into games as a communal experience, SFA is our homegrown experimental punk games event that challenges the status quo. This unique gathering dares to defy expectations by transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary, appropriating anything that can move into an alternative controller. At SFA, innovation knows no bounds – from everyday objects to unconventional devices, everything becomes fair game for reinvention in the name of playful exploration.Come be silly with your friends!
Indie Planet
Indie Planet is Playtopia’s dedicated showcase for other indie festivals around the world. Borne from a desire to expose the South African audiences to our festival brethren from distant lands. In our third installment we welcome our Australian counterpart, Freeplay, our Japanese friends, BitSummit and our longtime lover from Germany, A MAZE. This year we are excited to welcome new friends BCN game fest from Spain to the arcade.
Immersive and Interactive Artworks
As always, Playtopia put out a general call for immersive and interactive artworks and selected the most inspiring pieces to entertain and delight our festival attendees.
Step beyond the traditional gallery setting and explore installations that encourage active participation. Our exhibits aim to break down the barriers between the viewer and the artwork, fostering a more dynamic and personal connection.
From interactive displays that respond to your presence to thought-provoking virtual experiences, our exhibitions offer a blend of creativity and technology.
Friday After Party
On Friday night we continue partying at our venue. The games and artworks will run until 11pm, and our roof top terrace will no doubt be a scenic location for winding down. We are excited to welcome our MC Jon Keevy in hosting a games themed pub quiz in the main bar area.
Saturday
On Saturday the festival continues.
The festival will maintain its full spectrum of activities, including our conference program.
Saturday After Party
The venue closes earlier on Saturday (21:00), and our delegate pass holders will be welcomed to Harrington’s, where our party hosts Diskotekah invade the space with their otherworldly stylings.
Audience Choice Award
For the third time in 2025 Playtopia will award an audience choice award, loving titled the “Playtrophia” to our visitor-determined best-in-show.
QR codes will be available on site and we encourage attendees to vote for their two favourite games before 4pm on Saturday the 6th of December. The winner will be announced at the closing ceremony.
Don’t forget to cast your vote!
See
you
there!
