Patch Notes #1: Dispatches from AMAZE Sheffield

Oh, would you look at that. Welcome to the first ever edition of Patch Notes! Newsletters are unequivocally in these days and instead of succumbing to crippling FOMO (that's 'fear of missing out'), we figured we'd join the party.

Patch Notes will be a casual hangout for the cool cats. A brooding, low-lit jazz bar filled with people who 'get it.' It's your favorite breakfast served in bed. A hallowed space for deep, pensive contemplation. Your dizziest daydream made corporeal. That one—alright, it's mainly just an excuse for news editor Chris Kerr (hello hello) to cut loose on a Friday and pore over the latest game industry happenings.

We'll be publishing a new edition of Patch Notes every two weeks to keep you in the know. Inside, you'll find a round-up of the hottest news and some headlines you might have missed; a fragrant platter of interviews and features that'll tickle your tastebuds; and a lovingly curated selection of blogs showcasing the brilliance of our expert community.

We reckon there'll be a little sumthin' sumthin' for everyone, so let's get stuck in.

Travel Man: I went to AMAZE Sheffield and all I got was this newfound sense of belonging

I joined a cult the other week. It all happened so fast. One moment I was wandering through a warehouse filled with bizarre contraptions in the outskirts of Sheffield. Then, I was surrounded by a group of people hellbent on mimicking the chants of a rhapsodic flamingo. The strange chorus of faces only illuminated by the streaks of pink neon that adorned the crumbling brick walls. Later, that same group would harness the power of touch to create a link between the mechanical world and our physical forms. This is AMAZE Festival. It is magical.

The self-styled 'International Games and Playful Media Festival' usually takes place in Berlin over four days, but made its way to the UK for a one-day soiree featuring a bunch of experimental game installations, rapid 'Hyper Talks' touching on subjects like approachable design and generative AI (read our coverage here), and a thumping warehouse rave that bled into the early hours.

The event is split across a daytime and evening program. The former is more serene, letting attendees browse installations at their leisure, attend workshops, and shoot the breeze with their peers. There was even a barbecue, although we're not quite sure if that's part of the standard offering (it absolutely should be).

Left to right: AMAZE attendees playing Crashboard, Between, and Hyper Wobbler

The evening slalom is where AMAZE truly comes into its own. After a warm opening keynote from organizer Thorstenn Wiedmann and an icebreaker featuring that singing flamingo we mentioned earlier, we segue into an exhilarating Hyper Talk track that is ludicrous and brilliant in equal measure.

Speakers are introduced to screams of 'hyper, hyper' from a crowd who've been instructed to recite those hallowed words (all hail Scooter) whenever they burst on screen. Talks fluctuate between introspective and absurd. We quickly pivoted from a discussion about human touch as a game mechanic into a talk about iconic board game Dream Phone. There is wisdom in both. Then, the show floor opens up. What was previously a chilled space for chinwags becomes an electric hive of activity.

A huge group of attendees quickly breaks off to play a colossal game of Bot Party, an interactive alt ctrl experience that asks players to help dinky robots communicate by interlocking their own limbs. I watch in quiet astonishment as people (many of whom I presumed were previously strangers) coalesce into a mammoth prayer circle to merge with their mechanical counterparts.

Wherever you look, you'll find more of the same. Friends and strangers holding hands and laughing as they breeze through experimental puzzler Between. Amused onlookers encouraging those who've chosen to (quite literally) surf the world wide web in Crashboard. Laughter erupting from a crowd playing a completely unhinged twenty-player version of Gang Beasts. Every experience feels designed to spark chaos and camaraderie.

AMAZE is so wonderfully fresh because it eschews conventional industry networking events, which too often prioritize those with a penchant for bars and alcohol (though, of course, you can grab a pint here if that's your thing). I often find those spaces cliquey and impenetrable. Here, in this warehouse full of tactile, offbeat game experiences, people are encouraged to approach each other and truly engage. Bonding over their shared pursuit of a high score or the fact they were sliding across the floor together, digits interlinked, mere seconds ago.

There's something deeply affirming about rocking up to an event where silliness is championed and unconventional ideas are celebrated. The industry could perhaps use a few more events like AMAZE, and after dipping my toes in the water a couple of weeks ago, I highly recommend everyone else do the same.

P.S. AMAZE is hosting a 'digital playground' event at Gamescom 2024, so check it out if you're zipping to Cologne next week.

Status Report: The headlines that matter

Feature Creep: Originals and interviews for the discerning reader

Community Chest: Industry experts share their wisdom