New York Indie Arcade Babycastles Gets Fundraiser Support

New York City indie video game arcade Babycastles is getting financial support from consumer gaming network IGN, which will match donations to the non-profit establishment dollar for dollar. IGN Entertainment said Monday that beginning today through October 4, it will match 100 percent of all funds raised for the arcade's upcoming games exhibition, scheduled for October 8 through December 29 this year in a new Manhattan space. Both parties say that IGN's charitable donations come "no strings attached", and are part of the media organization's new aims to publicly support the indie scene. The new Babycastles location is at 217 East 42nd Street next to Grand Central Station. The original Babycastles, defined by a gathering of people and indie games rather than a specific location, was born in the outskirts of Brooklyn at the Silent Barn community space in Ridgewood, Queens. The indie-centric arcade said it is raising money to apply towards "rent, computer equipment, video projection, sound equipment, cabinet materials, workshop rental, artist reimbursement, promotional materials and production, staff, a bigger neon sign and everything unforeseen that it takes to run a smoothly functioning arcade and game culture event space at a highly trafficked public location in Manhattan." Babycastles is a collaboration between the arcade and Showpaper, a New York-based bi-weekly print publication that promotes all-ages and DIY music shows in the area. Showpaper will assist in music production and also curate rotating exhibitions of artwork alongside each arcade lineup, according to Babycastles. The Manhattan Babycastles will have free admission during the day, acting as an art gallery for indie games, while at night Babycastles will host events such as lectures, performances, workshops and game release parties. Games from Eric Zimmerman, Mark Essen, Experimental Gameplay Project, Attract Mode, Playpower and others will be featured in arcade exhibitions. IGN's financial commitment follows its "Open House" program, an initiative targeted and indie game makers in which the company offers San Francisco office space to indies, free of charge. Supporters can make donations to Babycastles through this link.