Adelaide’s biggest and most exciting video games showcase event, South Australian Game Exhibition (SAGE), has announced the exciting program of speakers and panels at next month’s free, family-friendly event.
Presented by the South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) as part of the 2025 Adelaide Fringe interactive program, SAGE is a super showcase of South Australia’s video game development sector, with a huge range of locally made games on display to see and play on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 February at Adelaide Studios.
Now in its third year, SAGE 2025 is bigger and better than ever with two action-packed days of free all-ages fun including a record 37 exhibitors showcasing SA made video games across PC, mobile, console and VR/XR and more, including 14 studios exhibiting at SAGE for the first time.
Returning this year is the popular SAGE Advice program of talks and discussion panels taking place across the two day-event, featuring local, national and international industry experts and leaders and SA developers and creatives. Topics cover everything from the history of SA video games and current tech trends, to jobs and education pathways and more, with opportunities and advice for newbies to professionals.
Speakers include Big Ant Studios COO Mark Bracken (SA); Screen Australia Games Investment Manager Goldie Bartlett (VIC); CEO and Founder of Stella Maris Games Ted DiNola (USA) and Games Hub Managing Editor Stephanie Panecasio (NSW), plus education experts from Flinders University, CDW Studios and UniSA and a range of SA game developers and creatives.
In a new initiative for 2025, all SAGE Advice sessions will be filmed by SAGE Media Partner Channel 44 and made available for repeat viewing after the event via the SAFC’s Youtube channel, providing an ongoing information resource for the SA games sector and those interested in joining it.
Also returning in 2025 are the SAGE Awards: the SAGE Elevate Award for the best game in the Elevate section, with a prize of $1,000 of legal services provided by SAGE sponsor Cam Rogers Legal, and the SAGE Award for Best in Exhibition, with a $2,000 cash prize for the best game overall, provided by the SAFC.
Get a sneak peek at SAGE 2025 at the new SAGE Steam event page, featuring a range of games from this year’s exhibitors for you to preview and play right now!
Following last year’s bumper event which attracted more than 2,000 people across two days, SAGE 2025 is bigger and better than ever allowing video game fans, players, enthusiasts and everyone in between to experience exciting new South Australian made games first-hand and meet the people behind them. Learn all about South Australia’s video game development industry and how the SAFC supports it; find out more about the exciting career pathways on offer in the sector and how you can be a part of it and more – and it’s all FREE!
Get your free tickets now via the Adelaide Fringe and find more information at sagameexhibition.com.
SAGE Advice Timetable
Friday 7 February
11.00 – 11.45am Beyond Coding: Unlocking Diverse Skills for Life and Career through Games
Education
12.15 – 1.00pm Opportunities for Developers: Funding, Publishing, Getting Started
1.30 – 2.15pm Resilience and Innovation: Thriving in the Evolving Games Industry
2.45 – 3.30pm Made in SA: Celebrating South Australia’s Most Legendary Games
4.00 – 4.45pm Game Changers: SA Developer Showcase I
Saturday 8 February
10.30 – 11.15am Big Ant Studios Presents: How (and why) to Join a Games Studio
11.30 – 12.15pm Kickstart Your Career: Education Pathways into Games
12.45 – 1.30pm Drawn to It: Animation, Illustration, and Art in Games
1.45 – 2.30pm Game Changers: SA Developer Showcase II
3.00 – 3.45pm Specialising in Success: Bringing Your Skill Set to Game Development
More program detail available at sagameexhibition.com/program
What else is happening at SAGE?
- 37 total exhibitors including 14 exhibiting at SAGE for the first time, spread across both sound stages at the SAFC’s Adelaide Studios screen production facilities in Glenside
- Informative displays from partner organisations across industry, education and more
- A Refuel Zone featuring food trucks and refreshments, and
- The two-day SAGE Advice program of panel discussions featuring local game developers and national and international industry experts.
SAGE: SA Game Exhibition is FREE and open to all at Adelaide Studios, 1 Mulberry Road Glenside, Friday 7 February 10.00am to 5.00pm (Official opening by Arts Minister Andrea Michaels at 10.30am) and Saturday 8 February 10.00am to 4.00pm. Get your free tickets now via the Adelaide Fringe and find more information at sagameexhibition.com.
Photo: Naomi Jellicoe
