A Maze


A Maze is an international series of events celebrating independent and arthouse games, immersive media and digital culture. Founded in 2008 by artistic director Thorsten Wiedemann, A MAZE hosts the International Games and Playful Media Festival, held annually in Berlin since 2012, which feature annual awards and prizes for games and digital works.

History

A MAZE was launched by founder and artistic director Thorsten Wiedemann in Berlin in 2008. Wiedemann stated the event began at a local bar to showcase games and digital art, with the event expanding in 2012 to the first festival, Indie Connect, coinciding with the International Games Week Berlin. The festivals are not primarily commercial and aim to celebrate games and digital culture as "not only a product" but a "medium of expression". In following years, the festival was also co-held in Johannesburg from 2012 to 2017. In 2019, A MAZE experienced financial difficulties following the decision by the German Senate Department of Culture to discontinue funding for the program. Following this decision, the festival organisers launched a successful campaign on Kickstarter to partially fund the event in November 2019. During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the event transitioned to a digital experience titled A MAZE./ SPACE, hosting an online multiplayer showroom.

Awards

A MAZE Festival events feature awards and prizes decided by an independent jury. The festival awards features an open-ended selection criteria beyond traditional video games, with eligibility extended to interactive fiction and digital art. Nominees are judged by a selection committee, with submitted works reviewed and rated on "innovation, potential, interdisciplinarity, social, cultural and political impact, aesthetics and overall awesomeness". A shortlist of games is then reviewed by a final jury of five to select award winners, including the winner of the previous year. Winners of each category receive a €1000 prize, with the main 'Most Amazing Award' prize winner receiving €2000.
DateWorkAuthorAward
21–24 July 2020PromesaJulian PalaciosDigital Moment Award
21–24 July 2020Brave Mouse Cartographercommon operaHuman Human Machine Award
21–24 July 2020Knife SistersTranscenders MediaLong Feature Award
21–24 July 2020Cook your wayEnric Granzotto LlagosteraExplorer Award
21–24 July 2020Time BanditJoel JordonAudience Award
21–24 July 2020Nightmare Temptation AcademyLena NW & CostcodreamgurlMost Amazing Award
21–24 July 2020N/AStudio OleomingusHumble New Talent Award
21–24 July 2021Adventures of HarriharriHarold HejaziDigital Moment Award
21–24 July 2021Map to UtopiaFringe ensemble / Platform theatreHuman Human Machine Award
21–24 July 2021I Am DeadHollow PondsLong Feature Award
21–24 July 2021Before Your EyesGoodbyeworld GamesExplorer Award
21–24 July 2021Time BanditJoel JordonAudience Award
21–24 July 2021StilstandIda Hartmann & Niila GamesMost Amazing Award
21–24 July 2021ColestiaDavid CribbHumble New Talent Award
13–17 May 2022BORE DOMEGoblin RageDigital Moment Award
13–17 May 2022Okthryssia and Saturnia's Bureaucratic AdventuresFantasia MalwareHuman Human Machine Award
13–17 May 2022NorcoRaw Fury / Geography of RobotsLong Feature Award
13–17 May 2022We Are OneFlat Head StudioExplorer Award
13–17 May 2022Titanic II: Orchestra for Dying at SeaFlan FalacciAudience Award
13–17 May 2022Tux and FannyAlbert Birney and Gabriel KoenigMost Amazing Award
13–17 May 2022A Rejection Story!Faezeh KhomeyraniWings Award
10–13 May 2023Extreme Evolution: Drive to DivinitySam AtlasDigital Moment Award
10–13 May 2023The MetaMovie Presents: Alien RescueThe MetaMovieHuman Human Machine Award
10–13 May 2023Season: A Letter to the FutureScavengers StudioLong Feature Award
10–13 May 2023Lost on MarsTrey RammExplorer Award
10–13 May 2023ViewfinderSad Owl StudiosAudience Award
10–13 May 2023Player Non PlayerJonathan CorynMost Amazing Award
10–13 May 2023Psychotic Bathtub – The Story of an Escalating Mind. And Ducks.natshaWings Award
8–11 May 2024GrunnTom van den BoogaartDigital Moment Award
8–11 May 2024WaxwingCommon OperaHuman Human Machine Award
8–11 May 2024EchostasisEnigma StudioLong Feature Award
8–11 May 2024BlueSuburbiaNathalie LawheadExplorer Award
8–11 May 2024Non-Virtual Reality Games3m JumpAudience Award
8–11 May 2024No Case Should Be Left UnsolvedSomiMost Amazing Award
8–11 May 2024MiniaturesOther Tales InteractiveWings Award
14–17 May 2025Some Goodbyes We MadeSafe Flight Games and Joey SchulzDigital Moment Award
14–17 May 2025Synch.LiveHillary Leone and the Synch.Live TeamHuman Human Machine Award
14–17 May 2025ThresholdJulien EveilléLong Feature Award
14–17 May 2025FloraFloraExplorer Award
14–17 May 2025Breaking NewsDanil Bialo, Tamir Herzberg, and Evyatar CohenAudience Award
14–17 May 2025DespeloteJulián Cordero, Sebastián Valbuena, Gabe CuzzilloMost Amazing Award
14–17 May 2025CuriosmosCéline & the Silly StarsWings Award