Date: Friday 6 December 2024
Time: 18:00 - 21:00 with snacks
Participation: free, send an email to join
Location: Varia (Gouwstraat 3, Rotterdam)

During this Game & Watch we will collectively play two contrasting videogames to consider how Indigenous narratives are shared and considered in gamified realms. We will examine the representation of Indigenous peoples as well as the roles they are cast in the videogames 'Never Alone' and 'Sid Meier's Colonization'. We will unpack the systemic process of colonization coded in the rules and conditions of winning the game. Looking at both videogames, we will give attention to how Indigenous identities are represented as playable units in a strategy-based game 'Colonization' and the narrative game 'Never Alone, Kisima Inŋitchuŋa' (from Upper One Games and published by E-Line Media) the first game developed in collaboration with the Iñupiat, an Alaska Native people.

During the event there will be time to collectively play both games, as well as moments to discuss our experiences of them and other videogames we have encountered. To get us in the gaming mood there will be plenty of salted snacks, beers and maybe even mulled wine as we draw closer to the winter solstice. You are also welcome to come, hang out and watch, low key participation is very much possible.

To join, send an email to info@varia.zone with [videogames] in the subject line and let us know if you have any additional access needs we should consider.

This series falls under Varia's Counter Coloniality research thread and is supported by the Creative Industries Fund NL.