Photos by Amanda DePerro
Beginning June 11, COSI is offering guests an inside look at the process that goes into creating their favorite video games. COSI’s new exhibition, Game Masters: The Exhibition, is giving visitors access to play and learn about more than 100 games.
Game Masters: The Exhibition highlights the unsung heroes of the gaming industry; designers. Showcasing the work of 35 of the world’s top designers, the exhibit take visitors through decades of development across diverse games like arcade, console, PC, handheld and mobile. Guests can also browse rare concept art and watch interviews with designers.
Visitors are welcomed by the first portion of the exhibit, Arcade Heroes, which honors gaming’s early days. Visitors can play classic ’80s arcade games like Donkey Kong, Pac-Man and Space Invaders. The exhibit features original machines from collectors across Europe, Japan and the United States that are restored to their playable condition.
ICO (2001) Official Guide Book and Shadow of the Colossus (2005) Official Guidebook and Artbook
The next section, Game Changers, focus on the groundbreaking developers that forever influenced the industry, like Nintendo and TT Games. The final section, Indies, looks at 14 independent designers, allowing guests to play popular indie games like Minecraft and Angry Birds.
Josh Kessler, project manager at COSI, says the exhibit was a perfect fit for COSI as a fun as well as educational exhibition. On June 12, Game Masters will host local Columbus video game developers, who will be available to answer questions and provide firsthand knowledge about what it’s truly like to be a video game developer.
Psychonauts official concept art
Curated by the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, COSI is one of only two venues hosting the exhibit in North America. Once it closes in September, Game Masters will once again leave North America.
Game Masters: The Exhibition opens June 11 and runs through September 5. Admission to the exhibition is free with COSI admission or membership. The museum is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. all summer.
Lindsey Capritta is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
