Bay Area Revelations The Evolution of Video Games in the Bay Area(2020)

Wreck Or Get Rekt(en)

This is Not a Game(en)

Angela Su’s fictional artist Rosie Leavers is the last remaining person to upload her consciousness to a video game. Contemplating during a pandemic year which also saw people’s resistance movements in many parts of the world, the work pinpoints the uncanny affinities between gaming and warfare strategies. They have mutually informed the infrastructure of both worlds since time immemorial when diplomatic conflicts played out on the battlefield of the 64 squares of a chess board to flight simulation technologies which were adapted to shape gaming experiences as we know it now. When the conflict is between the state and its people, she speculates that gaming strategies empower civilians in resistance movements to counter imperialism through its own operative logic. But once we upload our consciousness, are we able to return to the sensibilities and political motivation that inspired the revolution to begin with?

The Fading Nature of Physical Media(en)

In the following documentary, we explore how two collectors and a store owner feel about the current digital distribution of video games and what could happen if buying physical media is no longer an option.

A Goodbye to Blessed Realities(en)

A video essay that despite, multiple delays, finally released to document the story and cancellation of solo-dev Heavenly Den!'s game, Blessed Realities, as a way to bring closure to the game and the studio's story. The story is over.

Game and Glory(en)

Go behind the scenes of the intense world of professional Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO). Follow the personal stories of legendary players Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev, Kaike “KSCERATO” Cerato, and Casper “cadiaN” Møller as they navigate the highs and lows of the Intel® Extreme Masters (IEM) Major Championship in Rio de Janeiro. Narrated by the dynamic CS:GO caster Alex “MACHINE” Richardson, “Game and Glory” immerses you in the high-stakes drama and nail-biting tension of one of the largest esports events ever, with a staggering prize pool of $1,250,000. Experience the unmatched energy of a crowd like no other, and the electrifying atmosphere that made the IEM Rio Major an unforgettable chapter in esports history. Whether you’re a seasoned fan or new to the scene, this documentary promises to captivate and inspire, showcasing the relentless pursuit of glory in the world of professional gaming.

Dangerous Games: Roblox and the Metaverse Exposed(en)

Follow Alex, Janae, and Katie as they investigate the hidden threats inside online worlds designed for children. After Katie is harassed by a predator on Roblox, the trio uncovers a disturbing network of extremists, predators, and illicit content. As their investigation gains traction, real-world tragedies — including a kidnapping and a mass shooting — underscore the devastating consequences of a system failing to protect its most vulnerable users. Through expert interviews and gripping verité storytelling, the film exposes the gaps in platform regulations and the dangers that continue to slip through the cracks. Blending investigative journalism with compelling visuals, Dangerous Games delivers a wake-up call on the urgent need for accountability in the evolving digital world.

Token Taverns(en)

The golden age of arcades may have been in the 80s, but decades later arcades are back and bigger than ever in the arcade bar. Arcade bars have been spreading across the globe; transporting old school gamers back to their childhood while bringing in a new generation of players. It's Cheers for nerds, a place where every body knows your game. "Token Taverns" is a documentary exploring the growth of arcade bars and what this growing trend is all about. "Token Taverns" centers on 3 arcade bars and their owners over 2 years as they try to thrive and survive through a global pandemic.

The Story of Nintendo(en)

Over 133 years in the making, from humble beginnings manufacturing 'Hanufuda' cards came one of the world's most recognized videogame companies, from the birth of Mario and Luigi to Donkey Kong and Zelda... to beating its competition and presenting itself as a platform for quality games and strong values. This is the story of Nintendo.

The Game Maker: Sunsoft Edition(ja)

The Sunsoft games that excited our hearts in the 80's is coming back to life... One DVD and one 50-page book are included in one box. It includes game introductions, interviews with developers, a chronology of the history of each manufacturer, AD challenges to popular software, and complete coverage of all game data for each manufacturer.

Charlie Brooker's Gameswipe(en)

Charlie Brooker sets his caustic sights on video games. Expect acerbic comment as he looks at the various genres, how they have changed since their early conception and how the media represents games and gamers. Features interviews with Dara O Briain, sitcom scribe Graham Linehan and Rab and Ryan from Consolevania.

The Great Game: The Making of Spycraft(en)

In 1995, former KGB Major General Oleg Kalugin and ex-CIA Director William Colby collaborated in an unexpected way. They made a video game. The Great Game traces how both men rose to the tops of their fields following World War II, before falling out of favor with their respectives agencies — on opposite sides of the Iron Curtain. For Kalugin, a growing discontent with the KGB’s treatment of Russians radicalized him against the institution. Meanwhile William Colby, an OSS operative and the CIA’s man on the ground in Vietnam, was fired by President Ford after testifying before Congress about controversial CIA programs like MKULTRA and CoIntelPro. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, both living on American soil, Colby and Kalugin played themselves in Spycraft, a multi-million dollar game that was among the most advanced of its time — and is now almost entirely forgotten.

Games You Can't Win(en)

Games You Can’t Win explores “empathy” gaming, a new video game movement in which developers are sharing some of their most intimate or traumatic personal experiences through artful, documentary-style video games. Using a combination of intimate verité footage and video capture from the games, the short film tells the stories of three developer and the personal experiences that inspired their game.

Going Postal: The Legacy Foretold(en)

Feature length documentary about the infamous video game franchise 'Postal' by Running with Scissors. Exploring the company's history and possible imprint violent video games bring to the real world.

Spelkollektivet: To Build a Castle(en)

"Spelkollektivet: To Build a Castle" is the story of the world's largest co-living space for game developers, and the people living there. Follow the founder James Newnorth as he navigates the many obstacles of turning an untried idea into reality. Meet the three indie devs Leene Künnap, Matej Jan and Michal Roch as they work on their respective games, "Death and Taxes", "Pixel Art Academy" and "Lords and Villeins". Find out if Spelkollektivet fosters the next indie dev star.

Here Comes a New Challenger(en)

The story of the gaming phenomenon that is Street Fighter II, exploring its origins and its impact on the lives of kids and teenagers worldwide.

gameObject Permanence(en)

A four-part video work that moves from digital fragility and commercial ambition to personal reflection and mourning, exploring how virtual worlds end.

Summer Game Fest 2022(en)

A fan-first celebration of the future of video games, featuring world premiere new game announcements and first looks at the latest games from the world's biggest video game developers.

Head Transplant and the Non-Existence of the Soul(en)

A critical analysis by Jacob Geller analyzing the depiction of head- (or consciouness-) transplants in video games such as Wolfenstein 2 or Soma in parallel with the history of the almost-father of head transplants (his experiences having been limited to monkeys), Robert Joseph White. How did we end up moving the center of human consciouness from the heart to the brain ? Where does the soul come in to play here? When is the body / Theseus' ship no longer the body / Theseus' ship for having had its limbs / its wood transplanted too much ?

GET BONUS: The Movie: E3 2010(en)

Tim Rogers and Robert Pelloni attempt to get into E3 without passes.

Earthbound, USA(en)

American teenagers connect on the early internet to crusade for their favorite videogame of all time, pitting their fan site against a corporate goliath and their own looming adulthoods.