ACMI has unveiled the full lineup for “Game Worlds”, its major upcoming exhibition dedicated to the art and impact of video games. Running from September 18th to February 8th, 2026, the exhibition features more than 30 playable titles spanning from the 1970s to today.
“Game Worlds” explores the creative exchange between developers, players, and technology, presenting games alongside original design documents, concept art, and rarely seen objects.
The lineup includes a mix of iconic titles and independent favourites, such as “Minecraft” (Mojang Studios), “Final Fantasy XIV” (Square Enix), “Stardew Valley” (ConcernedApe), “The Sims” (EA), “World of Warcraft” (Blizzard Entertainment) and “Hollow Knight” series, “Hollow Knight: Silksong” (Team Cherry).
Alongside the unreleased “Hollow Knight: Silksong”, the exhibition will also highlight Australian-made games. Visitors can explore the development process behind Queensland studio Sbug Games’ “Isopod”, and try early prototypes from Melbourne-based 2pt Interactive.
Other featured indie titles include “Guardian Maia” (Metia Interactive), “Terra Nil” (Free Lives/Devolver Digital), and “Celeste” (Maddy Makes Games).
The exhibition will also feature classic titles from the 1980s and 90s, including “The Sentinel” (Geoff Crammond/Firebird), “The Hobbit” (Melbourne House), “DOOM” (1993) (id Software/Bethesda Softworks), and “Team Fortress” (Valve).
There are also titles dating back to the 1970s, such as “Maze War” (Greg Thompson and Dave Lebling), “Colossal Cave Adventure” (William Crowther), and the groundbreaking text-based game “Zork” (Infocom).
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ACMI has also commissioned four new microgames by Australian developers, all of which will be playable as part of the exhibition. These include “ACMI Egg” by Apartment 809, where players care for a communal creature; “Salix8 Sunset” by Tim Koch, which tasks players with restoring colour to the world; “What’s Your Angle” by Callum Chatfield and Mally He, a game about shifting perspectives; and “Hint Line ’93” by Secret Lab, created in collaboration with Yarn Spinner and Mars Bitfield-Addison, which celebrates the lost art of gaming hint hotlines.
Tickets for “Game Worlds” are on sale now. Alongside the exhibition, ACMI will host developer talks, themed fan events, industry sessions, and late-night and accessible access throughout its five-month run. A range of exclusive merchandise and collectibles, including items from “Neopets”, “The Sims”, and “Hollow Knight: Silksong”, will also be available at the ACMI shop.
ACMI’s “Game Worlds” will run from Thursday, September 18th to Sunday, February 8th. For tickets, visit acmi.net.au.