Game On (exhibition)


Game On is the first major international touring exhibition to explore the history and culture of computer games. The exhibition was first shown at the Barbican Centre in 2002 and has since been toured by Barbican International Enterprises to over 20 countries worldwide. It has been seen by over 2 million people across the globe.
Focusing on key game developments from the early sixties to the present day, explores gaming’s fascinating past and infinitely innovative future. From the PDP–1 in 1960 to contemporary industry releases, the exhibition examines the creative and scientific advances that have revolutionised the games we play.
reveals the design processes behind four of the most significant games of recent times: Tomb Raider, Grand Theft Auto, Pokémon and The Sims, following these games all the way from their initial concept to the final product design.
With over 150 playable games including Donkey Kong, Pong and Rock Band- as well as the top ten most influential consoles – the exhibition is a truly interactive experience. Games and consoles are constantly updated to ensure the exhibition is always reflective of current movements and trends.
aims to highlight the wider, global framework of gaming, exploring the influence of manga and anime on computer games, as well as the films that have been influenced by, and continue to influence computer games. The exhibition further delves into the worlds of online gaming, music compositions for games, as well as the latest game technologies.

Showings

In 2010, the original show was re-curated by to expand the original exhibition and the exhibition 2.0 was produced. 2.0 has been exhibited at: