Level up: Playable exhibition brings iconic videogames to Te Papa

EMBARGOED UNTIL 9AM, 30 SEPTEMBER 2026

Some exhibitions are about looking. This one is about playing.

Opening at Te Papa this summer, Game Worlds: Whakaaturanga Pureiapo | Playable Exhibition brings together over 30 of the world's most influential videogames from the 1970s to today.

Curated and developed by ACMI, this major, playable exhibition invites you to step into extraordinary virtual worlds and discover how videogames are made and how they’ve shaped the way we play and connect.

For Courtney Johnston, Te Papa Tumu Whakarae, the magic of the exhibition lies in its invitation to play.

“Game Worlds is enormous fun. It transforms visitors from spectators into players. You don't just walk through this exhibition; you play your way through it.”

“Videogames aren't just for kids, they're part of how millions of people create, connect, compete, and tell stories, and this exhibition celebrates that."

Featured videogames include international hits Minecraft (Mojang Studios), Final Fantasy XIV Online (Square Enix), World of Warcraft (Blizzard Entertainment), The Sims (Electronic Arts), The Elder Scrolls Online (ZeniMax Online Studios/Bethesda Softworks), Neopets (World of Neopia), SimCity (Electronic Arts), Stardew Valley (ConcernedApe) and Hollow Knight: Silksong (Team Cherry).

Ms Johnston adds, “Alongside some of the world's most influential videogames, visitors can experience stories closer to home with an exclusive demo of Guardian Maia by Māori-led studio Metia Interactive. The highly anticipated title reimagines Aotearoa through the eyes of Maia, a forest guardian.”

“Whether you're a lifelong player, a curious newcomer, or going head-to-head with a friend who's determined to beat your high score, Game Worlds is joyful, immersive, and the kind of experience talked about long after.”

Journey behind the scenes with 44 playable experiences, original builds, rare design materials, and hands-on prototypes you won’t find anywhere else – you’ll play in ways you can’t at home and discover how developers, players, and technology bring these digital worlds to life.

Want to keep playing? The adventure continues beyond the exhibition – a late-night party, talks, and events will bring the worlds of videogames to life.

ACMI’s exhibition co-curators Bethan Johnson and Jini Maxwell say Game Worlds explores the innate human desire to share and connect through play.

“Covering half a century of videogame design, technological innovation, and social history, it

presents a new angle on the world's most popular entertainment medium.”

“By presenting the act of play as a form of creative expression, and game development as an inherently playful act, we are proud to celebrate the genius of designers and players alike; Worldbuilding is always a multiplayer game.”

No great quest is complete without loot; unlock exclusive merchandise in a dedicated Game Worlds store.

Open to everyone and packed with collectables, books, and gifts inspired by the games and worlds featured throughout the exhibition, players can take home a piece of the experience, no ticket needed.

Ms Johnston’s playing advice is simple: “Bring the kids. Bring the parents. Bring the grandparents. Bring anyone who's ever picked up a controller, or anyone who never has.”

Step into worlds filled with sprawling cities, thriving farms and epic adventures, and online realms that connect millions of players around the world.

The best way to understand it? Come and play. An ACMI Touring Exhibition, Game Worlds: Whakaaturanga Pureiapo | Playable Exhibition is at Te Papa from 12 December 2026 – 26 April 2027.

Unlock tickets from Monday 2 November – press start and register your interest:

tepapa.nz/GameWorlds

Te Papa acknowledges the generosity and support of our destination partner, Wellington City Council, major exhibition partners, Te Papa Foundation, Go Media, Wellington Airport, and Ooh!media, and exhibition partners, Dulux, Berocca, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, and Whitireia and WelTec.

ENDS

Media contact

Heather Byrne | 029 601 0120 | heather.byrne@tepapa.govt.nz

Images, videos, and captions

Please note that this content is being supplied to you for the purposes of Game Worlds: Whakaaturanga Pureiapo | Playable Exhibition press release only. Media may not crop, alter, or edit the images in any way without Te Papa’s prior permission. The content must be fully attributed as per the provided credit line(s).

Media images and videos available here

Captions:

	ACMI Game Worlds, Minecraft (2009-), key art courtesy of Mojang Studios.
	ACMI Game Worlds, World of Warcraft 20th Anniversary (2024) key art (horizontal), courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment
	ACMI Game Worlds, The Sims 4 (2014), key art courtesy of Electronic Arts.
	ACMI Game Worlds, Stardew Valley (2016-), screenshot courtesy of ConcernedApe.
	ACMI Game Worlds, Stardew Valley (2016-), screenshot courtesy of ConcernedApe.
	ACMI Game Worlds, Hollow Knight_Silksong (2025), courtesy of Team Cherry.
	ACMI Game Worlds, Guardian Maia, concept art courtesy of Metia Interactive.
	ACMI Game Worlds, Guardian Maia, screenshot courtesy of Metia Interactive.
	Game Worlds, 2025, ACMI. Photo ©Matto Lucas.
	Game Worlds, 2025, ACMI. Photo ©Matto Lucas.
	Game Worlds, 2025, ACMI. Photo ©Matto Lucas.
	Game Worlds, 2025, ACMI. Photo ©Eugene Hyland.
	Game Worlds, 2025, ACMI. Photo ©Eugene Hyland.
	Game Worlds, 2025, ACMI. Photo ©Eugene Hyland.
	ACMI Game Worlds (2025) media clip package. (01) The EIderScrolls Online (ZeniMax Online Studios/ Bethesda Softworks), (02) Minecraft (Mojang Studios), (03) Final Fantasy XIV Online (Square Enix), (04) World of Warcraft (Blizzard Entertainment), (05) SimCity (Electronic Arts), (06) Hollow Knight: Silksong (Team Cherry), (07) 2pt Interactive (2pt Interactive), (08) The Sims (Electronic Arts), (09) Terra Nil (Free Lives/Devolver Digital), (10) Celeste (Maddy Makes Games), (11) Stardew Valley (ConcernedApe), (12) Neopets (World of Neopia), (13) Isopod (Sbug Games)
	ACMI Game Worlds, SimCity (1989-), screenshot courtesy of EA.
	ACMI Game Worlds, The Hobbit (1982), screenshot courtesy of Beam Software, ACMI Collection.
	ACMI Game Worlds, The Hobbit (1982), screenshot courtesy of Beam Software, ACMI Collection.