The first ever Toronto Games Week had an incredible response, with over a thousand attendees over the 15 events! It kicked off with a Dirty Rectangles social in the sci-fi punk rock bar, See-scape.
![photo by Jooyoung Oh](https://i0.wp.com/gameartsinternational.network/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Jooyoung.jpg?resize=740%2C555&ssl=1)
Most of the events were free to the public and three were outdoors, like this pop-up arcade in Trinity Bellwoods Park after dark.
![photo by Kyle Chisholm](https://i0.wp.com/gameartsinternational.network/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Lee-Wilkins-and-Kyle-Chisholm.jpg?resize=740%2C557&ssl=1)
After a talk on game preservation, people got hands on with ancient artifacts of Nintendo.
![photo by Mike Wood](https://i0.wp.com/gameartsinternational.network/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Mike-Wood1-scaled-e1690308153601-972x1024.jpg?resize=740%2C780&ssl=1)
Ryan Clark did a special Indie Superboost workshop about refining your game hook.
![photo by Ruixin Jiang](https://i0.wp.com/gameartsinternational.network/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Ruixin-Jiang-scaled.jpg?resize=740%2C521&ssl=1)
The closing party featured a Toronto Game Jam arcade, mingling and music.
![photo by Anita Zvonar](https://i0.wp.com/gameartsinternational.network/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IO_Connect-2230.jpg?resize=740%2C422&ssl=1)
While coordinated by GAIN, Toronto Games Week was a collective game community effort never before seen in the city: there were 12 different organizations and curators running events, 20 sponsors, and 40 volunteers.
![photo by Anita Zvonar](https://i0.wp.com/gameartsinternational.network/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IO_Connect-2394.jpg?resize=740%2C431&ssl=1)
Thanks to our organizational partners:
Interactive Ontario
Dirty Rectangles Toronto
Buffer Festival
Interaccess
XP Summit
Hand Eye Society
Stompbox
Game Workers Unite
IGDA Toronto
![photo by Penghui Zhong](https://i0.wp.com/gameartsinternational.network/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Penghui-Zhong.jpg?resize=740%2C494&ssl=1)
Thanks to our sponsors:
Alientrap
Cococucumber
Drinkbox Studios
Ontario Creates
City of Toronto
Optillusion
Get Set Games
Digital Media at YorkU
Interactive Ontario
OCAD Digital Futures
game:play Lab
Consulat General De France a Toronto
Continue
XP Gaming
Canada Media Fund
Ubisoft Toronto
Toronto Film School
Artscape Daniels Launchpad
Sardegna Film Commission
![photo by Ruixin Jiang](https://i0.wp.com/gameartsinternational.network/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Ruixin-Jiang1-scaled-e1690305267806-1024x644.jpg?resize=740%2C465&ssl=1)