Level Up: Pixels, Play & Progress

June 6 – December 31, 2023

We think, remember, and convey our experiences through storytelling. The narratives we weave possess immense power—they inspire change, challenge norms, and shape our collective consciousness.

From oral storytelling to the written word, theater to film, and television to virtual reality, our capacity to tell and share stories has evolved hand-in-hand with technology. Video games mark a significant shift in this intertwined history. Game designers create realities that empower players to shape stories as they explore fantastical realms, experience different viewpoints, and embark on extraordinary adventures. 

The immersive nature of video games blurs the lines between the physical and digital. Contemporary games tap into human emotions and fill needs. They bring people together by transcending boundaries, building communities, and creating opportunities for collaboration across diverse backgrounds.

The stories told in video games — and how players interact with those stories — provide a lens into how humans navigate and understand the world. With this exhibition, we invite you to explore the potential of game design to make the world more empathetic, inclusive, and interconnected. 


Curation & Design

This exhibition was curated and designed by the MODA staff, including:

Blaire Bosley, Educator

Lena Denton, Membership Manager

Laura Flusche, Executive Director

Thomas Hayes, Educator & Exhibitions Manager

Earline Johnson, Educator

Miranda Johnson, Operations Manager

Mary Kelly, Programs Manager

Visakha Jane Phillips, Development Assistant

Judith Rios, Designer

Susan Sanders, Exhibition Designer

Leslie Yarborough, Youth Education Coordinator

Featured Games Included:

Artful Escape

Assemble With Care

Atuel

Baba Yaga

Before Your Eyes

Bury me, my Love

Colossal Cave Adventure

Concrete Genie

Dot's Home

Eliza

Endling: Extinction is Forever

Firewatch

Gone Home

Gris

I Was a Teenage Exocolonist

Inua: A Story of Ice & Time

Legend of Zelda: TTOK

Never Alone

Night in the Woods

Oxenfree

Season: A Letter to the Future

Stray

The Gardens Between

Thomas Was Alone

To The Moon

Unravel Two

Venba

Visitors designed their own video game characters!

We believe that everyone has a story to tell, and during Level Up, we turned our side gallery into a character design studio with an activity inspired by Orange Sparkle Ball. Visitors were invited to open up books and design characters fit for video games, taking into consideration the factors that would set their characters apart and give them personality, like unique skills, motivations, vulnerabilities, and values.