Bad Games Showcase

Schedule

Sat Sep 20 2025 at 05:30 pm to 09:00 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

Night City | Chicago, IL

An interactive journey exploring weird, wild, and wonderfully terrible video games.
About this Event

Descend into badness as we examine and celebrate the memorable failures, absurd glitches, and unique joy only bad games can deliver!

🎮 Hands-on Play: Explore a curated arcade of infamous and obscure “bad” video games, from notorious classics to bizarre modern releases.

🔍 Curatorial Insights: Discover why some games are “so-bad-it's-good,” “intentionally bad,” “bad-in-context,” or just plain “so-bad-it’s-bad” based on the research article "Trash or Treasure: a Proposed Typology of Bad Videogames" by Hollie Wistow and David Antognoli.

📌 Critical Play Exercise: Plot your own favorite (or least favorite!) bad games on a giant interactive chart mapping how intention and reception shape the meaning of “bad.”

💬 Community and Conversation: Mingle with fellow gamers, community members, and the curious. Bring your own game critic—everyone’s a reviewer tonight!

Join us as we examine these games' bold transgressions against the common standards of the game industry and potentially rethink what "bad" means in the context of video game culture.


Want to leave your mark as a bad game designer?

We have an of bad Mega Man Maker levels! Mega Man Maker provides free, user-friendly tools for the creation of NES style Mega Man levels, similar to Nintendo's Super Mario Maker. Submissions close on 09/15/2025!



Rules and Important Information
  • RSVP required
  • Free event, suggested donaton at door
  • Entry is not guaranteed: first come, first served; one in, one out once we reach capacity.
  • All ages event
  • Refreshments available
  • Bathroom available
  • No weapons or fireworks
  • ZERO TOLERANCE for illegal drugs or underage drinking.
  • Please don't come if you have any cold or flu symptoms.
  • By RSVP'ing you are agreeing to join the Night City mailing list.

Questions? Feel free to ask on our Discord!


Health and Safety Policy

Masks optional per state and city requirements. We will have hand sanitizer stations and multiple HEPA air purifiers on site.

Do not attend the event if you have cold or flu symptoms (fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea), even if you have been vaccinated.

Do not attend the event if you have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 7 days.

People with active symptoms or who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 7 days cannot attend the event.

At the event:

  • Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, or with hand sanitizer.

When you get home:

  • Stay home and get tested if you develop any symptoms of COVID-19, even if you are fully vaccinated.

General Release, Physical Condition and Safety Rules

In consideration of Night City, LLC, permitting me to attend and/or participate in the Night City event (“Event”), by attending the Event, I hereby agree as follows:

I represent that I am physically fit to attend the Event and/or other related activities in connection therewith (collectively, the “Activities”). I agree to comply with all applicable safety rules for the Activities, and not to act recklessly or carelessly during the Activities in a manner that can jeopardize my safety or the safety of other participants in the Activities.

I further acknowledge that I have responsibility for my own health, welfare and safety during my participation in the Activities, and I assume all risks with full knowledge thereof, and I hereby irrevocably, for myself, my executors, administrators, heirs, next of kin, successors, and assigns release and discharge any and all claims that I may have against Night City and its parents, and its and their respective parents, affiliates, assigns, officers, directors, employees, and independent contractors (collectively, the “Releasees”), including, without limitation, any and all claims for damage or personal injury, whether or not caused by the negligence of any of them, arising out of my participation in the Activities, including claims resulting from the use of my equipment used during the Activities or equipment provided to me by the Night City for the Activities and related activities, together with any costs, including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, that may be incurred as a result of such a claim, whether valid or not.

I hereby agree to indemnify, hold harmless and reimburse for future losses the Releasees against any and all claims, demands or causes of action that I or any one or more of my or their executors, administrators, heirs, next of kin, successors, or assigns may assert or which are in any way connected with my participation in the Activities, and against any costs, including attorneys’ fees, with respect thereto. Such indemnification shall extend to any claim that might be asserted by others against me that also names the Releasees.

This Waiver and Release (‘Release”) has been executed voluntarily and knowingly by me with the express intention of affecting the legal consequences of a General Release in accordance with state law.


Image and Likeness Release

In consideration for being permitted to participate in the Activities and/or attend the Event, I hereby irrevocably grant to Night City a perpetual, worldwide, unlimited, fully paid-up right and license: (i) for use of any photograph(s), images, recordings, likeness of me, etc., and any related information or data, made or taken by Night City at the Event (“Images”) in promotional materials for the Event, exploitation of the Event, and other general advertising/promotional uses for the Night City brand and ancillary related uses (“Intended Use”), and I furthermore acknowledge and agree that Night City may make any and all uses thereof as it may deem in its sole discretion in connection with the advertising and promotion of Night City and its brand image in any and all media channels whatsoever, including but not limited to the Intended Use. I agree that I have no right to any payment or accounting from Night City in connection with the foregoing and that I will make no claims for compensation against Night City , nor by virtue hereof do I acquire any right or interest in or to any of Night City or any of its property including intellectual properties.

Where is it happening?

Night City, 3650 West Wrightwood Avenue, Chicago, United States
Tickets

USD 0.00

Night City

Host or Publisher Night City

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