The genre-defining exhibition of art, design, film & literature
Barbican Centre, London, UK
Saturday 3 June – Friday 1 September 2017
Media View, Thursday 1 June 2017, 10am –1pm
#intotheunknown
www.barbican.org.uk/intotheunknown
Opening in June 2017, major Barbican exhibition Into the Unknown: A Journey through Science Fiction is a genre-defining exploration of one of popular culture’s most celebrated realms. This unprecedented show takes place all over the Centre, encompassing literature, contemporary art, film, music, comic books and video games to present a new, global perspective on Science Fiction.
The exhibition includes over 200 books from around the world, including original manuscripts and typescripts, contemporary art commissions and existing art works, over 50 film and TV clips, featuring some of the most memorable cinematic moments in Science Fiction as well as rare, unseen footage, pulp magazines, adverts, concept art, film props, comics, video games and robots.
As part of the exhibition, the Barbican foyers will host three free gaming booths, preloaded with a selection of Science Fiction video games.
From space shooter Asteroids (1979) to text adventure game The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (1984) to the more recent space flight simulation game The Kerbal Space programme (2015) and survival game The Solus Project (2016), the range of games represent the influence of Science Fiction on gaming.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a public programme of talks and debates. New Scientist presents a series of conversations on the themes of the Barbican’s landmark exhibition, Into the Unknown. Leading scientific and cultural figures will explore how today’s cutting-edge ideas, discoveries and inventions inspire the literature, art and games of tomorrow- and vice versa.
The Gamers’ Club on Thursday 13 July, 7.30pm
Reality is overrated. That’s the provocation for The Gamers’ Club, in which gamer and playwright Lucy Prebble (author of Enron and The Effect) talks to Pat Kane (curator of FutureFest and author of The Play Ethic). Our imaginations have conjured up worlds ranging from gleaming utopian cities to grubby post-apocalyptic shelters. We can increasingly immerse ourselves in these worlds, through films, games and now virtual reality. So what happens when the simulation becomes better than the real thing?
Into the Unknown: A Journey through Science Fiction is sponsored by Reed Smith LLP
Full List of Games in the exhibition
ASTEROIDS (1979, Developer: Atari, Inc. Publisher: Atari, Inc. Platform: Arcade)
THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY (1984, Developer: Infocom, Publisher: Infocom
Platform: PC)
WING COMMANDER (1990), Developer: Origin Systems, Publisher: Origin Systems, Platform: MS-DOS
HOMEWORLD (1999), Developer: Relic Entertainment, Publisher: Sierra Studios, Platform: Microsoft Windows
IKARUGA (2001), Developer: Treasure, Publisher: Sega, Platform: Arcade
KERBAL SPACE PROGRAM (2015), Developer: Squad, Publisher: Squad, Platform: Microsoft Windows
THE SOLUS PROJECT (2016), Developer: Teotl Studios, Grip Digital, Publisher: Teotl Studios, Grip Digital, Platform: Microsoft Windows
STARTOPIA (2001), Developer: Mucky Foot Productions, Publisher: Eidos Interactive
Platform: Microsoft Windows
DESCENT (1995), Developer: Parallax Software, Publisher: Interplay Productions, Platform: PC (MS-DOS)
ANALOGUE: A HATE STORY (2012), Developer: Love Conquers All Games, Publisher: Love Conquers All Games, Platform: Microsoft Windows
UPLINK: HACKER ELITE (2001), Developer: Introversion Software, Publisher: Introversion Software, Platform: Microsoft Windows
BENEATH A STEEL SKY (1994), Developer: Revolution Software, Publisher: Virgin Interactive
Platform: DOS/Amiga
MISSILE COMMAND (1980), Developer: Atari, Inc., Publisher: Atari, Inc., Platform: Arcade (original)
HALF LIFE 2 (2004), Developer: Valve Corporation, Publisher: Valve Corporation, Platform: Microsoft Windows
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: CLEAR SKY (2008), Developer: GSC Game World, Publisher: Deep Silver, Platform: Microsoft Windows
SYNDICATE WARS (1996), Developer: Bullfrog Productions, Publisher: Electronic Arts
Platform: DOS
MDK (1997), Developer: Shiny Entertainment, Publisher: Interplay Entertainment
Platform: Microsoft Windows
SPEEDBALL HD 2 (2013), Developer: The Bitmap Brothers, Publisher: Image Works, Arena Entertainment, Empire Interactive, Akella, Tower Studios, SOFEL
Platform: Microsoft Windows
ANOTHER WORLD (1991), Developer: Delphine Software, Interplay Entertainment (console versions), Publisher: Delphine Software, U.S. Gold, Interplay Entertainment, Virgin Interactive
Platform: Amiga
DARWINIA (2005), Developer: Introversion Software, Publisher: Introversion Software
Platform: Microsoft Windows
DEUS EX (2000), Developer: Ion Storm (2000–2003), Eidos Montréal (2011–) Publisher: Eidos Interactive, Feral Interactive (Mac OS, Linux) Platform: Microsoft Windows
SYSTEM SHOCK 2 (1999), Developer: Irrational Games, Looking Glass Studios
Publisher: Electronic Arts, Night Dive Studios (digital), Platform: Microsoft Windows
VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action (2001) Developer: Sukeban Games
Publisher: Ysbryd Games, Platform: Microsoft Windows
DARK SEED (1995), Developer: Cyberdreams, Incentive Software (Amiga)
Publisher: Amiga, Platform: Amiga
PLANESCAPE TORMENT (1999), Developer: Black Isle Studios, Publisher: Interplay Entertainment, Platform: Microsoft Windows
ODDWORLD: ABE’S ODDYSEE (1997) Developer: Oddworld Inhabitants, Digital Dialect (PC), Saffire (Game Boy) Publisher: GT Interactive, Platform: PlayStation
OMIKRON: THE NOMAD SOUL (1999) Developer: Quantic Dream, Publisher: Eidos Interactive, Square Enix (digital), Platform: Microsoft Windows
THE CHAOS ENGINE (1993), Developer: The Bitmap Brothers, Publisher: Renegade Software
Platform: Amiga