Vote for our SXSW PanelPicker 2027 Panels!

Hello Filafriends, this post is to let you know that we have three reasons to be excited this week! Filament Games is up for community voting at SXSW EDU 2027 with three PanelPicker panel proposals, and voting is open right now. Each session grew out of work we care deeply about, and each one takes on a question that is shaping the future of learning. Casting a vote takes about a minute, and your support helps bring these conversations to one of the most influential stages in education!

Building Media Literacy and Democratic Thinking Through Play

Students today navigate a constant flood of information, and telling reliable sources from manipulation has become one of the essential skills of modern citizenship. This session looks at how well-designed games can teach media literacy and critical thinking in ways that stick with players long after the credits roll. We share what we have learned about using play to help young people grow into thoughtful, engaged participants in democratic life.

Rethinking Assessment for the Age of AI

As generative AI reshapes how students approach traditional assignments, educators are asking hard questions about what assessment should measure and how it should work. Games offer a promising answer. This session explores how game-based assessment can capture genuine understanding and problem-solving in ways that hold up against easy shortcuts, giving educators a clearer picture of what learners actually know and can do.

Telling Stories That Resonate With Young Adolescents

Middle school is a pivotal and complicated chapter of growing up, and stories have always helped young people make sense of that transition. This session draws on our work on Tales from the Middle, a narrative game built for rising middle schoolers, to explore how interactive storytelling can support adolescents through the social and emotional challenges of these years. We walk through the design decisions behind meaningful narrative games and what thoughtful storytelling can offer this age group.

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Voting is open now, and your support makes a big difference in whether these sessions reach the SXSW EDU stage. If any of these topics spark your interest, we would be thoroughly and sincerely grateful for your vote. Follow the links above, and thank you for helping us bring more insightful conversations about game-based learning into the world!