MAGWest is a music and gaming festival featuring a 24-hour gaming hall, at least three stages of planned concerts, video game community guests/VIPs, and community-run panels. The festival runs from Friday, August 14 to Sunday, August 16. Buy your badge today!
***The schedule is subject to change!*** Make sure you check back to get the most accurate info!
PLEASE PLAN AHEAD FOR PARKING - NON-HOTEL GUESTS SHOULD PURCHASE PARKING AT PARKWHIZ PRIOR TO COMING TO THE EVENT.
Safety Issues, stop by Event Safety in the Silicon Valley Room or contact 1-833-FEST-SEC or [email protected]. Don’t forget to review our Code of Conduct.
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Tee Lopes (Sonic Mania, TMNT: Shredder's Revenge, streets of Rage 4) brings his signature blend of video game music and dancefloor energy to the stage in a special live DJ set featuring Jonny Atma (GaMetal) on percussion!
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:50am - 1:30am PDT POW StageCedar/Pine
Join a ZUMBA™ session with high-energy dancing and moving your body to VGM + Latin hits! This is a fun, beginner-friendly activity for all dance levels and to share the joy of movement, rhythm, and energy as a community. Bring good shoes, water, and a sweat towel if needed.
What better way to start off your day than a little bit of singing! Co-Op Choir is back with an open call rehearsal followed by a short performance of the pieces you just learned.
Rehearsal is about 75 minutes and performance is the last 15 minutes.
Saturday August 15, 2026 10:00am - 11:30am PDT JamspaceOak
CurtDogg, aka the host of Double NintenDare, double-dips his toe into classic 80s and 90s television with some cheesy cartoons and tapes from his childhood, while riffing on them with friends. Hop in your PJs and grab a bowl of cereal and be ready to be taken back to a simpler time... for better or worse.
Saturday August 15, 2026 10:00am - 12:00pm PDT Panels 2San Juan / San Carlos
Free resources are available anytime the room is open for Accessibility or Event Safety hours. If someone is not present at the Accessibility Desk, or you need assistance outside of open hours, you can reach out via our email [email protected] or call or message us anytime using our Hotliner number: 844-624-4311
Keizaron opens up our Saturday programming with a speedrun of a beautiful Metroidvania known as Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights. Donate to Extra Life to help extend the run and see the True Ending after the run is complete!
Poolside bar will be open during Saturday from 12-8pm during afternoon and evening pool party performances. Poolside bar will be open during Friday afternoon and evening pool party performances.
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT Pool AreaPool Area
Ultra Combo's house band is leading a jam with local performers from the community and MAGWest attendees. Come out and listen to some great tunes or take to the stage for a turn!
Ultra Combo is one of the longest-running VGM jams in the country! Founded in April 2023, the Ultra Combo house band has hosted over 40 monthly local jams, performed at events such as MAGFest/West, GDC, and Game Over Oakland, and is working on its second album distributed by Materia Records. Ultra Combo is all about fostering a welcoming jam environment for music and games nerds of all backgrounds!
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 2:00pm PDT JamspaceOak
Think your Mahjong skills are un-tile-ievable? Come by for our Riichi Mahjong Tournament! Up to 24 participants will duke it out for a chance at a free badge to MAGWest 2027.
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 4:00pm PDT TabletopSanta Clara / San Jose
When technology such as the CD-ROM and early CG arrived in the late 80s and early 90s, both Hollywood and Silicon Valley lost their collective minds with excitement over new creative possibilities and scrambled to collaborate together. A slew of movies featuring early CG were released, while Full Motion Video technology and high quality audio were core to the experiences of classic games such as Myst, Rebel Assault, the 7th Guest, and Wing Commander. Yet not all were successful; for every Myst, there was a Night Trap or a Sewer Shark. Join Rob Curl and Steve Horowitz to explore game and audio design in this era of “Sillywood”! The session will examine key titles from the period, including Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, which Horowitz worked on with Rocket Science Games, and analyze the distinctive aesthetics that emerged from the fusion of Hollywood production techniques and interactive media. The talk will also address why many of these ambitious projects became fascinating failed experiments, offering insight into the challenges of integrating live-action storytelling with early interactive technologies and what their legacy reveals for contemporary game design.
Panelists: Robert Curl [Museum Historian, www.themade.org] | Steven Horowitz [Professor of Music, Composer for Nick Studios, https://www.stevehorowitzmusic.com/]
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:15pm - 1:15pm PDT Panels 1San Simeon / San Martin
AKK is the solo brainchild of Keiko Takamura, vocalist in @crashfaster and architect of debut album Fablewave Deluxe, a dreamy synth-pop universe built on indie games, fairy tales, and pure vibes. But don't let that fool you: when Keiko steps into the DJ booth, the magical girl gloves come off. Expect a face-melting collision of blistering chiptunes and her own original music as 8-bit chaos meets Fablewave sorcery.
AKK is the solo brainchild of Keiko Takamura, vocalist in @crashfaster and architect of debut album Fablewave Deluxe, a dreamy synth-pop universe built on indie games, fairy tales, and pure vibes. But don't let that fool you: when Keiko steps into the DJ booth, the magical girl gloves... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 1:00pm - 1:30pm PDT Pool PartyPool Area
Join Cosplay n’ Draw at MAGWest for a cosplay gathering and figure drawing event all in one! Come in cosplay and practice sketching live models at our relaxed, two hour sessions hosted in the Craft Cove! Drawing supplies will be provided! Hosted by @cosplayndraw
TV-MA is a transmasculine producer, composer, and performer from Los Angeles, CA. TV likes to describe their music as "apocalypse core" or "alternative cabaret" - music that feels like the beginning of the final act of a play. On stage, he is known for his theatrics, performing atypical... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:00pm PDT Pool PartyPool Area
Bring your writing! Charles Barouch is a writer and developmental editor, he's had decades working with experienced and new writers. You read, he'll offer specific feedback and guide the audience to do the same. Sign-ups will be handled in the room. We'll get to as many of you as possible.
Gear up and experience the extreme speed of Beyblade X! Join us for a presentation featuring the gear, stadium mechanics, and how to participate in this competitive Gear Sport. Get ready to LET IT RIP with the Beyblade Crew!
Come by and watch the next generation of musicians take to the stage with School of Rock San Jose!
School of Rock is a performance-based music school for kids aged 6 and up, located off of Almaden Expressway. Since 2013, we have been training San Jose's next generation of rock and roll stars. Our School of Rock House Band, representing the best of our students, must audition to be selected for the exclusive opportunity to perform a mix of epic rock songs for the greater San Jose area. Our students played overseas at Rock in Rio during the summer so they are as prepared for big crowds as they are for intimate performances.
Saturday August 15, 2026 2:20pm - 4:10pm PDT JamspaceOak
Bi Score is VGM’s most annoying power couple! Ian Cowell and Carrie Wood are a duo dedicated to showcasing the funkiest takes on video game tunes, ranging from classics to cult fan faves. Their irreverent, playful style combines with high-energy live performances for a VGM experience like no other!https://www.instagram.com/biscoreband
Bi Score is VGM’s most annoying power couple! Ian Cowell and Carrie Wood are a duo dedicated to showcasing the funkiest takes on video game tunes, ranging from classics to cult fan faves. Their irreverent, playful style combines with high-energy live performances for a VGM experience... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 2:30pm - 3:10pm PDT Pool PartyPool Area
As scions of the crystal, we have been searching the land far and wide for other Warriors of Light to help restore music to our distant worlds! Please lend us your trivia knowledge so we can put our background music, battles, and character themes in the correct games!
Saturday August 15, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm PDT Panels 1San Simeon / San Martin
Come try your hand at voice acting with Preston Yeung local voice actor. It's a safe room to come out and just have some fun reading lines from some of your favorite anime and games.
Panelists: CINEPRESTO [Voice Actor]
Saturday August 15, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm PDT Panels 2San Juan / San Carlos
Delorean Overdrive is a high-octane synthwave band that transports listeners straight to the neon-soaked streets of the 1980s. With pulsating beats, shimmering synths, robotic vocals and a nostalgic nod to retro-futurism, Delorean Overdrive delivers an electrifying experience that... Read More →
PJ DJ is an open format deejay born and raised in the Bay Area. One of the founding members of CREWDEM, PJ plays a unique blend of deep cuts for the vibers and party anthems for the dancers.
PJ DJ is an open format deejay born and raised in the Bay Area. One of the founding members of CREWDEM, PJ plays a unique blend of deep cuts for the vibers and party anthems for the dancers._x000D_ _x000D_ Coming at you with a special "PlayStation Jungle" themed DJ set, get ready for some jazzy low polygon flying thru outer space breakbeats... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:30pm - 4:20pm PDT Pool PartyPool Area
If you've ever read the book series known as Animorphs, take what you know about the books and throw them out. Keizaron shows us the ridiculousness that came along with licensed Game Boy Color games with a speedrun of the Animorphs game on GBC that can be upgraded to a 125% run with your donations to Extra Life!
Every wanted to know the secrets behind odd time signatures? The hidden realities of metric modulation? Or just how to make a sick drum beat? In this panel we'll be going over everything rhythm related from beginner to advanced!
Despite being named for one of the most generic of gaming tropes, Floating Continent brings out-of-the-box sounds to deep-cut slices of the VGM pie, transforming them into singable epics and danceable bangers (often both at once). Hailing from Sacramento, CA, these genre-bending weirdos are constantly moving between soundscapes–orchestra and pop, prog and punk, Latin jazz and church choir–to create what has been called “a powerful and serene videogame-themed wall of sound.” Come see what surprises they have in store this time as they take over the Jamspace on Saturday afternoon!
Despite being named for one of the most generic of gaming tropes, Floating Continent brings out-of-the-box sounds to deep-cut slices of the VGM pie, transforming them into singable epics and danceable bangers (often both at once). Hailing from Sacramento, CA, these genre-bending weirdos... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 4:30pm - 5:10pm PDT JamspaceOak
g3ntlebreeze is a video game composer who has made the soundtracks for games such as Castle in the Clouds, Aurelia, Bombun, Legends of Dragaea, and more.
g3ntlebreeze is a video game composer who has made the soundtracks for games such as Castle in the Clouds, Aurelia, Bombun, Legends of Dragaea, and more.
Saturday August 15, 2026 4:30pm - 5:20pm PDT Pool PartyPool Area
aivi & surasshu started as internet friends who fell in love by making music together. They’re now an award-winning composition duo with an unmistakable style, combining aivi’s heartfelt piano with surasshu’s kinetic chiptune sounds.
They’re most known for their composition and arrangement work for Steven Universe on Cartoon Network, the acclaimed animated series that opened doors for LGBTQ+ representation in media.
The duo has also composed music for the indie game Ikenfell, a handful of Google Doodles games, and released two digital fusion albums called “The Black Box” and “Meanwhile”.
At MAGWest, they’ll be joined a band of friends from the VGM scene: Stemage, miles morkri, and Star Victoria Power (aka Slide20XX)!
Sixth Station Trio is a classically trained piano trio based in San Francisco, CA. Composed of three San Francisco natives, Sixth Station Trio debuted at San Francisco's historic Grace Cathedral in May of 2023 to a sold-out concert of 1000 people, featuring music from the films of Studio Ghibli. This catapulted them into a becoming one of the most successful trios of their generation, dedicated to blending their classical backgrounds with their passion for video game and pop music.
aivi & surasshu started as internet friends who fell in love by making music together. They’re now an award-winning composition duo with an unmistakable style, combining aivi’s heartfelt piano with surasshu’s kinetic chiptune sounds.
Claire Kwong connects art and technology to make people move. Claire has a long history of performing visuals in the chiptune community. Most recently, she performed with Rebecca Sugar and Estelle at MAGFest.
Claire also creates immersive art environments using projection and motion capture. Her games encourage people to move, communicate, and touch each other. Through her art, Claire aims to dramatize her own experiences and challenge personal and social boundaries... Read More →
Sixth Station Trio is a classically trained piano trio based in San Francisco, CA. Composed of three San Francisco natives, Sixth Station Trio debuted at San Francisco's historic Grace Cathedral in May of 2023 to a sold-out concert of 1000 people, featuring music from the films of... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm PDT POW StageCedar/Pine
Compete in Tournament Mode for a chance to win prizes, including a limited-edition HOP32 button. HOP32 is a massively local multiplayer game that supports up to 32 players in one space. Gather your friends, join the chaos, and see if you can work together to conquer HOP32! (Joining is first come, first serve.)
Masamune is the brain child of Ross Mitchell and Jay Kim, bringing virtuosic violin and piano duo covers of many things VGM, anime, and more, making their debut performance with Octopath Traveler covers.
Masamune is the brain child of Ross Mitchell and Jay Kim, bringing virtuosic violin and piano duo covers of many things VGM, anime, and more, making their debut performance with Octopath Traveler covers.
Neopets is a shambling late-stage capitalism simulator cloaked in the guise of a “virtual pet website”, and it has been running for the past 26 years with absolutely zero economic regulation. Is there any way to fix this mess without inciting open class warfare between the Neopian bourgeoisie and the commoners who rely on their free daily omelette slice?
Please join us for an atrociously stupid presentation on the current state of the Neopian economy.
Saturday August 15, 2026 5:15pm - 6:15pm PDT Panels 1San Simeon / San Martin
On your mark... get set... GO!! Double NintenDare is a Nintendo-themed throwback to the classic kids' game show of a similar name. Put your knowledge and skill of classic and current Nintendo games to the test by answering tricky trivia questions or taking on our special 'Digital Challenges' and finishing the dreaded Mario Maker Obstacle Course! Each player will receive fabulous prizes whether you win or lose, and we'll take you back in time with classic commercials in between rounds.
Saturday August 15, 2026 5:15pm - 6:45pm PDT Panels 2San Juan / San Carlos
The Bay Area Anime Music (BAAM) group started as a way for anime bands to form a network. Concerts and events are few and far between for anime fans outside of the occasional con, so it's difficult for anime musicians to build up credibility. BAAM works to resolve that by setting up our own events and concerts to help build a strong community of anime music fans. Our musicians tend to focus on live instrumental music playing J-Rock and J-Pop, but who knows what the future holds?
Saturday August 15, 2026 5:30pm - 7:30pm PDT JamspaceOak
There are artists who make music, and then there are artists who make culture. BAYOKYO (Bay-oh-key-yo) is firmly the latter. The Bay Area hip hop collective didn't just carve out a lane — they named it. Bay-Pop: hip hop, rock, punk, EDM, and every sound the Bay has ever claimed... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 5:30pm - 8:00pm PDT Pool PartyPool Area
FamilyJules is an award-winning guitarist and arranger known for his highly electrified video game covers and hair. His work has been featured in games including Cadence of Hyrule, Crypt of the NecroDancer, The Binding of Isaac, and Rift of the NecroDancer. His intricate arrangements, technical guitar playing, and over the top stage presence, FamilyJules has become one of the most recognized guitarists in the video game music community.
FamilyJules is an award-winning guitarist and arranger known for his highly electrified video game covers and hair. His work has been featured in games including Cadence of Hyrule, Crypt of the NecroDancer, The Binding of Isaac, and Rift of the NecroDancer. His intricate arrangements... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 5:50pm - 6:30pm PDT POW StageCedar/Pine
Fellow Warriors of Light, you've traveled to far off lands, fought foes threatening the very fabric of this star, striving endlessly for ever greater heights. Perhaps you seek a moment of respite, a quiet, peaceful opportunity to take it slow and drink in the sights. Just you, your rod, the crisp summer morning air, the sun cresting over the horizon, an alarm clock going off at 4 AM, an unreasonable number of spreadsheets, and a deep seated feeling of torment and despair. You stare into the deep inky waters. You see nothing but an abyss. You see a reflection of yourself. Fishing is not for the faint of heart, but together we can chart a course through these treacherous and terrible waters.
Welcome to the True Endgame. Fishing has Raidplans too.
This panel will not contain story spoilers, but will contain references to locations visited through the most recent expansion, Dawntrail.
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BORN TO FISH WORLD IS A LAKE Reel Em All 2025 I am FSH main 410,757,864,530 CAUGHT FISH
Frank Klepacki is a multi-instrumentalist composer, with a career spanning over 30 years of video game history, including soundtracks from the Command & Conquer series, Dune series, Star Wars: Empire at War, and most recently, Tempest Rising.
This year at Magwest he will be performing a retrospective Setlist from a variety of highlight games from his career!
Frank Klepacki is a multi-instrumentalist composer, with a career spanning over 30 years of video game history, including soundtracks from the Command & Conquer series, Dune series, Star Wars: Empire at War, and most recently, Tempest Rising.
This year at Magwest he will be performing a retrospective Setlist from a variety of highlight games from his career... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 6:50pm - 7:50pm PDT POW StageCedar/Pine
Are you dying (repeatedly) to get into Dark Souls and other Souls-likes? Take it from me, someone who can’t play games past easy mode. This panel is here for you with tips beyond “getting good.”
Panelists: Rangoon
Saturday August 15, 2026 7:45pm - 8:45pm PDT Panels 1San Simeon / San Martin
Parabellum Raps is a Hip-Hop and Nerdcore artist born in Washington, DC and raised in Prince George’s County, MD. Rapping, singing, songwriting, and beatmaking are his primary forms of artistic expression. His talents have manifested themselves in a number of bands, collectives, and group collaboration projects throughout his tenure as a musical creative. This year, his most recent VGM appearances include MAGFest, GDC, VGMCon, and UltraNova IV. Many of these performances have led to him sharing the stage alongside community favorites such as Anton Corazza, Yusef Kelliebrew, Lacey Johnson, TriForce Quartet, RRThiel, Los Veros, and Johnny Gioeli of Crush 40. Creating and performing music with others is his favorite part of being a member of the VGM community.
Parabellum Raps is a Hip-Hop and Nerdcore artist born in Washington, DC and raised in Prince George’s County, MD. Rapping, singing, songwriting, and beatmaking are his primary forms of artistic expression. His talents have manifested themselves in a number of bands, collectives... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 8:10pm - 8:50pm PDT POW StageCedar/Pine
Showing us the other side of Generation 1 Pokemon, Stump230 will showcase a no-manipulation speedrun of Pokemon Blue Any%, with glitches and known quirks to complete the game as fast as possible. Donate to name the Trainer, Rival, the used pokemon, and if/when we release the Bulbasaur used during the run!
Schedule Description: A twist on Mario Kart Live - it's not just that it's smash bros instead, it's audience participation! Bring your instrument (or borrow one of ours!) and honk along with us :) We'll sight-read simplified arrangements of smash bros music like Break the Targets and Jungle Japes while other guests duke it out. Sheet music and stands provided, and we'll have a bunch of extra instruments to lend out. No instrument? No problem - we'll have assorted brass instruments to lend out, and of course we'll need smash players as well, so come thru!!
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00pm - 10:00pm PDT Panels 1San Simeon / San Martin
ROBOT P.R.O.M. is motoring to MAGWest, re-spooled, re-tooled and re-cooled to ensure Maximum Enjoyment! Disguised as one, big spectacular party, Robot P.R.O.M. is the Cybertronic Spree’s best chance to change history and save humanity with the power of rock. This band of transforming misfits, armed with cummerbunds and corsages, are ready to rock you with a tribute to the 40th anniversary of Transformers the Movie, alongside VGM bangers and heavy metal classics. Their mission: to overwrite your Programmable Read-Only Memories of that mediocre human prom that hardened you to the world. But will Cybertronic Spree succeed in being more than meets the eye, or will they fall into the clutches of prom cliche? With the help of the audience, surprise guests, and the coronation of a P.R.O.M. Queen, this night may very well determine the fate of humanity. Or, at least, it’ll rock your robo-boutonnieres off.
ROBOT P.R.O.M. is motoring to MAGWest, re-spooled, re-tooled and re-cooled to ensure Maximum Enjoyment! Disguised as one, big spectacular party, Robot P.R.O.M. is the Cybertronic Spree’s best chance to change history and save humanity with the power of rock. This band of transforming... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:20pm - 10:50pm PDT POW StageCedar/Pine
Help us close out the Speedrun portion of the Variety Stage in style with a Tool Assisted Speedrun showcase by DwangoAC and TheAxeMan, alongside everyone's favorite bot, TASBot! We'll help explain what a Tool Assisted Speedrun is and go through the history of the Undertale speedrun, and more!
Dueling Pianos - Presented by Bay Area Anime Music! Four of @bayareaanimemusic's finest pianists collaborate and duel with your favorite anime and VGM tunes on two pianos! You can request any song for live musicians to play, and sing along as well karaoke style if you want!
Performers include: eLEDiem Piano (https://www.youtube.com/@eLEDiemPiano) Raid (https://www.youtube.com/@raidsrc) Quintec Music (https://www.youtube.com/@QuintecMusic)
Lotus Juice is a Japanese rapper, lyricist, producer, and performer best known for his work on the Persona series, including iconic tracks such as "Mass Destruction," "Burn My Dread," and "Deep Breath Deep Breath." Blending hip-hop, rock, and game music, he has collaborated with composers... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 11:00pm - 11:50pm PDT POW StageCedar/Pine
Tobi Spagyric is a sonic alchemist crafting deep, high-vibrational containers for conscious movement. Specializing in global electronica, they utilize long, hypnotic blends to weave ancient tribal rhythms with modern frequencies. Each set is a musical portal to your philosopher’s stone—an intentional somatic journey designed to separate, distill, and reunite the mind, body, and soul in their purest form.
Tobi Spagyric is a sonic alchemist crafting deep, high-vibrational containers for conscious movement. Specializing in global electronica, they utilize long, hypnotic blends to weave ancient tribal rhythms with modern frequencies. Each set is a musical portal to your philosopher’s... Read More →
