Noam Karutchi
Unity Developer (Demo). XR Creator and Interactive Experience Designer focused on storytelling through interactivity. Her MFA project Pieces, an interactive VR documentary, won the 2025 BAFTA Student Award in the Immersive category.
From Game Mixer to Gamescom
After a successful Game Mixer event in November in Tel Aviv, the winning project — called Loom — is going to Gamescom!
The VR demo is currently in development, and the whole original team is heading to Cologne to showcase, present and connect, with a lot of exciting connections from around the world, like GamesConnect Africa (also a Goethe-Institut initiative) and more to be announced.
The VR demo is currently in development, and the whole original team is heading to Cologne to showcase, present and connect, with a lot of exciting connections from around the world, like GamesConnect Africa (also a Goethe-Institut initiative) and more to be announced.
The Team
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Irina Kostina
Czech Republic. 3D Artist with 4+ years in game development, specializing in stylized environment and prop art. Skilled in modeling, sculpting, and hand-painted / PBR texturing across real-time production pipelines.
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Bohdan Frolov
Czech Republic. 3D Generalist, Environment & Character Artist, Technical Artist (Unreal Engine).
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Yakov Grebe
Italy. Game / Level / Narrative Designer, Game Writer, Level & Technical Artist, Graphic Designer, UI/UX, Game Master.
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Shani Mezer
Israel. Game Designer, Social Media Manager.
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Natalia Chigirinsky
Israel. Unity Developer, Narrative Designer.
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Reli Magnezi
Israel. MFA in Digital Media (Production).
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Anežka Mlazovka
Czech Republic
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Vladyslav Vlasov
Poland. Game Designer.
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Ekaterina Holubenko
Poland. Game Designer.
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Nat Spengler
Germany. Game Artist & Illustrator.
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Andreas Malessa
Germany. Event Organizer, Managing Director of Lost Level.
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Sybil Collas
DEIA Expert and Curator of the Game Mixer
About the project
What is the Diversity Game Mixer?
Gaming is far more than just a hobby for young people – it is a global cultural asset with over 3 billion players worldwide. Yet despite its growing importance, many persepectives and voices are barely depicted in the existing games. The Diversity Game Mixer addresses exactly this:
It brings together young developers from Europe and Israel to design playable VR prototypes that deliberately engage with diversity, inclusion, and accessibility – in content, characters, game mechanics, and access.
Purpose of the project
The initiative supports the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 5.1 and 10.2 by promoting discrimination-sensitive and inclusive content in the medium of games.
At the same time, it seeks to:
- Create spaces where marginalized perspectives become visible
- Strengthen intercultural collaboration
- Enable long-term connections between talents from Europe and Israel
Target groups
We are looking for young, dedicated talents with a passion for game development and social issues, e.g.:
- Game developers (Unity, VR, Technical Art)
- Designers & artists (3D, animation, sound, story)
- UX & accessibility experts
Timeline
November 2025 – Autumn 2026
Process
The project consists of 4 phases:
1. Game Jam in Israel – 2–7 November 2025
An intensive week in Tel Aviv with:
- Barcamp and keynote talks on diversity in games
- Studio visits in Tel Aviv
- Team building and mentoring
- A 36-hour Game Jam, where international teams create first prototypes
2. Decentralized Development – until end of December 2025
After the residency, teams continue developing their projects from their home countries, with:
- Regular meetings and knowledge exchange via the GoetheVersum platform
- Individual support from the Goethe-Institut
3. Professional Implementation – Spring 2026
The most promising prototype will then be handed over to a professional game studio, which will finalize the technical development – with the goal of creating a fully playable game.
4. International Presentation – Summer to Autumn 2026
The completed game will be presented at European gaming festivals (e.g., Gamescom) – accompanied by the developers.
Contact
Wladi Winda
Librarian
Organization & Partners
A project of the Goethe-Institut Israel in cooperation with EUNIC Israel – the network of European cultural institutes:
Czech Republic – Czech Center Tel Aviv
France – Institut français d’Israël
Italy – Istituto Italiano di Cultura Tel Aviv
Austria – Austrian Cultural Forum Tel Aviv
Poland – Polish Institute Tel Aviv
Romania – Romanian Cultural Institute Tel Aviv
Germany – Goethe-Institut Israel
Additional partners:
Tel Aviv University
Beit Ariela – Public Library Tel Aviv
Local game studios and developer networks
