Console Gaming Sydney

Gamer's Gathering: Meet, Eat & Game Talk

Hey everyone! 👋 We are hosting a casual lunch meetup for anyone who loves gaming! Whether you’re into PC, console, or even board games. We’ll be meeting up at **Rashays Rhodes**, grabbing a bite, and chatting about all things gaming related. 🎮 A little bit about myself, I’m a huge fan of games like **ARK**, **Minecraft**, and **Fallout 4** (basically anything that involves building and exploring!). But I’m always down to talk about new games or hear about what you’ve been playing. I’m hoping that through this event, everyone will get the chance to make a new friend, discover a game you might want to try, and share your all-time favorite games with other players. Looking forward to meeting you all! 😊

Filmmakers + Game Devs — Interactive Storytelling Lab by SemiReal.app

At SemiReal, we believe the future of storytelling looks and feels like film — but plays like a game. We welcome all Filmmakers, Game Devs, and anyone interested in interactive storytelling and media innovation. **WHAT WE DO:** 1. ***Showcase:*** Anyone is invited to give a \~5 min demo of the gamified/interactive projects they're working on. 2. ***SemiReal updates and tutorial:*** Mini workshop where we show how the SemiReal engine works, new features, and Q&A. 3. **Brainstorming sesh:** We reveal the theme of the week, and all together brainstorm ideas for a gamified film/story/game that can be made in a week. 4. ***Networking and Hands-On:*** Everyone is invited to form groups, work on their interactive projects (writing, filming, gamification...) or just hang out. You're welcome to use our in-house filming equipment while you're here. SemiReal is the no-code video engine that brings game mechanics to any video. Everyone who joins for the first time gets a **free 1 month [SemiReal.app](https://semireal.app) Pro membership.** And, most importantly, there will be **free 🍕pizza🍕** (Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements) Join our **Discord**: https://discord.com/invite/FzYcWB3NeS

Games Night in Maroubra at First Games

First Games Maroubra is situated in the heart of Maroubra, above Lovely Dogs and next to Mortgage Choice (cnr Boyce and Anzac Parade). Free parking and great buses. FREE for first-timers, kids, NDIS (and their carers) ... $5 for everyone else. There are always people in attendance, even if they haven't RSVP'd here. We were only closed once last year and that was Xmas to NY week. There is a games library and many of us also bring our own games too. There are lots of food places all around the area. Looking forward to seeing you there.

Monday Board Games!

Where: We can be found in the dining area to the left of the entrance, behind the bar. Make sure to come in and say hi when you get there! Everyone is super friendly and can point you towards a moderator if you are new. When: From 6:30 pm till 10:30 pm every Monday Ages: 18+ Price: $6 to be paid by card We are a relaxed group of gamers who meet to play a few games and have a laugh. Mondays are a time to play any game you feel like. We are a friendly community and new people are welcome all the time! If you don't have a game to play then there is sure to be someone available to teach you. Make sure to go up to a table and introduce yourself, we are all really friendly. Looking forward to seeing you all at an event soon! **Venue Support Policy** Our board game nights are hosted by a food and drink venue that generously provides us with space each week and allows us to store our games. In return, we have an agreement to support the venue by purchasing food and drinks on site. To respect this agreement and ensure we can continue using the space, **outside food and drink are strictly not permitted at our events**. We ask all participants to please support the venue instead when attending. Thank you for helping us maintain a positive relationship with the venue and keep the group running.

Sunday Games @Club Parramatta

Our Sunday events are generally aimed at experianced games so that longer games can be played. If you are new to board games please let Prime know so that he will have selection of suitable games available to teach you. We also have a game meet every Thursday at the same location which is meant for newer and more casual players.. Start time is from 6:00pm every week. Our events can also be found on Facebook and Aftergame as part of the MeepleQuake group on both platforms.

Secure Boot

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Enshittification and the Power of Platforms: Is There a Way Out?

Ever wonder why so many digital services you rely on seem to be getting simultaneously worse and more expensive? More ads. Sponsored search results. Subscription creep. Auto‑renew traps. Dubious 'surge' charges. Sneaky fees. Forced sign-ins. Cancel buttons hidden. There's a term for this phenomenon: enshittification — the gradual degradation of platforms that once seemed like technological miracles offering us convenience, connection, and democratisation. But enshittification - the Macquarie Dictionary’s Word of the Year for 2024 - is just the surface symptom of something far more corrosive. Beneath the declining user experience lies a fundamental reshaping of our economy where a handful of tech platforms have positioned themselves as inescapable gatekeepers, extracting unprecedented wealth from workers, businesses, and consumers while accumulating dangerous concentrations of power — what some are now calling technofeudalism. What happened to the internet's promise of widespread prosperity and a stronger democracy? How did we end up locked into systems that seem designed to serve everyone except us? And most importantly: what can we do about it? Come join us for a vital conversation about reclaiming our digital future and building an economy that works for everyone, not just the platform owners. **Book: *Enshittification – Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It* (2025) by Cory Doctorow** **Book (Alternative): *The Age of Extraction – How Tech Platforms Conquered the Economy and Threaten Our Future Prosperity* (2025) by Tim Wu** **Pdf Resource:** ***[Infographics and Summary Tables](https://1drv.ms/b/c/adb4f7488b2eef0a/IQB0CITwHhHJSaFBbJDhZmMEAcDSAace_BN1Q6aSYILezCI?e=edqfP9)*** (A prepared document of selected ideas from the two books) This month you have two options to read depending on your preference towards the level of analysis, style of writing, and your ease in accessing the book. *Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It* by Cory Doctorow is a punchy, provocative, and highly readable take on why so many digital platforms seem to decline over time. Doctorow, who coined the term ‘enshittification’, argues that platforms follow a predictable lifecycle—starting out user-focused, then shifting to business customers, and finally extracting for themselves—in each stage squeezing the group it previously courted. The book is fast-paced, example-rich, and written in an accessible, almost conversational style, making it ideal if you enjoy sharp arguments, memorable concepts, and contemporary tech critique. It’s particularly appealing for readers who like books that spark immediate reactions and connect directly to everyday experiences online. *The Age of Extraction* by Tim Wu takes a broader, more analytical approach. Wu situates the problems of digital platforms within a larger historical and economic pattern, arguing that we are living in an “age of extraction” where powerful actors systematically draw value from users, workers, and society. The tone is more measured and reflective, with a focus on big-picture thinking and long-term trends. This book will appeal to readers who enjoy connecting ideas across economics, history, and politics, and who prefer a more structured, conceptual framework over a punchy polemic. Please read one (or both), depending on your interests. *The Age of Extraction* is 226 pages (or 6 hours) and *Enshittification* is 340 pages (or 10 hours, not available on Audible but is available on other platforms). Join us for a drink (and optional meal) at 6:30pm on Monday, 6th July, on the 2nd floor of the Keg & Brew Hotel in Surrey Hills (i.e. up two flights of stairs). The venue is conveniently located near Central Station and the Light Rail. Bring along an example of an app or digital service you used to really like that has since become enshittified—something you can have a quick rant about to kick off the conversation! 😊 Hope to see you there! P.S. Please adjust your RSVP if you have indicated that you will come but are no longer able to do so. This is courteous to other people if there is a waitlist. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- These are just optional links to consider to supplement the reading of the books. Feel free to pass on other useful links in the discussion section. **Videos & Podcasts** * Two-for-one: Cory Doctorow and Tim Wu together! (Curiously, as kids they were classmates in the same small primary school in Toronto!): [The Ezra Klein Show – We Didn't Ask for This Internet (1.5hrs)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yepnhe1T-9U&t) [The Oxford Internet Institute - Enshittification and Extraction (1.5hrs)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkYxMQJ9c94) * Cory Doctorow Interviews: [Prospect Magazine (28mins)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9XRREj1DSo&t) [Doctorow on The Daily Show (15 mins)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2e-c9SF5nE) [The Guardian (24 mins)](https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2025/nov/24/enshittification-how-we-got-the-internet-no-one-asked-for-podcast) * Tim Wu Interviews: [The Majority Report (40 mins)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpnMk3IhV6U) [The Commonwealth Club (1 hour)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mRvMEzjTVw) * Explainer Video: [Why Every App is Getting Worse on Purpose (10 mins)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjEGRXVKQCQ) **Written** * Pdf Resource: [Infographics and Summary Tables](https://1drv.ms/b/c/adb4f7488b2eef0a/IQB0CITwHhHJSaFBbJDhZmMEAcDSAace_BN1Q6aSYILezCI?e=edqfP9) (A prepared document of selected ideas from the two books) * Enshittification Summaries and Reviews: [Wikipedia summary of Enshittification](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enshittification) [Transcript of Doctorow Lecture on Enshittification](https://doctorow.medium.com/my-mcluhan-lecture-on-enshittification-ea343342b9bc) [CounterFire Book Review ](https://www.counterfire.org/article/enshittification-why-everything-suddenly-got-worse-and-what-to-do-about-it-book-review/) * The Age of Extraction Reviews [Prospect Book Review](https://prospect.org/2025/12/10/internets-tollbooth-operators-wu-review/) [HowAustraliaReallyWorks Book Review](https://www.howaustraliareallyworks.com/2026/02/book-summary-age-of-extraction-how-tech.html) [Washington Monthly Book Review](https://washingtonmonthly.com/2025/11/02/age-of-extraction-tim-wu/)

Board Games in a Bar. Someone Had To

The Art Syndicate's weekly games night has been running for over two years. The regulars keep coming back. That's the whole story, really. Come as you are. **If you've got $10 to spend at the bar, that's what keeps the collection growing**. A wine, a beer, something non-alcoholic, and you're set for the night. **If money's tight, just show up. We'd rather have you in the room.** **External food is welcome.** For the after-work crowd, we often end up eating together anyway. Lisa and Saxon know the collection inside out. Tell them what you're after, something fast and social, a deep strategy game, or you've never touched a board game in your life, and you'll be sorted in five minutes. We've got titles that'll become new favourites and rare gems for the dedicated gamers. The room fills up with people who came once and never stopped coming back. Solo, with friends, or somewhere in between, it works either way. Come find out why. 🎲 Come find out why. **🎲 What's on the table** **Party & social** Coyote · Exploding Kittens · Ghost Court · Here to Slay · Monikers · Munchkin · No Ducks Given · Sushi Go · Telestrations · Trolley Problem · Uno: No Mercy · A Fake Artist Goes to New York **Social deduction** Blood on the Clocktower · Codenames · Coup **Strategy** Arcs · Carcassonne · Catan · Railroads · Sidereal Confluence · Ticket to Ride: Europe **Mystery & investigation** Awkward Guests · Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective · This Game is Killer: Frozen Horrors **Co-op** Magic Maze · Pandemic Legacy · Puzzle Box **Team** Captain Sonar **Classics** Cards · Chess · Scrabble *Want something specific? Give us a heads up and we'll have it ready.* 📍 Surry Hills (address on RSVP) 🍷🍺🥤 Wine, beer & non-alcoholic 🎲 Full games library all night 🕛 Bar open until midnight *— Lisa & Saxon* ***

Tavern Trivia

Gather your party, sharpen your wits, and descend upon the Tavern for **Tavern Trivia** — a weekly battle of brains where legends are born one answer at a time. Hosted in the heart of our bustling Fortress Tavern, this isn’t your average pub trivia. Expect an unpredictable mix of **pop culture, video games, fantasy, film, and chaotic curveballs** that’ll test even the sharpest of sages. 🎁 **Epic Prizes** 🍹 **Themed Cocktails & Tankards** 🎲 **Gaming Lore & Curveball Rounds** 🧙‍♂️ **Immersive Vibes. Medieval Energy** Whether you’re here for the glory or just for the vibes, Fortress Trivia Night is your new midweek quest. Entry is free, but tables fill fast, so rally your crew and **[book your spot](https://events.humanitix.com/tavern-trivia-free-fortresssydney)**. 🤳Hosted by the wonderful Izak

Monopoly

Tabletop Tuesdays

Are you ready for the next Tabletop Tuesday? Tabletop Tuesdays is back at Game Plus! Developing a board or card game? Or just like playing? Join us at Game Plus on the last Tuesday of the month for Tabletop Tuesdays! If you have a game you are developing then bring it along to playtest with others. If not then either turn up to do some playtesting, or play some other commercially available games. If you own a game you would like to play then bring it along. There should be a few options to try.

Mana on Tap

🎉 *The ultimate weekly hangout for Magic players - new and experienced alike.* Unleash your inner planeswalker at **Mana on Tap**, a free weekly Magic: The Gathering event hosted in Fortress’s Arena. Whether you’re a seasoned spell-slinger or brand new to the game, join us every **Friday night from 6 PM to Late** for games, drinks, and good vibes with fellow Magic fans. #### **Learn to Play** Just picked up your first deck? Want to learn the ropes? Borrow a starter deck for free at Fortress and join a casual Learn to Play session hosted by friendly game guides. Meet fellow new players, pick up tips, and duel in a relaxed, welcoming setting. #### **Play Your Way** Casual, competitive, or something in between, **all formats are welcome** (though most people play Commander). Whether you’re into Commander, Pauper, Standard, or Modern, there’s a seat at the table for you. Bring your deck or borrow one, and play at your own pace. #### **Commander Conclave** Our spacious Arena is perfect for **Commander Night**. Dive into multiplayer games, meet fellow enthusiasts, and enjoy stellar lighting, comfy seating, and easy access to food and drink from our full-service bar. Order via buzzer and get back to the action faster. [RSVP now!](https://events.humanitix.com/mana-on-tap-syd)