Past and present sponsors include Australia Council for the Arts, Film Victoria, Victoria State Government, City of Melbourne, Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), and RMIT University.
[3] Previous directors have included Dan Golding (2014–2017),[4] Katie Williams and Harry Lee Shang Lun (2013–2014),[5] Paul Callaghan and Eve Penford-Dennis (2008–2012).
For the online Parallels showcases, Freeplay created an online pixel art version of the event's in-person venue, The Capitol, called The Zone, described by Kotaku as "a pixel-art version of an art gallery, except its for video games and you're doing the whole thing through your browser.
"[9] In 2022, Parallels took place at RMIT, marking Freeplay's return to in-person events.
3rd Floor, 96 Flinders Street, Melbourne Booot Action Painting Pro Spacething Do You Remember Reap Planetarium Touch Melbourne Every Brick Laid Song of the Fae Best Australian Game: Jolly Rover Best Design in a Game: Up Down Ready Best On-Paper Design: iCrazy Man Best Art in a Game: Captain Forever (Series) Best Concept Art: Exodus Best Technical Innovation: Colourbind Best Game Writing: Transumer Best Audio: Train Conductor Best International Game: Last Hope Best Australian Game: Antichamber Best International Game: The Swapper Best Design: Antichamber Best On-Paper Design: Dead Eye Best Art: Warco Best Concept Art: Firo Best Technical Innovation: Kingspray Best Game Writing: MacGuffin's Curse Best Audio: Solar 2 Best Australian Game: Stickets Best Design in a Game: They Love You Best International Game: Splice Best Art in a Game: Toybox Best Concept Art: Peleda Best Audio in a Game: Lunar Flight Best Technical Innovation: Automation Best Writing in a Game: Flatland: Fallen Angle Best Game: Framed Design: Framed Visual Art: The Paper Fox Audio Design: Particulars Narrative: Particulars Technical Innovation: Turnover Non-Digital: Outside These City Walls People's Choice: Turnover The Freeplay Award: Push Me Pull You Best Design: Push Me Pull You Best Visual Art: Movement Study 1 Best Audio: Submerged Best Narrative: Project Ven Best Tech: Space Dust Racers Best Non-Digital: Rise to Power The Freeplay Award: The Catacombs of Solaris Excellence in Design: Dissembler Excellence in Visual Art: Paperbark Excellence in Audio: Florence Excellence in Narrative: Bound By Blood Non-Digital Game Award: {<>} Micro-Game Award: Rise Experimental Game Award: Thomas Bowker's Draw Student Game Award: Lacuna Across The Ditch Award: Echo Grotto The Freeplay Award: New Ice York Excellence in Design: JUMPGRID Excellence in Visual Art: Necrobarista Excellence in Audio: Skyward Journey Excellence in Narrative: The Haunted Island, a Frog Detective Game Non-Digital Game Award: Edible Games Cookbook Micro-Game Award: Novena Experimental Game Award: The Common Campfire Student Game Award: Pigeon Game Across The Ditch Award: Toripon 鳥ポン The Freeplay Award: A Hand with Many Fingers Excellence in Design: Colestia Excellence in Visual Art: Endless Scroll Excellence in Audio: Unfamiliar Excellence in Narrative: Life Tastes Like Cardboard Non-Digital Game Award: The Outer Whorls Micro-Game Award: Something Looks Weird Experimental Game Award: If We Were Allowed to Visit Student Game Award: Ascent of Grob's Domain Across The Ditch Award: Leap of Leaf The Freeplay Award: Umurangi Generation Excellence in Design: Webbed Excellence in Visual Art: Completely Stretchy and Uncomfortably Sticky Excellence in Audio: Mealmates Excellence in Narrative: A Long Goodbye Non-Digital Game Award: The Lighthouse at the Edge of the Universe Micro-Game Award: Under a Star Called Sun Experimental Game Award: Neon Cyborg Cat Club Student Game Award: The Snowgardens Across The Ditch Award: Before We Leave