Every SXSW Sydney Event You Need to Catch This Year

It’s flattering that out of all the cities in the world South By Southwest (SXWS) chose Sydney as its only other location than its original home of Austin, Texas. The event that helps creative people achieve their goals started in 1987 in Texas and last year for the first time was held in a second location: Sydney.

This year SXSW Sydney is back, running from Monday, October 14 to Sunday, October 20 with over 1000 events and experiences and attendees from over 40 countries. Like last year, you can buy badges that’ll let you access certain types of events, wristbands that give you secondary access and single tickets that let you go on a certain day or to a specific event.

Choosing which SXSW Sydney pass is right for you depends on how much of it you want to see. For that it’s good to look at the highlights. Because let’s face it: looking at the entire schedule can be overwhelming. So I’ve done it for you and picked out what I think are the events and experiences that’ll be most in-demand.

Influencers Are Out, Experts Are In: The House of Personal Branding

Held at UTS on Monday, October 14 from 3pm ‘til 4pm, Influencers Are Out, Experts Are In: The House of Personal Branding will teach you how to apply a five-step process to elevate your career and business. It answers the question: how do you build a personal brand that works and still feels authentic?

Diversifying Diversity: Beyond Buzzwords Towards Inclusive Innovation

In Diversifying Diversity: Beyond Buzzwords Towards Inclusive Innovation at ICC Sydney on Friday, October 18 from 10:30am to 11am, a world-leading, human-centred software engineering expert Rashina Hoda will inspire participants to rethink equity, diversity and inclusion. She’ll delve into the complex layers of intersectionality and the impact of compounding inequalities.

Courtney Act: Featured Session

Courtney Act is a global queer icon having made appearances on RuPaul’s Drag Race and Celebrity Big Brother UK. Hear about the person behind the act, Shane Jenek, who was raised in Brisbane and realised early on he wasn’t like the other boys. The talk will be held Friday, October 18 from 2pm ‘til 3pm at ICC Sydney.

How to Seize Control of Your Workday

Who doesn’t like the thought of being more efficient in their workday? In How to Seize Control of Your Workday on Thursday, October 17 from 10am ‘til 11am at ICC Sydney, a panel of three will discuss how to maximise cognitive and emotional energy so you can work smarter, not harder. The panel features Lucas Finch, Xero’s global director of wellbeing, organisational psychologist Dr Amantha Imber and broadcaster, author and facilitator Lisa Leong.

Jorja Smith

Singer-songwriter Jorja Smith started writing music at age 11. Now 27, Smith has been nominated for a Grammy for Best New Artist in 2019, performed on Drake’s More Life and Kendrick Lamar’s Black Panther soundtrack and won a Brit Critic’s Choice Award in 2018. Smith’s show on Tuesday, October 15 from 7:30pm ‘til 11pm at ICC Sydney is only open to SXSW Sydney badgeholders.

Games and Screen Awards

Games and Screen Awards will take over Fortress Sydney in Alienware Arena on Saturday, October 19 from 7:30pm. The night will honour the best filmmakers and game developers of 2024. See who gets crowned winner of awards like Best Feature Film, Best International Game and the coveted Game of the Year.

Shorts: Horny Shorts

Ten short films with a common theme of sex is what to expect from Shorts: Horny Shorts, held at Palace Central Cinemas on Tuesday, October 15 from 6:30pm ‘til 8:18pm. The films explore extra-marital adventures, anthropomorphic sex organs and pizza-sexual fetishes.

The Kid Laroi

Australia’s own The Kid Laroi is this year’s SXSW Sydney Music Keynote for 2024. The session will be at Darling Harbour Theatre on Saturday, October 19 — though no other details have been announced. Laroi will discuss his journey from growing up in Redfern, Sydney to global fame.

A New Playing Field: AI and the Future of Sports

What does the future of coaching look like? Can we ever truly master a skill? Can we transfer skills between humans and robots? These are a few questions A New Playing Field: AI and the Future of Sports will answer. The session will be held Monday, October 14 from 4pm ‘til 4:45pm.

Ultra-Fast Fashion Unveiled: What You Need to Know to Stop It in Its Tracks

Ultra-fast fashion is a hot topic after recent studies showed Australians to be among the world’s biggest clothing consumers, buying on average 56 new items a year. The business of ultra-fast fashion needs transforming. Ultra-Fast Fashion Unveiled: What You Need to Know to Stop It In Its Tracks, held on Monday, October 14 from 3pm ‘til 3:30pm at UTS, sees a panel of thinkers discussing what we can do to change its path of destruction.

Related: The ‘It Ends With Us’ Debate: Do Trigger Warnings Need a Spoiler Warning?

Related: Horror Doesn’t Need ‘Elevating’; Its Critics Do

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Tags: SXSW Sydney, Sydney

Want to Experience Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Sooner? Drop Into the Action Early With Its Upcoming Beta

Want to Experience Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Sooner? Drop Into the Action Early With Its Upcoming Beta

It’s been four years since the last Call of Duty: Black Ops game, but for mega fans it feels like even longer. With its action-packed gameplay and blockbuster storylines, it’s no wonder the franchise has the fanbase eagerly counting down the days before the next instalment – Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 – drops. And in news that’s sure to make the day of any gamer, there’s a way you can get in on all the action early ahead of the game’s official release in October. Two Beta weekends are taking place from late August to early September, so you can experience the game’s much-anticipated Multiplayer mode nice and early. The best part is, this is the first time a Call of Duty Beta will be available across all platforms at the same time — so there are endless ways to get back in black. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or are new to shooters, both weekends are the perfect opportunity to jump onboard one of the gaming world’s most successful and beloved franchises.

Just like previous Black Ops games, Black Ops 6 features a cinematic Campaign that will have you feeling every bit the blockbuster action star. The newest game is set in the early nineties, following the events of the Cold War when the United States rose as a global superpower and government mistrust was rife. When the CIA is infiltrated by a shadowy force, old faces like military veteran Frank Woods and new ones like his protégé Troy Marshall are branded as traitors for resisting and forced to go rogue. Hunted by the very force that created them, Woods and Marshall will have to assemble their own adept team to fight the government. The game will feel like a high-octane spy thriller, full of heart-stopping heists, and plenty of cloak-and-dagger missions that will set your pulse racing.

There will also be plenty of new features and maps to look forward to, including a whopping 16 new multiplayer maps to explore, featuring 12 core maps you can play six on six, and four strike maps that can be played as two on two or six on six. Round-based Zombies are also making a comeback, so players can do what they do best and fire away at hordes of the undead in two brand-new maps at Launch.

Perhaps the most anticipated new feature coming to Black Ops 6 is ‘Omnimovement’. For the first time ever, you’ll be able to sprint in any direction, giving you new ways to chain different manoeuvres like diving, sliding and lying supine or prone in a 360-degree range of motion.

So, how do you drop in? The Beta will take place across two separate weekends, giving players the chance to immerse themselves in the world of Black Ops 6 early and trial the game’s Multiplayer mode. The first weekend will open at 3 am AEST on August 31 and end at 3 am on September 5.

To gain access to the first weekend, you’ll need to preorder Black Ops 6 across any platform of your choice. Alternatively, you can gain access through select Xbox Game Pass plans if you have an active subscription to Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass PC or Game Pass Console. Those who preorder a digital version will be automatically registered to participate in the Beta on your platform, whereas those who pre-order a physical copy in-store will receive a Beta access code in an email or on their physical receipt.

The second weekend, Open Beta, is open for all players to download and will take place from 3am on September 7 until 3am on September 10.

Even if you’re happy to wait, there are plenty of great reasons to preorder the game. Those who do will receive the Woods Operator Pack – a special bonus that includes a Zombie Woods and Numbers Woods Operator skin pack to customise the military veteran to your liking. Alternatively, you can go for the Vault Edition that not only includes the Woods Operator Pack, but also comes with a Hunters vs Hunted Operator Pack, Mastercraft Weapon Collection, Blackcell (1 Season) and a GobbleGum Pack for Zombies mode.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will be released on October 25 on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. Preorder your version of the game here so you can play the Beta when it opens.