"We made a very difficult decision": Australian indie showcase Freeplay reject antisemitism claims after delisting a Jewish sponsor who was allegedly accused of

Freeplay, the organiser of the Australian independent games showcase Parallels, refunded and delisted sponsorship from Jewish developer Wren Brier following an accusation from an unnamed speaker. The accusation of being a "Zionist" stemmed from Witch Beam’s 2021 game Unpacking appearing in a Jewish publication’s round-up of Israeli and Jewish-made video games. Brier, who does not identify as Zionist and left Israel as a teenager, stated she first learned of the issue when Freeplay informed her of the refund on the day of the event.

Brier expressed distress over the decision, noting she had previously showcased Unpacking at Parallels in 2018 and had no prior awareness of the Jewish Independent article. She criticised the lack of verification before Freeplay’s action, which she described as discrimination. The decision prompted resignations from Freeplay board members and drew public support from industry figures like Rami Ismail and Ed Stern.

Freeplay later confirmed the refund and delisting in an email to Brier, citing concerns from speakers about the sponsorship creating an "untenable environment." The email acknowledged Brier’s long-standing support for the Freeplay community while expressing regret over the process and the impact on Parallels 2026. The statement did not address the origin of the "Zionist" accusation.

The controversy extended to the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), which paused its support for Parallels after learning of Brier’s delisting. ACMI stated the decision breached the Games Week code of conduct, which prohibits discrimination on protected attributes. Freeplay, an independent entity, had not consulted ACMI before the action.