Every year there’s a little bit of space in the Los Angeles Convention Center where E3 is happening. This little space is an art gallery that features pieces of art from throughout the gaming industry. The art on display is a mixture of actual in-game art and 2D concept art. The event is called Into the Pixel and it’s sponsored by the Entertainment Software Association and the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences.

into the pixel

Title: A Mother’s Imperative by Concept Artist/Illustrator: Tommy Kinnerup, Illustrator: Esben Rasmussen, Chief Creative Officer: Christopher Chamberlain
Game: Rush Blast

“Into the Pixel’s 2016 collection highlights not only the range of visual worlds created by video game artists, but also the impressive creativity used by those artists to weave storytelling and atmosphere into the smallest details of those worlds,” said Glenn R. Phillips, curator and head of modern & contemporary collections, Getty Research Institute. “I am continually impressed by the technical skill and ingenuity of artists working across every genre of gaming, from studios big and small.”

Into the Pixel is set up much like an art gallery you would find in a museum. The artwork is displayed an a maze-like set of walls with special lighting to help enhance the work.

into the pixel

Dungeon Concept by Todd Keller, Kip Carbone Game: ReCore

Martin Rae, president, Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences said,“Many people say that one of their favorite parts of E3 is to take a moment amidst the craziness of the conference to enjoy the quiet of the Into the Pixel gallery exhibit. The Academy, along with the ESA, always looks forward to creating this experience for the E3 audience and attendees.”

This year’s event features 14 pieces including art from a vast array of games. Some of the artwork has come from games like League of Legends, No Man’s Sky and Unravel. The winners were selected by a panel of game industry professionals and individuals from the larger art community. Full images of the selections can be found on the Into the Pixel website.


This article was written by

Nicole has been playing games her entire life. Now that she's a mom, she's passionate about promoting games as a healthy pastime to other parents around the globe. She has been an editor at IGN, where she launched and hosted the Girlfight podcast. In her spare time (which is not very much, honestly) she enjoys gaming, reading, and writing fiction. Most of the time she’s a mom to a crazy, intelligent, and exhausting little girl.