In times like these, an event designed to inspire, encourage, inform, entertain and throw a brighter light on our possible futures feels notably welcome. Which is why you might drop into the 4GAMECHANGERS festival at the Marx Halle.
- Talks and panels on topics like business, tech, environment, human rights, empowerment etc.
- International scope & numerous high-level speakers
- Charlize Theron appeared last time
- c.10,000 visitors
- English and German used
- Next dates: TBA
- Read about my experience there
- See also:
To the future…
(The festival stage and audience; press photo courtesy of and © 4GAMECHANGERS & Pakugraphy)
In the brave new world of 24/7 social media, it can be easy to doomscroll your way through the day and feel pessimistic for the future. But such sentiments have accompanied us for centuries.
Plato once moaned about the state of young people.
Shakespeare’s Macbeth mused on the futility of hope in his “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow” soliloquy.
And, in 1958, Noel Coward expressed surprise that the human race had lasted this long given its “…inherent silliness, cruelty, and superstition.”
Plus ça change.
(Charlize Theron with moderators Corinna Milborn and Nadja Bernhard at a previous edition; press photo © 4GAMECHANGERS)
Of course, many people push back against the pessimism and actively seek to build a better future. And thousands of them come together at the 4GAMECHANGERS festival in Vienna’s Marx Halle, organised at the initiative of the ProSiebenSat.1 PULS 4 media and entertainment group.
This three-day public event features a large number of speakers and panelists drawn from across the spectrum of human endeavour. NGOs and CEOs. Politicians and professors. Activists, artists, architects and academy award winners. And more.
Many are well-known names. Charlize Theron and Mohamed ElBaradei spoke last time out, for example. Amal Clooney appeared the year before that.
The content at 4GAMECHANGERS addresses various themes in the context of the future and intends to educate, entertain, inspire, raise issues, encourage debate and foster connections.
(The Marx Halle venue hosts the event)
See the official website for the full programme once available, but here is the broad overview:
- The 4PIONEERS day addresses business, finance and tech topics
- The 4FUTURE day looks at prospects for the next generation, with such matters as health, education, equality and the environment
- The 4GAMECHANGERS day takes the widest perspective: human rights, press freedom, world affairs and similar
Short entertainment segments intermingle with the talks and panels. They have a food court, too. And a section featuring numerous booths from an eclectic mix of businesses and organisations.
All contribute to an uplifting atmosphere; for a more detailed look at what the visitor experience feels like, see my 2024 review.
Next dates, tickets & tips
I don’t have dates yet for the next 4GAMECHANGERS festival.
Tickets for individual days or 3-day passes typically become available online from the official website. Expect talks and discussions to be in German and English with simultaneous translation of German speeches into English.
Should you wish to stay within a short walk of the location, try these tips. And if you’re looking for more of the future during your Vienna trip, then a couple of options spring to mind. For example:
- Mythos Mozart is a remarkably impressive multimedia Mozart-related experience that includes an AI digital sculpture projected across walls and floors
- The city’s Virtual Reality attractions include VR-enhanced tours of the city, notably the Future Bus tour and a VR walking tour
A couple of locations form prominent bubbles of modern architecture, too. Consider a peek at:
- The Hauptbahnhof railway station area (U1 subway line)
- The new campus of the University of Economics and Business (take the U2 subway to Messe-Prater or Krieau)
- The new urban development area Seestadt / Aspern (outer end of the U2 subway line)
How to get to 4GAMECHANGERS
When I travel to the Marx Halle, I normally take one of two options:
- U3 subway out to either Schlachthausgasse or Erdberg, then walk. The U3 line passes through city centre locations like Volkstheater, Stephansplatz and Stubentor, so is easy to jump on to
- The 71 tram to St.Marx. Like the U3, the 71 leaves from central stops like Schottentor, Volkstheater, Burgring, or Karlsplatz / Oper
For more options, check the travel tips at the end of the main Marx Halle article.
Address: Karl-Farkas-Gasse 19, 1030 Wien