Industry execs weigh in on winning game developers
Expanded Players coverage found at www.telefilm.gc.ca/game
The website of Telefilm Canada's Great Canadian Video Game Competition now includes expanded coverage on Round 1 winners, including jury feedback from leading industry executives.
The expanded website, found at www.telefilm.gc.ca/game, includes a special section dedicated to the 10 Canadian game developers vying for up to $2 million in financing and invaluable industry mentorship. The special "Players" section includes dedicated pages for each of the winning companies.
In late March, Telefilm Canada will announce the four companies selected to receive up to $250,000 in Round 2 financing to create a playable prototype.
The Competition website now features: brief background on each company, touching on their passion to create great games; a company website link; and, jury feedback on the winning game projects. The website will soon feature postings on the companies' ongoing progress in developing their game project.
The top 10 videogame projects were selected by a proven industry jury that comprised Yannis Mallat, CEO, Ubisoft Montreal; Ron Moravek, Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Electronic Arts Canada; and Kelly Zmak, President, Radical Entertainment (Vivendi Universal Games Canada).
The Great Canadian Video Game Competition was created with the input and ongoing support of industry. The website highlights the long list of industry partners, mentors and advisors who have made the competition a success.
The Great Canadian Video Game Competition takes place in three rounds that mirror traditional industry financing. As Round 1 (Innovation) winners, the 10 firms receive $50,000 to refine their gaming concepts, develop a visual identity and elaborate a plan to raise private-sector investment. Each winning company will also receive ongoing mentorship from industry veterans with senior experience. In March 2007 at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, all of the 10 winning companies will pitch the jurors and four will receive up to $250,000 from Telefilm in Round 2 financing to create a playable prototype. The announcement of the four Round 2 companies will be made in late March. In September, those four companies will compete and one will receive up to $500,000 in matching funds from Telefilm to support the commercialization of its game.
The Great Canadian Video Game Competition provides a needed opportunity for Canadian game developers to build their own capacity and original intellectual property.
The 10 winning companies are: Big Blue Bubble; Cerebral Vortex Games; Dark Matter Entertainment; HB Studios & TPB Productions; Hop To It Productions Inc.; Hothead Games Inc.; Humagade Ltd.; LiveWires Designs Ltd.; MindHabits Inc.; Murmur Inc.
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Inquiries:
Glen Edwards, Competition Media Relations
(604) 561-4640, glen@karyo.net