Independent Games Festival Gets 100+ Entries, Announces Web/Downloadable Game Category, Doubles Prize MoneyPRNewswire-FirstCall The Independent Games Festival (IGF) announced that more than 100 competition entries were submitted this year -- up 50 percent over last year and establishing a new event record. Responding to the skyrocketing number of games played within web browsers, and games small enough to be downloaded from web sites, the IGF has split the competition into two categories: "Web/Downloadable Games" and an "Open" category for all other games. Games in each category will be eligible for six awards: Innovation In Audio ($1000), Innovation In Game Design ($1000), Innovation In Visual Arts ($1000), Technical Excellence ($1000), The Audience Award ($1000), and the Seumas McNally Grand Prize ($15,000), for a total of $40,000 in cash awards -- double the payout from previous years. Reflecting how widespread game development has become, 110 entries were received from 18 countries -- from as far away as the Philippines and Australia, Iceland and Poland. Developers sending in entries reported that individual game creation for titles submitted had taken anywhere from three days to eight years. The average reported budget was $5,800. "The IGF is the premier event for indies from around the world to showcase innovative games," said Alex Dunne, chairman of the IGF. "Past winners have gone on to carve out a position for themselves as major players in the industry: some have remained independent, others have gone the traditional publisher/developer route." In December, the IGF will announce the 20 finalists (10 games in each category) for the 2004 Competition, as selected by a jury of more than 50 professional game developers and members of the game press. These finalists will appear at the IGF next spring, at the Game Developers Conference, and on www.igf.com. The winners will be announced at a ceremony on March 24, 2004. The Game Developers Conference is the largest and most important professional development event for the game development community. Scheduled for March 22 - 26, 2004, the conference features more than 300 lectures and workshops designed to provide inspiration, build skills and provide an independent forum for developers from around the world to set the agenda for the next generation of games. About the Gama Network Providing resources for game development for more than 10 years, the Gama Network is where professional creators of interactive entertainment come for information, interaction and inspiration. The Gama Network includes the Game Developers Conference, the Independent Games Festival, Game Developer magazine and Gamasutra.com. For more information, please visit www.gamanetwork.com. About CMP Media LLC CMP Media LLC (www.cmp.com) is a leading integrated media company providing essential information and marketing services to the entire technology spectrum, including the builders, sellers and users of technology worldwide. Capitalizing on its editorial strength, CMP is uniquely positioned to offer marketers comprehensive, integrated media solutions tailored to meet their individual needs. Its diverse products and services include newspapers, magazines, Internet products, research, direct marketing services, education and training, trade shows and conferences, and custom publishing. CONTACT: Laura Weir, ext. 262, or lauraw@bohle.com, Sibel Sunar, ext. 271, or sibel@bohle.com, both of The Bohle Company, +1-310-785-0515, for CMP Media LLC. SOURCE: CMP Media LLC CONTACT: Laura Weir, ext. 262, or lauraw@bohle.com, Sibel Sunar, Web site: http://www.gamanetwork.com/ Web site: http://www.cmp.com/ |