Worldwide Game Development Contest by Unity Technologies and Universal Games Kicks Off with Sponsorship from Intel and Microsoft
In the spirit of celebrating the creativity of game development, Universal Games and Unity Technologies, a 3-D development platform creator company, announced an unprecedented partnership to launch the Universal GameDev Challenge, sponsored by Intel and Microsoft.
The company’s developers from around the world are invited to submit a game design document and pitch video with the goal of being chosen to build a PC game leveraging one of five Universal owned intellectual properties: Back to the Future, Jaws, Battlestar Galactica, DreamWorks Voltron Legendary Defender and Turok.
The winner and runner-up will take home a combined US$250,000/£177,940 cash prize along with a consulting contract with Microsoft, the company, and Universal.
This marks the first time that Universal is providing developers with an open invitation to create games based on some of its most popular films and television shows. Independent game developers will have a unique opportunity to work on NBCUniversal IP and share their creative vision.
“The partnership between the company and Universal, with sponsorship from Intel and Microsoft, is the perfect blend of advanced hardware and software, combined with classic film and TV properties, which we believe will inspire our developer community to bring those brands to life in a game of their dreams. We cannot wait to see the incredible content that comes to life from the Universal GameDev Challenge,” said Kat Strafford, Vice President, Marketing at Unity Technologies.
“The Universal Games Dev Challenge is an entirely new approach for entertainment and media companies to work with the indie game community. The incredible properties we are showcasing in this contest are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the vast portfolio of IP we have at NBCUniversal. This is a fresh and innovative way for us to find developers who are passionate about bringing those properties to life through games,” said Chris Heatherly, Executive Vice President of Games and Digital Platforms, Universal Brand Development.
Last year, Universal announced a significant build-up of its games team, as well as a more active approach to game development and publishing. The Universal GameDev Challenge is one of the first of bold steps Universal is taking in the gaming industry in 2018 and beyond.
