Latest STEM Video Game Challenge opens with a new sponsor: Nat Geo

Just a quick heads-up for students with game dev dreams (or parents of said students): The National STEM Video Game Challenge is now accepting entries for its annual student game design competition, and this year the prize pool has been bolstered by the support of the National Geographic Society.

This is notable news for anyone interested in encouraging students to consider careers in game development, as the STEM Video Game Challenge was established in 2010 as part of the Obama administration's efforts to encourage U.S. students to study math and science. 

In the years since, multiple sets of students have won prizes of cash, game design tools and educational software for submitting winning games or game designs in the competition.

Those prizes have been funded (at least in part) by competition sponsors the Grable Foundation and the Institute for Museum and Library Services. This year, the National Geographic Society is also sponsoring the event and will honor one entrant whose game "brings exploration to life" as the winner of its "Nat Geo Explore" prize. That winner will then have their submission featured on the National Geographic Education website.

You can head over to the National STEM Video Game Challenge page for more details on the contest and its guidelines for submissions, which will remain open from today through August 15th.