Game Connection Launches Indie Assistance Contest

Industry business convention Game Connection has announced the launch of Level Up, a new program designed to promote the success of new developers and service providers with small budgets. Through the program, five companies will be selected to attend the conference at no cost. In addition to the waiver of the €3,000 ($4170) conference fee, the selected developers will receive the opportunity to present their game or service at the conference to buyers like Activision, Capcom and Nintendo, among other industry leaders. Companies must be independent, first-time convention attendees, and be less than two years old two be eligible to participate; the Game Connection Advisory Board will select the winners based on the innovation of their entries. Participants will be asked to explain what makes their game or service original and innovative and how it can help the video game industry evolve. Those initial entries that are pre-selected will be asked to provide work samples for review in the semi-finals phase of the process, and the five winners will demo at the convention scheduled for December 4-6, 2007 in Lyon, France. "Being innovative involves out-of-the-box thinking, a better understanding of the industry’s needs, and much larger risk-taking," Game Connection said.