GarageGames Announces 'Break Into Games' Competition

Independent/casual game publisher, developer, and technology company GarageGames has announced the Break Into Games (B.I.G.) Competition, a new event that will give American independent game developers a chance to showcase their talents while competing for prizes, including professional gaming hardware and coveted publishing deals with GarageGames and its partners. All B.I.G. entrants will be given the opportunity to build their game prototypes from scratch using a free trial version of GarageGames' Torque Game Builder (TGB). Support for the competition is comprehensive, including a step-by-step tutorial and a robust online forum, where designers collaborate with technical experts from GarageGames and the gaming community. Podcasts and white papers are also available for reference. Prototype games must be turned in by August 25, and the the top 10 finalists will be simultaneously announced at the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) in Bellevue, WA and at ShowDown in San Jose, CA on August 26. From there, contestants will have over one month to polish their final games before being flown out to compete at IndieGamesCon (IGC), GarageGames' annual version of Sundance for independent game developers, in Eugene, Oregon on October 6-8. Of the ten finalists, five will be chosen to appear at the end of the Player's Choice Awards and be part of B.I.G.'s 'Indie Idol,' an American Idol-style showcase judged by a panel of industry experts. "This is the best opportunity for up-and-coming videogame developers to break into the business and for established developers to show their skills," said GarageGames Director of Business Development Jay Moore. "We've made it totally free so that it's possible for literally anyone to pursue the American dream. Furthermore, the support is there to make anyone a winner who has the passion for it."