BAFTA have announced the opening of their 2016 Young Game Designers Competition. The competition started in 2010 and allowed young people aged 10-18 to design their own game, to be judged by members of the games industry. Budding designers may enter on their own or in teams of up to three and can choose to either design a concept for a game, or actually make a game. Those that win the competition actually then get the opportunity to work with games developers to make their game, alongside other prizes. The winner from 2010 was nominated in the main BAFTA Games Awards recently, so even entering could provide some future success.
Not only does BAFTA hold this competition, but they help young designers all year round by giving them support from industry professionals as well as educational material. Nominet Trust have partnered with BAFTA in order to help address the fact that women only make up 27% of the people that work in the UK’s digital technology industry and aim to change that by getting more girls interested in game development at a younger age.
Last year two new awards were announced for the competition, aimed at helping adults and technology achieve recognition for their influence in games education for younger people. Last year the YGD Hero Award went to Minecraft and the YGD Mentor Award was given to a school teacher, Ray Chambers, for his extracurricular coding classes.
“The BAFTA YGD competition is a brilliant opportunity for young people to get started in games.†Stated Tim Hunter, Director of Learning and New Talent at BAFTA. “The competition gives entrants a chance to explore the craft of game design, show their skills, and get direct feedback from the people behind some of the best-known games.â€
For those interested in signing up for a place in the competition, go to the competition website. Entries must be submitted by 16:00 on Friday 3 June.
