Dare To Be Digital 2015 now open

Abertay University has once again launched its Dare To Be Digital contest, which gives students the chance to develop their first game and potentially win a BAFTA award.

The organisers have made the competition even more open this year, now accepting any games that have been developed as part of university courses or during a game jam. 

Teams can now be formed of up to eight members, and the contest is open to students from all over the world, although they will need the endorsement of a teacher from their university.

In previous years, Dare To Be Digital entrants had to developer a brand new prototype game from scratch in just eight weeks. But following feedback from participating companies and students, Abertay has now stated that games entered must have been in production for less than a year, and should not have been released commercially.

To apply, teams should register their interest by Thursday, April 2nd, and submit their final applications by Sunday, May 3rd.

A panel of experts from the games industry will then select 15 shortlisted teams, who will have until August to prepare their prototype for the Dare ProtoPlay showcase in Dundee. Three finalists will then compete for a BAFTA One to Watch Award.

"Dare To Be Digital was set up to give students the best chance of working in the games industry, but since 2000 that industry has changed beyond anyone’s imagination," said Abertay’s Professor Louis Natanson. "The explosion of mobile gaming and the new freedom to self-publish on app stores has fundamentally changed what students can achieve after graduation, with creating their own business now much more achievable than ever before.

"This year’s Dare will be bigger, better and more open than ever – and we hope to see even higher quality games on show at Dare ProtoPlay as teams are given the extra time and flexibility to polish their work for members of the public, games companies and investors to enjoy."

You can find out more at daretobedigital.com.