The Dare to be Digital race begins

The tenth annual Dare to be Digital game design contest is now underway with more 70 student contestants from across the globe forming teams and designing a prototype game.

Computer arts graduates from Canada, China, India, England, Northern Ireland, Norway, Scotland, Southern Ireland, and Wales are confirmed as finalists in the competition, with the winner eventually going on to pick up the Dare to be Digital One to Watch prize at the next BAFTA awards ceremony.

These teams had to fight off fierce competition – and inspection from industry giants such as Rockstar North, Sega, Realtime Worlds and SCEE – during the regional finals, but today the contest’s final phase begins. Fourteen teams will embark on a ten week project at the University of Abertay in Dundee.

“Dundee is the perfect place for a gathering of such brilliant talent,” said Paul Durrant, Director of Business Development at the university. “Here the finalists will have access to some of the finest minds in the industry who will provide mentoring support, and thanks to the generous support of our technology partners they will be using the very latest in game development technology. This really is an opportunity like no other.”

In ten weeks each contesting team will be faced with one final test – to showcase their work to a large audience at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The ultimate victor will be honoured with a One to Watch award at the next BAFTA awards ceremony.

One of the competing teams is Noobeez; four design students based in India who won the right to join the final after demonstrating their game via satellite link to judges in Dundee.