Independent Games Festival 2004
by Kit

Friday, June 18 2004

Submissions for the IGF are now being accepted.

The Independent Games Festival (IGF) is now accepting submissions for its 7th annual event. The submission deadline for the IGF Competition is September 1 and Student Showcase submissions are due November 14. The festival honors innovative video games created by independent game developers and students.

The Independent Games Festival (IGF) was established in 1998 to encourage innovation in game development and to recognize the best independent game developers, in the way that the Sundance Film Festival has benefited independent filmmakers. The IGF takes place annually during the Game Developers Conference (GDC), scheduled for March 7-11, 2005 in San Francisco, Calif. The GDC is the largest gathering of video game creators worldwide.

Developers interested in submitting a game can visit http://www.igf.com for official rules and entry forms.

"There is a thriving community of independent game developers out there. The IGF is looking for entries both from break-in teams, trying to get into the game industry, and break-away teams, who are established developers from major studios or publishers collaborating on their own projects," said Alex Dunne, IGF chairman.

More than $40,000 in cash prizes will be awarded to IGF competition winners this year. Ten finalists will be selected to showcase their games at the event, and awards will be given in Open and Web Downloadable competitions for: Technical Excellence, Innovation in Visual Arts, Innovation in Audio, and Innovation in Game Design. Additional honors will be presented for the Seumas McNally Grand Prize for Independent Game of the Year and the Audience Award.

--- Kit