The McLuhan International Festival of the Future has announced that May 31st is the deadline for its Vortex 2007 Game Competition, with students, developers and budding entrepreneurs competing to pitch their game concepts for a $2,500 grand prize.
The organizers note that Vortex 2007 is not about producing games, but rather about helping game creators "build their business skills by giving them step-by-step workshops about how to create, finance, pitch, market and sell their idea as well as the opportunity to be mentored by best in the business."
Creators can submit their one-page high concept treatment and bio to
the Vortex website by May 31st. The competition itself will take place across June and July, beginning with free public coaching sessions at the International Academy of Design & Technology in Toronto.
Those sessions will include: Creating the Idea (Jason MacIsaac, Cerebral Vortex Games), Pitching the Idea (Trevor Fencott, Groove Games), Selling the Idea (Warren Currell, Sherpa Games), Financing the Idea (Vikas Gupta, Transgaming Technologies), Investing in the Idea (Ted Anderson, Ventures West), Hyping the Idea (Heather Steele, High Road Communications), and Reporting the Idea (Amber MacArthur, CityTV).
From June 18 to 21st 48 entrants will be invited to give a 20-minute pitch to a panel of industry experts from companies such as Yahoo, Telus, Ventures West, and Groove Games, and each day a platform winner (mobile, internet, PC, console) will be selected and then enter the mentorship process to work with various experts and refine their business plan.
Finally, on July 19th the four winners will present their pitch to a jury, and will select the overall winner who will be awarded the grand prize of $2,500.
More information can be found on the contest, rules, and entry can be found at
the Vortex website.
