[Update] Steel Media announces the Global VR Gaming Challenge

Update on May 25th at 09:20: Due to popular demand from the global VR community, Steel Media have made some alterations to the Global VR Challenge in order to allow a greater number of developers to enter.

As such, the Global VR Challenge is now welcoming not only those concepts that are currently unreleased, but also any VR title or concept released in last 6 months which hasn't been published in the Chinese market.

Time is running short to enter though, as VR Concepts and titles must be submitted by June 6th. Developers wanting to enter can do so via the following link.

Also, any questions can be submitted via the email address [email protected]

---

Right now there’s nothing hotter in the gaming world than Virtual Reality. From becoming a spy to climbing the tallest mountains, VR is set to throw gamers into a variety of brand new experiences.

However, with so many new games currently in development it’s becoming increasingly harder to identify the best titles within all of the virtual reality games currently in development.

As such, in association with China’s leading VR company DeePoon, PG publisher Steel Media is proud to announce the launch of the Global VR Gaming Challenge.

This international VR competition will look to identify the best VR games development talent and concepts, from the UK, Europe, and the rest of the world, whilst also helping to both bring them to the world’s biggest VR market, China, and give them some further exposure.

The challenge will include a total of $35,000 worth of cash prizes up for grabs for the winners, alongside VR hardware for all longlisted teams, and an expenses paid trip to ChinaJoy, Asia’s biggest game show in Shanghai in July, for the developers that are shortlisted.

So how do developers qualify for the Global VR Gaming Challenge then? It’s simple really:

• This competition is open to all independent developers
• Any submitted game / concept must be suitable for mobile VR
• Submitted games must be either a new concept or original idea that is currently unreleased, or a VR title released in last 6 months which hasn’t been published in the Chinese market.
• Entrants will need to have at least one member of their team with a valid passport and able to travel to China on July 25th-30th.

A full detailed set of rules can be found at the following link.

In order to enter, developers must submit a one page description of their game / concept, alongside any artwork and video assets available via the Global VR Gaming Challenge website.

After an initial entry period, expert judges from the industry will create a longlist of nominees in June who’ll then be provided DeePoon hardware and a month to hone their games. This is then followed by one final judging session on 15th July in order to create a shortlist of developers who’ll all be invited to ChinaJoy (flights and accommodation paid) to pitch at the final in Shanghai.

Those interested can also find a full breakdown of the competition's timeline at the following link.

Through this competition Steel Media and DeePoon collectively hope to not only help the development of brand new VR concepts, but also in deepening the ties between China, Europe, and the rest of the world within the video game industry.

And that's a nice thing.