Ukie CEO Dr Jo Twist reveals this years Ukie Student Game Jam theme "Empowerment".
21 teams from across Ukie’s UK-wide student membership compete over 48 hours between 17-19 May.
This is the fourth year that Ukie have run the competition, which is designed to increase student’s learnings outside of the classroom and give them tangible game making experience, as well as building links between the educational institutions and industry.
There are two different awards up for grabs one for the "Best Game" and the "Acessibilty Award".
The winners of the Accessibility Award will be taken to Creative Assembly for a tour of the studio followed by lunch with the members of the Creative Assembly team.
The Best Game trophy comes with free passes to EGX for the whole team, courtesy of Gamer Network, vouchers for Insert Coin Clothing and a swag bag of EA merchandise.
The finished games will be judged by a panel of industry experts from Ukie, Criterion, Gram Games, Unity and Gamer Network. We will also see the return accessibility specialist Ian Hamilton who will judge the Accessibilty Award.
Competing to beat last year’s winners, Brunel University, are teams from:
Abertay University
Brunel University
University of Chester
London South Bank University
National Film Television School
Norwich University of the Arts
Staffordshire University
University East London
West College Scotland
Westminster University
This year sees more teams than ever before taking part, as well as the event being extended to 48 hours to give the students the chance to make the best game possible.
Each team will be supported across the Jam by an industry mentor, who will be on hand to answer questions and offer advice to the students. Mentors have been recruited from top games companies including:
Blazing Griffin
Cold Sun Studios
Creative Assembly
Cupboard Games
Fire Hazard Games
Gas Light Games
Ground Shatter
Jagex
Quantum Soup
Red Panda
Spilt Milk
Three Knots
Trash Games
Voice Art
Xiotech Studios
Mentors will be nominated by their teams for the ‘Mentor of the Universe’ trophy.
The 2017 Ukie Student Game Jam is sponsored by Criterion Games, Gram Games and Unity.