I really and truly love to support independent game developers. Without them, where would we get such classics like Braid or World of Goo? Those are two examples of indie games released just last year, with many more still to come in the months and even years ahead. Most gamers at some point in their lives wanted to get into the industry; I was one of them! I considered so many career options, but thought to myself “why not just do something that involves what I love?” Now? I’m an English major who wants to simply write about games instead of designing them. But there are plenty of young developers out there, some of whom could have the next big idea.
Recently announced on X-Play is the Indie Games Challenge, a little event designed to give independent developers a chance to shine. Not only will the winners of this contest have a chance to earn $100,000, they will also get a full scholarship for the best college game development program in the country. This is being judged by many members of the AIAS (Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences) and could potentially give plenty of youngdevelopers their chance to breathe new life into the video game industry.
Simple things, simple ideas, simple game design; it all begins with something simple. Think of a game like Tetris, it’s such a simple concept, yet no one had thought of it. And then came along the man who created the most successful puzzle franchise of all time from a very simple idea. There’s no telling when we’ll get another one of these basic, yet genius ideas that could reinvigorate the industry. Very few games actually impact the world of video games as much as a game like Tetris, but with contests like these, you never know what the future may bring.
Hopefully this contest inspires many people who have ideas for games to get out there and begin work on their dream project. It may not be this year, or even the next, but with the right motivation and the right tools, we could see the next great independent game. Let’s just think that, maybe five years from now, we’ll get that next big thing…and it all starts with a simple idea and a little inspiration.
