Spatial, a New York-based company, has announced the launch of the Wolves Den Game Jam, a unique game startup platform inspired by the popular show Shark Tank. The company aims to attract more game developers to its spatial platform and has opened its contest for submissions from budding game developers. With a prize pool of $15,000, this contest is set to be a game-changer in the gaming industry.
The Wolves Den Game Jam will feature a star-studded judging panel comprised of gaming celebrities and influencers. Ice-T, renowned musician, rapper, and actor; Cliff Bleszinski, co-creator of Gears of War and a veteran video game designer; Barji, an indie game developer and YouTube sensation; and Welyn, a gaming influencer known as the “Survival King” will be the judges for this unique YouTube game contest.
Spatial aims to position itself as the “Youtube for gamers.” The Wolves Den contest will serve as a platform to champion indie developers by connecting them with new and upcoming talent. The contest, hosted on itch.io, challenges developers to create Unity demos under the theme “Survival Revival,” blending survival with another genre of their choice.
Anand Agarawala, CEO and Co-founder at Spatial, expressed his excitement about the contest, stating that they are building a community-driven platform to democratize the gaming industry. The activation is not just about creating games but also about catapulting upcoming talent into the limelight and shaping the future of online gaming media and entertainment.
Gianna Valentina, director of global partnerships at Spatial, revealed that the company has been working on the show since last year as part of its original game jam series. Spatial aims to become a platform that champions undiscovered talent and gives developers the right chance to build their best games.
The Wolves Den contest will unfold in two episodes. The top 25 projects, voted by the itch.io community, will be narrowed down to eight semi-finalists by the Spatial team. These semi-finalists will pitch their games on the first episode, with the Wolves selecting four finalists. The chosen developers will then have 30 days to transform their demo into a fully playable game for testing on the second episode.
The Wolves, comprising the judging panel, will crown a winner in May, with cash prizes totaling $15,000 up for grabs. The winning game will also have the opportunity to become the headline game on Spatial, receiving full engineering, art, design, and marketing support.
Ice-T, one of the judges, expressed his excitement about the event, stating that it is a freeing opportunity for budding game developers to create something they are truly passionate about. The judges will not only evaluate the entries but also provide mentorship and help connect the entrants with the game community.
Developers have until March 22 to submit their entries. They can create multiplayer or single-player games as they wish, and Spatial will handle the porting to the web or mobile devices for the developers. With a focus on the “Survival Revival” theme, developers have creative autonomy to showcase their imagination within this genre.
Spatial’s Wolves Den Game Jam marks a novel approach to bring together industry veterans, influencers, and aspiring developers in a collaborative environment. This contest aims to foster creativity and community engagement while giving budding game developers the opportunity to create something they are truly passionate about.
Overall, the Wolves Den Game Jam is set to be an exciting event in the gaming industry. With its unique format inspired by Shark Tank and a star-studded judging panel, this contest will help elevate indie game developers and shape the future of online gaming media and entertainment.
