For the second year in a row, industry event East Coast Game Conference (ECGC) has partnered with the game event Casual Connect to offer developers a shot at the Indie Prize. The winner will earn a scholarship and a spot to showcase their game at the Casual Connect Europe conference in London later this year. ECGC will be held at the Raleigh Convention Center in North Carolina from April 17 to 19.
Though developers could compete for the Indie Prize last year at ECGC, 2018 is the first time the conference is offering accompanying cash awards. The winner will receive $1,000, and $500 and $200 are up for grabs by developers placing second and third. The winner will also receive the Casual Connect Indie Prize scholarship, which includes a pass to Casual Connect Europe panels and a space to show off their game.
In order to be considered, developers must fill out an application form and demo at least 15 minutes of gameplay at ECGC by registering for a booth in the conference’s Indie Alley segment, with costs starting at $300. They also have to be available to attend Casual Connect Europe, which is held from May 29 to 31 in London. Other stipulations for eligibility are available on ECGC’s site.
ECGC features panels and networking events with a focus on industry professionals. Epic Games is one of its big sponsors, and it hosts an annual series of talks called Unreal Theater that coaches developers on how to use the Unreal Engine and offers career advice. Cofounder and technical director of Epic subsidiary Chair Entertainment Geremy Mustard will deliver this year’s keynote speech on the developer’s hit game Fortnite: Battle Royale.
The Casual Connect game industry conference started in 2006 and hosts events all over the world in the U.S., U.K., Serbia, and Asia. Its yearly Indie Prize is sponsored by companies like Unity and Amazon.