Compulsion Games Earns Top Recognition Among 15 of the Year’s Most Notable Indie Development Projects
SAN FRANCISCO – April 4, 2013 – Game Connection America 2013 concluded another successful event taking place in San Francisco from March 25 – 27. A total of 1,650 attendees including 206 exhibitors and 240 certified buyers converged on the Sir Francis Drake Hotel to engage in concentrated networking, meetings, and lively conversations. The Meeting Application saw a total of 7,642 meetings confirmed. Additionally, the [a]List Summit provided tracks of panels and lectures that covered challenges and opportunities facing the games industry.
“We’ve seen a tremendous amount of growth year over year, and Game Connection America was no exception,” states Pierre Carde, CEO, Connection Events. “Our Meeting Application continues to excel at enabling executives to easily and efficiently set up meetings in an environment conducive to getting business done, and this most recent event has set the bar even higher. As we conclude another successful show, we look forward to continuing the tradition with more events scheduled in Asia (May 28-29) and Europe (December 3-5). The first will create an international environment where East meets West in business. The latter will feature the familiar successful business formula of back-to-back meetings scheduled with the streamlined online meeting application, networking, and an opportunity to improve skills in a lively environment.”
Game Connection is also pleased to announce that Montreal-based Compulsion Games’ puzzle platformer Contrast was awarded Best Project 2013 in the Microsoft-sponsored Selected Projects indie game competition. Chosen from 15 nominated game developers based on innovation and market potential, Contrast was given top recognition by The Game Connection Advisory Board and acknowledged by Sony Computer Entertainment America for its achievements in game creativity and innovation. Compulsion Games will receive a development kit, strategic advice, and support from Microsoft Studios. As part of the indie developer support offered by Sony Computer Entertainment America, the team will also receive a PlayStation development kit and technical support for the launch of Contrast on the PlayStation Network.
“Wow! I’m humbled, first with the nomination, especially in the company of so many amazingly creative teams. And second, on behalf of the entire team at Compulsion, we are truly honored that CONTRAST was identified as the Best Selected Project by Game Connection America,” said Guillaume Provost, creative director and founder at Compulsion Games. “It’s been a four-year long journey – from being on my own with a simple idea scribbled on a piece of paper in a cafe in Lyon, to the small and passionate team of eight amazing people who all fell in love with the project and shared their craft to propel CONTRAST to where it is today. We are so proud of this project and our accomplishments. The recognition of our hard work from organizations like Game Connection is greatly appreciated and we continue to be amazed by the incredibly positive response from the media and especially the public.”
Contrast was chosen for their approach to combining 3D and 2D platforming. Set in a world reminiscent of the roaring twenties, the game challenges players to navigate the 3D world with strategic use of 2D “shadow” form. The game also tasks players with manipulating light to discover new things in the world in the form of shadows. Contrast is originally scored drawing inspiration from early twentieth-century jazz music. The title is set for launch in Spring 2013 for PC on Steam.
The award ceremony, sponsored by Microsoft, took place on Tuesday March 26 Game Connection America. For more information on this contest and the nominees, please visit http://www.game-connection.com/gameconn/content/selected-projects-game-connection-america-2013.
Other award winners from Game Connection include the recipients of the Game Connection and [a]list daily Marketing Awards. The winners are:
- Best Broadcast Campaign – ichi for THQ with Metro: Last Light
- Best Digital Campaign – TBWA/Gamelab for McDonald’s China with Angry Birds Magic in McDonald’s
- Best Print Campaign – Ayzenberg Group for Microsoft with Contre Jour pop-up press kit
- Best Experiential Campaign – iam8bit for Bethesda Softworks with Dishonored “Boyle Party”
- Best Mobile Campaign – Midnight Oil Creative for Square Enix with Tomb Raider Scavenger Hunt
- Best PR Campaign – Midnight Oil Creative for Ubisoft with Far Cry 3
- Best Social Media Campaign – Sandbox Strategies for Activision with Activision’s Family Game Summit
- Best Original Content Campaign – Armed Mind for Activision Blizzard with Call of Duty: Black Ops II “Rightful King” Kindle short story
- Best Overall Marketing Campaign – Midnight Oil Creative for Activision with Skylanders Giants
- Best Marketing Team of the Year – Midnight Oil Creative
Game Connection Asia, taking place in Shanghai, China, has been dated for May 28 – 29. To learn more about the event, visit: http://www.game-connection.com/gameconn/content/badgeprices-asia-2013
Game Connection Europe, taking place in Paris, has been dated for December 3 – 5. To learn more about the event, visit: http://www.game-connection.com/gameconn/content/badgeprices-europe-2013
For more information about Game Connection:
- Download the Game Connection America press kit
- Visit the website: www.game-connection.com
- Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Game.Connection.Official.Page
- Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/The_GameCo
To find out more about Compulsion Games and Contrast, please visit www.contrastgame.com.
About Game Connection
Game Connection is an international conference that gives video game industry professionals the opportunity to interact, network, and promote their products, services, and expertise. Since 2001, key players from the games industry gather three times per year—in Europe, the US, and Asia—to meet, do business together, connect with new industry professionals, and socialize in a lively environment where business gets done. In 2011, Game Connection launched a program of conferences, workshops, and master classes. As part of this program, experts of arts, game design, programming, production, communication, and marketing presented the latest innovation for consoles, handheld, browser games, social media, digital, and mobile stores. For more information, visit: www.game-connection.com.
About Connection Events
Connection Events is a creator of opportunities, resources and results in the Games Industry. Connection Events specializes in the production of services and events aimed at games industry professionals, with over 800 business clients in more than 56 countries. Core Connection Events services include Game Connection and Game Connection Master Classes. For more information, visit: www.connection-events.com.
Media Contact
Andrew Karl, TriplePoint
415-955-8500