Game Republic showcases the best of Yorkshire and the North’s university games talent to the network’s games companies
Final-year students completing game-related degrees from across Yorkshire and the North will come together at the University of Hull to have their videogame projects judged by top industry professionals in the largest-ever Game Republic Student Showcase.
More than 100 students and staff from 12 universities across Yorkshire and the North of England will demonstrate more than 30 projects – including cutting-edge VR – at the Game Republic Student Showcase event, to be held on Monday 3 June. The projects will be judged by representatives from prestigious games studios including Sumo Digital (Team Sonic Racing, Crackdown 3, Hitman 2), Revolution Software (Broken Sword) and Rebellion North (Sniper Elite).
Game Republic is the largest professional games network in Yorkshire and the North of England. Its network includes games developers, publishers, universities and games-related companies.
Simon Grey, Programme Leader for Games in computer science and technology at the University of Hull who specialises in games, graphics and physical simulation, said: “We are delighted to be hosting this fantastic event at this University of Hull. The opportunity for our students to create games and network with their future employers – games giants such as Rebellion Software, Red Kite Games, Revolution Software and Sumo Digital is really inspirational. I am a great advocate of extra-curricular activities like this as well as game jams and coding competitions that enhance students’ experience and employability.”
Stuart Lilford, Lecturer in Game Design at the University of Hull, said: “We have six University of Hull teams presenting their work from both the Computer Science for Games Development and our Game and Entertainment Design programmes. Our students will be competing to grab the attention of the games industry in the North – which is already incredibly vibrant and successful. The Game Republic Student Showcase is also an important way for these companies to welcome and attract the next generation of developers, to establish a strong connection that will benefit both the industry and university graduates.
The event, which takes place in the University’s Canham Turner Building, will include a showcase of student work from 3pm to 5.45pm, with the winners of categories for best Game Design, Game Technology, Art and Animation, Best Team and new category Game Audio, announced at 6.45pm.
The annual student showcase, now in its 12th year, aims to promote the significant games development industry based in the north, and to encourage the brightest and most committed students to stay in the region and build their careers after graduation.
Over 50 previous winners have secured placements and full-time jobs in the industry following the showcase with companies including Sumo Digital, Team17, Distinctive Games, Rockstar Leeds and Just Add Water.
Managing Director of Game Republic, Jamie Sefton, said: “The showcase is a fantastic opportunity for final-year and postgraduate games course students to display their best work to the biggest developers in the region, hopefully win an award and get a placement or full-time employment. I’m also delighted we could finally add a Game Audio award this year to recognise and support the incredible sound, voice and music work being created in the UK games industry.”
Student Ryan Connor, who will be competing in the showcase, said:
“I’m really looking forward to the competition to showcase the best of my work and the work of Natalia, the game’s amazing sound designer. Her audio score really brings the game to life! I can’t wait to see how well we do against the other teams.
“My game is based on the work I have done for my dissertation and is heavily focused around artificial intelligence. More specifically in creating plants and animals that interact to form ecosystems. The game gives the player the ability to place down plants and animals and watch them grow, interact, get sick, breed, fight, hunt, eat and other stuff. It’s a fun environment simulation game.”