Ten Canadian game developers have been singled out from nearly 70 submissions to vie for up to $2 million in financing and invaluable industry mentorship as part of Telefilm Canada’s Great Canadian Video Game Competition.

The top 10 video game projects were selected by an industry jury that comprised of Yannis Mallat, CEO, Ubisoft Montreal; Ron Moravek, Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Electronic Arts Canada; and Kelly Zmak, President, Radical Entertainment (Vivendi Universal Games Canada).

The Great Canadian Video Game Competition, created with the input and support of industry, takes place in three rounds that mirror traditional industry financing. As Round 1 (Innovation) winners, the 10 firms will each receive $50,000 to refine their gaming concepts, develop a visual identity and elaborate a plan to raise private-sector investment. Each winning company will also receive ongoing mentorship from industry veterans with senior experience.

The names of the 10 winning companies (followed by province, project name, platform and select jury comment) are:

    * Big Blue Bubble, Ontario, Hobby Shop, console. “I am fast becoming a big Wii fan and Hobby Shop is something that leverages the strengths of this platform.” (Moravek)
    * Cerebral Vortex Games, Ontario, Ambush! Trivia, PC/Mobile/Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA). “Ambush! Trivia is innovative in the way that it merges the fun of a trivia game and the ability to reach and ambush people anywhere with the XBLA platform.” (Mallat)
    * Dark Matter Entertainment, Ontario, Vertical Ascent, console. “Even on a well-known platform you can still create a breakthrough with controls. The concept is immediate and intuitive and could be very addictive.” (Mallat)
    * HB Studios & TPB Productions, Nova Scotia, Trailer Park Boys, console. “This was one of the pitches that made us laugh out loud. Trailer Park Boys was a GREAT pitch.” (Zmak)
    * Hop To It Productions Inc., Ontario, Create-a-date, online. “Create-a-date is exploring some totally new areas in the gaming industry that we never have seen before.” (Mallat)
    * Hothead Games Inc., B.C., Swarm!, PC. “I love the character development and the innovative game play in Swarm!. It’s highly relevant in terms of trying to clean up the world, without being ultra violent.” (Moravek)
    * Humagade Ltd., Quebec, Tamano, handheld. “Here is a developer that understands the dual-screen platform. It has the right mechanics and game play and the characters are cool.” (Mallat)
    * LiveWires Designs Ltd., B.C., Reckless, wireless. “I love the way they take real world technology we take for granted everyday, turn it into your worst nightmare and force you to use that same technology to solve the mystery.” (Zmak)
    * MindHabits Inc., Quebec, MindHabits Trainer, handheld. “MindHabits Trainer is exciting because it is not only trying to do some brain training, but its also trying to have an impact on your feelings.” (Moravek)
    * Murmur Inc., Ontario, Echelon, wireless. “Echelon plays to the conspiracy theorist in all of us. It applies to both male and female gamers and, in forcing social interaction, adds a new dynamic.” (Zmak)

In March 2007 at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, all of the winning companies will pitch the jurors and four will receive up to $250,000 from Telefilm in Round 2 financing to create a playable prototype. In September, those four companies will compete and one will receive up to $500,000 in matching funds from Telefilm to support the commercialisation of its game.

Competition information, including company profiles, is available at telefilm.gc.ca/game.

Industry mentors include: Warren Currell, President, CEO, Sherpa Games; Mark Dickenson, Executive Producer, Electronic Arts Canada; Rob Edgar, Manager of Business Development, Union Entertainment; Kirsten Forbes, Producer, Radical Entertainment (Vivendi Universal Games Canada); Clint Hocking, Creative Director, Ubisoft Montreal; Adam Mock, Instructor, Game Design Documentation and Producing/Project Management, George Brown College; Alexandre Parizeau, Producer, Ubisoft Montreal; and Alain Tascan, Vice President and General Manager, Electronic Arts Montreal.