Gamification stuff we love: Hasbro Gaming lab
For the second year running Hasbro in collaboration with Indiegogo is running their gaming lab, to encourage game designers to come up with new and exciting games. Between now and May 15th 2016 game designers from the US, Canada, France, Germany and the UK can enter their idea for a new game. A team of experts at Hasbro will select 15 semi-finalists based on innovative use or new game mechanics, storyline and visual creativity. The semi-finalists will be asked to submit their prototype, so Hasbro experts can play the game and select 5 finalists, who will then go forward to raise crowdfunding for their game on Indiegogo.
The game needs to appeal to families, casual gamers and long-time game enthusiasts. It needs to have a full set of rules, you are best of the play-test it (so you know they can do it too), you need to own all the copyright or intellectual property for all elements of the game, it is not allowed to be a role playing game nor a trading card game.
If you are a chosen finalist you will receive $2000 and mentoring assistance form both Hasbro and Indiegogo to develop the game further. The public can then crowd fund your project between 13th of October 2016 and 13th of November 2016. The overall winner will receive $25,000, a trip for 4 to visit Hasbro HQ and the opportunity to develop their game with Hasbro.
It is a gamified way of generating new ideas and at the same time immediately putting it to the test of the public. In many ways it cuts out the risk of the gaming company as there immediately is a market validation of the game. The prize is very valuable and will hopefully attract quality ideas and proposals. This is definitely one I will follow and maybe even contemplate on entering.
