UN to fund game developers in India

Becoming a game developer in India looks much more plausible now that the United Nations is looking to fund game developers in the country.

This initiative has the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) Gaming Forum and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (UNESCO MGIEP) coming together to search for studios and developers in the nation.

According to reports, the objective is to not only connect users on a recreational level, but also to emphasize the “interdependency between [peace and sustainability] as well as how individual actions and choices have an impact on the overall picture and our shared world”.

Sounds deep, doesn’t it? As well as quite vague. Well not to worry as NASSCOM Gaming Forum will be putting up orientation programs in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai on September 18, September 19, and October 1 respectively, to explain things better.

After these events, studios and developers will get a month to develop a prototype for a game which will be pitched to the jury at Nasscom Game Developer Conference 2014 and the UNESCO MGIEP. If your entry is selected you can expect initial funding for your game which would be in the range of $16,550 to $33,000. Furthermore, you’ll also be working in tandem with UNESCO to publish the game as well.

Details for the orientation sessions are as follows:

• Bangalore: September 18 between 3 PM – 5 PM. Location: Dhruva Interactive, 276/90/k, 18th cross road, HSR Layout, 3rd sector, Sector 3, HSR Layout, Bangalore.
• Hyderabad: September 19, between 3 PM- 5 PM. Location: NASSCOM, Maximus Towers 2B, Raheja Mindspace, Hi Tech City, Hyderabad.
• Mumbai: October 1. Location and timing to be announced later.

While the exact commercial details of this enterprise are uncertain at the moment, the publicity brought in by ?UN’s involvement makes this initiative has most of the local talent excited.