AT&T Unlocked Games is Back with Double the Prize Money

Download release (PDF) "AT&T UNLOCKED GAMES," THE FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND GAME DEVELOPER COMPETITION FOR WOMEN, IS BACK… AND WITH DOUBLE THE PRIZE MONEY

Groundbreaking Competition Returns to Elevate Women Game Developers

Developers Can Submit Entries at gaming.att.com/unlockedgames Starting Today through Jan. 7

What's the news? AT&T Unlocked Games returns today.

AT&T is once again calling for women game developers and women-led game developer teams to participate in AT&T Unlocked Games - a game development competition empowering women in the industry with visibility, access, and resources. This year's $100,000 grand prize is double that of last year's inaugural competition.

Why is this important?

"Women account for 46% of all game enthusiasts - but only 24% of game developers. From support to tools to connections, this program is dedicated to encouraging, enabling and supporting more women game developers to gain both exposure and experience within the industry," said Sabina Ahmed, Assistant Vice President of Sponsorships & Experiential at AT&T. "We saw such phenomenal games and met such incredible women in the first edition of Unlocked Games - we can't wait to see what this year's installment has in store."

How does it work? AT&T Unlocked Games is accepting open submissions from women developers in the U.S. with work-in-progress games beginning today through Jan 7. After submissions close, the AT&T Unlocked Games judges or "End Bosses," including industry experts like Renee Gittens, Executive Director IGDA (International Game Developers Association) and Jay Powell,CEO of The Powell Group & Founder of IndieGameBusiness, will assess each entry based on their visuals, audio design, gameplay & mechanics, creativity, and storyline.

The six finalists will be announced on Jan 28. Those six developers will then participate in a live game showcase on Mar 15, hosted by popular content creator BrookeAB and airing on AT&T's Twitch page (twitch.tv/att). During this showcase, the finalists will detail their games to the End Bosses for the chance to be crowned the winner and receive $100,000 toward the final development of their game, along with mentorship, marketing support and AT&T products and services. The End Bosses will select a grand prize winner and a runner-up, and fans will also have a say in the voting process when they select the Gamers' Choice winner live on stream.

The grand prize winner receives:

• $100,000 to fund final game development and/or offset game development costs
• An Influencer Partnership, to feature a playthrough of their game on a top-tier gamer/streamer channel
• Mentorship and paid lifetime membership to the International Game Developers Association.
• Promotional and marketing support from AT&T, including a $3,000 credit to be used toward AT&T products like phones, tablets, and hotspots to help keep their teams connected, test on mobile, work on design elements or capture their game in action.

What are people saying?

"Unlocked Games has had a major impact on my career, from enabling me to develop Lab Rat to providing tremendous exposure within the industry," said Gwen Frey, winner of the inaugural Unlocked Games competition.

With her prize winnings, Gwen furthered the development of Lab Rat, creating new puzzle modes and showcasing her work at a variety of gaming conferences throughout the year. She will continue to benefit from her lifetime membership to the International Game Developers Association in the lead up to her game release in Q2 2022 (closed beta available now at LabRat.study). Last year's runner-up and Gamers' Choice winner, Abby Howard, also received game development support for her game Scarlet Hollow, allowing her to release Episodes 1 and 2, which are now available on Steam.

AT&T Unlocked Games is proud to collaborate with the International Game Developers Association, the Society of Women Engineers, Women in Games International, the National Center for Women & Information Technology, Technolochicas, and Blacks in Technology.

Where do I sign up? Developers can learn more and submit their entries at gaming.att.com/unlockedgames starting today through January 7. Follow the competition with @ATT and #ATTUnlockedGames to see which developers are chosen and follow their journeys and to learn more about the End Bosses.

*About AT&T Communications

We help family, friends and neighbors connect in meaningful ways every day. From the first phone call 140+ years ago to mobile video streaming, we @ATT innovate to improve lives. AT&T Communications is part of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T). For more information, please visit us at att.com.

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