The organizers of the Independent Games Festival (IGF) have announced a new $10,000 prize for iPhone game development as part of the 2009 Independent Games Festival Mobile event.
IGF Mobile happens as part of the Game Developers Conference (GDC), an annual gathering of game developers that happens each year in San Francisco. GDC 2009 happens March 23 – 27, 2009.
IGF has partnered with ngmoco, a new game publisher founded by Neil Young and Alan Yu, both of whom previously ran EA’s Blueprint Studio, where they were tasked with managing strategic funding and project management for smaller development teams at the company. Over the summer, Young announced that ngmoco would be focused on games for the iPhone and other mobile devices of similar ilk. Ngmoco has received funding from Kleiner Perkins, the venture capital firm which announced a $100 million “ iFund” to help spur development of iPhone applications.
iPhone developers interested in participating in the 2009 IGF Mobile event can submit entries in all categories, including game design, art, technical and audio awards, a Best Game award and other major prizes. Entry is free. Winners will be able to showcase their games on the expo floor at the Game Developers Conference, and the winners of the IGF Mobile awards will be revealed on stage during the event.
The deadline for iPhone developers to enter the IGF Mobile competition is November 17, 2009.