SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Mar. 17th, 2025 - Gay Gaming Professionals - the global nonprofit that cultivates emerging top performers in the video games industry, today announced the inaugural Collegiate Games Competition. In partnership with Raw Thrills, Inc. the acclaimed arcade entertainment company, this competition celebrates video games and encourages the bright creative future of the industry in the hands of the next generation.
To highlight the interactive, business, and cinematic facets of video games, prestigious university game programs across the United States - such as USC Games, USC Marshall School of Business and DePaul’s Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media - will nominate two video game projects to compete, and other student competitors will develop creative video game trailers and go-to market strategies for cash prizes. Student competitors develop their submissions through the spring - gaining real-world experience and industry exposure by presenting to industry veterans from companies such as the Ayzenberg Group. The competition will be capped off by a livestreamed awards ceremony in July. To get the latest information and updates about the 2025 Collegiate Games Challenge, sign up at http://www.collegiategameschallenge.com/.
“Great talent is everywhere, and we’re building bridges to the rising generation of industry leaders. We do it through our 4 programs: GGP Scholars, CYSTEM, GGP Honors and now the Collegiate Games Challenge, that emphasize leadership, compassion and collaborative competition,” said Gordon Bellamy, CEO of GGP. “With the Collegiate Games Challenge, participants will go through all the experiences video game industry veterans do, from developing a game to marketing and launching it.” With 20 years of supporting and empowering video game development through GGP Scholars and the CYSTEM scholarship programs, GGP will bring their expansive network and expertise to support the thoughtful and innovative video game developers and publishers of tomorrow.
"The future of video games is all about empowering the new wave of creators, developers, and entrepreneurs pushing the industry to what's next, NOW! That's why Raw Thrills is so excited to support the Collegiate Games Challenge,” said Eugene Jarvis, Cofounder and Creative Director of Raw Thrills, Inc. “GGP’s work encouraging and developing the next generation of video game developers and business leaders has always been seen with their programs: GGP Scholars and CYSTEM. We’re thrilled to expand their work and kick off CGC.”
In addition to launching this exciting new initiative at GDC, GGP will have a week-long showcase of event programming, including anchoring the new GDC Nights - with an open networking mixer for GGP Scholars, CYSTEM scholars and GDC attendees on Monday, and a fireside chat featuring Amir Satvat and additional games industry HR veterans on Thursday - as well as hosting events such as the second annual Zero Proof Tabletop Games Night on Tuesday and the 16th annual Kiki at DNA Lounge on Wednesday. For more details on GGP at GDC (and to RSVP), see our instagram.
About GGP
Since 2006, Gay Gaming Professionals (GGP) has cultivated the next generation of top performers in the video game industry - through education, expertise, employment and entrepreneurship. Recognizing that great talent is everywhere, GGP outreaches to everyone, including underestimated groups, in order to bridge the rising generation of industry leaders into video games. This is done through academic programs such as GGP Scholars, CYSTEM, GGP Honors and the Collegiate Games Challenge.
About Raw Thrills, Inc.
Raw Thrills is a world leader in arcade video games. Since 2001, Raw Thrills has explored the intersection of the physical and virtual to bring the most thrilling experiential arcade video games to everyone! We just released our interactive cinematic tour de force - Godzilla Kaiju Wars VR to arcades everywhere.
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