In case you haven’t been following along, we hosted a 10-day online game jam in January, inviting game designers from all over the world to build their best prototypes for the upcoming OUYA game console.  Exceeding our wildest expectations, we received 165 phenomenal submissions, spanning every genre of game imaginable.  Puzzlers, 3D shooters, RPGs, casual games, an MMO (in 10 days!), real-time strategy—you name it.  

It was our team’s impossible job to review all of these excellent submissions and select finalists in each category, passing along the Grand Prize finalists to our esteemed judges, including Felicia Day (The Guild), Adam Saltsman (Canabalt), Phil Fish (FEZ), Alexis Madrigal (Atlantic Monthly), Austin Wintory (Grammy-nominated composer, Journey), Ed Fries (Co-creator, Xbox), Joanne McNeil (former editor, Rhizome), and Zach Gage (SpellTower).

Games were selected for seven different awards:

• “The CREATE Grand Prize” ($20,000): For the game demonstrating overall excellence.
• “Most Surprising” Award ($5,000): For the game that does something new and unexpected.
• “Four Bright Buttons and Two Joysticks” Award ($5,000): For the game demonstrating the best controls.
• “Most Immersive” Award ($5,000): For best demonstration of how a game feels in your living room, instead of your pocket.
• “Pop Your Eyes Out” Award ($5,000): For the game that astounds visually.
• “Best Couch with Friends” Award ($5,000): For the game that makes us most nostalgic for  all-nighters and Goldeneye in our friend’s basement.
• “Best Game Created Uising the Unity Engine” ($2,500): For the game that makes the most of the Unity3D Game Engine.

After making some incredibly difficult decisions, we are pleased to announce the CREATE Game Jam finalists!  Lots of new and interesting games to get excited about.  We can’t wait to see the finalists, and hopefully all of the CREATE developers, turn their prototypes into finished games and onto the OUYA console.

Check the CREATE site on February 18th to see winners!