The BMW Group and AirConsole have announced a new competition to develop games tailored specifically to the in-car experience. The two companies are seeking to tap into the potential of the global game developer community, and encourage developers to pioneer the field of in-car gaming.
The competition will be promoted jointly at the Game Developer Conference in San Francisco from March 20th to 24th, 2023, and developers can submit their ideas and concepts from today until June 8th, 2023, via the official competition website.
The best four game concepts will be chosen as winners and each will receive €5,000 for the development of a prototype. If the prototype proves promising, AirConsole will fully fund the development of the game to then be included on the AirConsole platform. The winners will also be invited to the BMW Group headquarters in Munich to see the result in action.
The BMW Group is looking to offer their customers a first-class entertainment experience, and gaming is all about joy, according to Stefan Butz, Vice President BMW Group Development for Entertainment and Apps. Butz also expressed his excitement about the opportunity for game developers to work with AirConsole to create engaging gaming experiences specifically for vehicles.
Antti Makkonen, Director of Games at AirConsole, noted that gaming in the car is happening, and game makers need to start creating games for the car use-case, rather than simply bringing existing games to the car. Using phones as controllers inside the car makes playing accessible and fun for everyone, especially considering that not everybody will own a game controller, or that playing directly on the car touch screen can lead to arm fatigue.
AirConsole is a cloud-based platform that allows users to play games on their smartphones, using the phone as a controller while the game is displayed on a larger screen. The platform has been used in a variety of settings, from parties to classrooms.
The BMW Group selected nDreams, the company behind the AirConsole brand, as a partner to bring casual gaming into the car through the BMW Startup Garage programme. The programme aims to support innovative startups that have the potential to revolutionize the automotive industry.
The competition is an exciting opportunity for game developers to explore a new field and create innovative gaming experiences that take advantage of the unique features of the in-car environment. The BMW Group and AirConsole are hoping to inspire developers to pioneer this field and create games that offer a first-class entertainment experience for drivers and passengers alike.
The deadline for submitting ideas and concepts to the competition is June 8th, 2023, so game developers have plenty of time to get creative and come up with their best ideas. With the chance to win a prize and potentially have their game fully funded and included on the AirConsole platform, this is an opportunity that is sure to attract a lot of interest from developers around the world.
As gaming continues to grow in popularity, it’s clear that there is a lot of potential for games that are specifically designed for the in-car environment. With the BMW Group and AirConsole leading the charge, it’s likely that we will see some exciting developments in this field in the coming years.
