PlayFirst Announces $30,000 in Grants to Independent Game Developers

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 18  /PRNewswire/ -- PlayFirst, the leading publisher focused exclusively on casual games, today announced that it has granted $30,000 in awards to independent developers who submitted games to the 2007 Developer Dash funding program. Recipients range from incorporated companies to individual developers across the globe. The winners are Kef Sensei (Uruguay), SortaSoft (USA), Mini IT (Russia), Beatshapers (Ukraine), Sergey Batishchev (Russia) and Rafal Kozik (Poland).

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"Historically, expansion in video game adoption has largely been driven by innovations in game design," said John Welch, CEO and president of PlayFirst who is keynoting the Casual Games Summit at GDC on Monday, Feb. 18. "As a leader in casual games, we consider it our privilege and responsibility to encourage creativity among the development community. Fostering creativity benefits everyone because innovative hits lift the profile and appeal of the entire category."

Launched at the 2007 Game Developers Conference (GDC), Developer Dash is PlayFirst's funding initiative to inspire creativity and innovation in the casual games industry. As part of the program, PlayFirst has ear-marked $100,000 per year in funds to recognize game developers for delivering creative and innovative games.

As a result of the 2007 Developer Dash, PlayFirst also completed a new publishing contract with Kef Sensei based on the company's outstanding submission to the program.

"We received dozens of Developer Dash entries in 2007, which is fantastic given that this was the first year Playground SDK was freely available," said Craig Bocks, director of publishing, PlayFirst. "Many of those submissions were grant worthy and we are  extremely pleased to announce that one in particular, from Kef Sensei, led us to sign a publishing deal with the developer."

"Winning a Developer Dash award is exciting and the publishing deal is like a dream come true for a startup game studio like ours," said Eli Barnett, CEO, Kef Sensei. "PlayFirst is really stepping up in their search for new, talented developers that challenge existing genres and game dynamics to take the casual industry to an entirely new level. The Developer Dash program provides a great incentive for small and talented developers who have great ideas, but are in need of funding."

Developers: Earn Cash with Developer Dash

While the casual games industry continues to grow at an explosive rate, many independent developers face a myriad of challenges getting their games noticed and into the marketplace. In response to these challenges, PlayFirst launched the inaugural Developer Dash in 2007, an annual developer funding program that will grant up to $100,000 in cash again in 2008 to encourage and support independent developers in creating new and innovative games.

To be eligible, developers must simply download PlayFirst's popular casual game development framework, Playground SDK(TM), and submit a game prototype that meets the following criteria:

  -- Built in Playground SDK*
  -- Commercially viable casual game (i.e., no offensive themes, gratuitous
     violence)
  -- Submitted to PlayFirst in 2008




Whether a game submission is selected to receive a grant or not, there are no binding terms in the program, meaning the developer retains all publishing and distribution rights to their game, unless a deal is specifically struck with PlayFirst.

"We chose the Playground SDK over three other tools for its proven commercial success, track record and for its ease of use, and we are extremely satisfied with our decision," continued Barnett. "If you know coding, even a small amount, the Playground game engine beats every other framework out there for casual games."

The next target date to submit your game for review is March 31, 2008. Future dates are June 30, September 30 and December 31, 2008.

Meet with PlayFirst at GDC!

PlayFirst producers want to meet with talented developers at the Game Developers Conference, February 18-22 in San Francisco. To schedule a meeting please contact PlayFirst at devdash@playfirst.com. For business development opportunities, please contact business@playfirst.com. John Welch's keynote address will be held in Room 2014 in the West Hall at Moscone Center on Monday, February 18 at 12 p.m.

For more information about Playground SDK or to submit your game to the Developer Dash program, please visit https://developer.playfirst.com/.

About PlayFirst, Inc.

PlayFirst is the leading publisher focused exclusively on casual games. Committed to building shared casual game experiences around lasting original brands, PlayFirst games are rich in gameplay, story and character. PlayFirst works with talented internal and external developers to bring mass market games to multiple platforms, including PC, Mac, mobile, handheld and console. The company's portfolio includes the world-renowned Diner Dash(R) franchise, as well as top-selling games such as Wedding Dash(TM), Chocolatier(R), and Dream Chronicles(TM). Founded in 2004, PlayFirst is funded by Mayfield Fund, Trinity Ventures, Rustic Canyon Partners and DCM. For more information visit http://www.playfirst.com/ and http://www.dinerdash.com/.

PlayFirst, Playground SDK, Diner Dash, Wedding Dash, Chocolatier, Dream Chronicles, and all related titles, logos, and characters are trademarks of PlayFirst, Inc. PlayFirst, Diner Dash, and Chocolatier are registered in the U.S.

* Playground SDK is subject to license agreement which contains restrictions on use; use outside of the United States is subject to compliance with applicable export control laws.

Developer Dash: PlayFirst may modify or cancel the program at its sole discretion at any time. PlayFirst is not obligated to award any of the $100,000; amount awarded depends on number and quality of prototypes submitted. Details and requirements at https://developer.playfirst.com/. 


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