GameFest, the annual student game development showcase hosted by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, will be held on Saturday, April 30 at 2 p.m.

Due to continuing impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, the event will again run virtually in a new exhibition space in AltspaceVR, a free, social virtual-reality platform accessible via PC, Oculus Rift, and Vive.

GameFest 2022 is free and open to the public where participants can play the games, virtually meet the student developers, see the award ceremony, and watch game demos and presentations.

“GameFest is a celebration of the innovation and creativity of the next generation of game designers,” said Ben Chang, a professor of arts and the director of the Games and Simulations Arts and Sciences (GSAS) program at Rensselaer. “Games come to life when people play them. This is the moment when the code and art, writing and music, all come together, when the game meets the public. We hope that you can all join the students as they show off their hard work.”

This year’s event comprises over 30 student-designed games from undergraduate and graduate student teams from across New York. Cash prizes will be awarded in the categories Excellence in Audio, Excellence in Narrative, Excellence in Visual Art, Technical Excellence, and Impact as well as an overall Grand Prize. GameFest 2022 promises a new prize category for Analog Game Design.

Graduate student research presentations will explore different aspects of critical game design study including The Music of the Metaverse and The Rise of Chinese eSports.

A full schedule is available on the GameFest 2022 website.

GameFest 2022 is presented by the GSAS program in the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences at Rensselaer. It is supported by the Rensselaer Center of Excellence in Digital Game Development, a program of the Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR).

Other key sponsors include Blizzard Entertainment, Velan Studios, 1st Playable Productions, and PUBG:MadGlory, all of which are Capital Region-based leaders in the global digital game development industry.