Link Round-Up — March #2
Published in
3 min readMar 23, 2018
And the BAFTA goes to…
News
- Earlier this week 400 UK schools were evacuated after a fake bomb threat which appeared to come from Minecraft PvP servers. Even though the messages came from an email address associated with these servers, the site in question VeltPvP released a statement claiming otherwise:
“We’ve been being harassed by a group of cybercriminals that are trying to harass us in any way possible…We’re extremely sorry for anyone who had to deal with this, but just know it’s fake.”
- Microsoft have added just shy of 300 independently produced games to their Xbox and Window 10 library in the last year, as part of their ID@Xbox project. The project aims to introduce more independent videogames than ever to our screens — with the number on Microsoft servers now approaching 800, the first 500 took almost 3 years to accumulate. Microsoft have certainly upped their game in the last 12 months, bravo!
Features
- Next week Spielberg’s Virtual Reality based action film Ready Player One is released in cinemas. At the NVA we pride ourselves in providing the best VR experience technology has to offer, though even we have to admit that the graphics in this blockbuster are beyond our capabilities — for now! Here’s a trailer to whet your appetite.
- Over the years there have been plenty of comparisons drawn between violent videogames and aggressive behaviour in those who play them. Although they have been largely unfounded, the impression that there is a link between on-screen and off screen violence still remains in public opinion. A recent report from Simone Kuhn and colleagues at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and Germany’s University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf comprehensively refutes this with long-term proof that Grand Theft Auto has no effect on behaviour.
Events
- Only a few weeks left now until the British Academy Games Awards 2018, and the shortlisted nominees have now been announced. We’re delighted to see that Monument Valley 2, which is currently on exhibition at the National Videogame Arcade, has received three nominations. These include, Best Family Game, Best Mobile Game and Best British Game. The masterpiece What Remains of Edith Finch has also received a whopping seven nominations.
- It’s edging closer to our first regional Continue network event, due to take place in Leeds on April 20th. The conference style event will feature workshops and talks from a series of experts in the gaming industry. The event programme will be up soon, be sure to keep checking for updates!
Opportunities
- Google Play has announced a competition in collaboration with Girls Makes Games and the ESA Foundation to celebrate women in gaming. The Change the Game Design Challenge gives teens the chance to win $10,000 college scholarship, plus $15,000 for their school or community centre technology program. The comp is only available for U.S residents, but it’s great to see such forward thinking programme prevailing.
