Game Garage is an initiative of the Interactive Media Alliance (IMA), the PEI-based interactive media industry association. The Game Garage was a three-month video game incubator project that took place in Charlottetown, PEI. This summer project was generously supported by the Interactive Media Alliance, Telefilm Canada and Innovation PEI. With this financial assistance, the IMA provided participants with the necessary office space, hardware and software, and salary, required to build their games. The project ran from June 1 to August 31, 2010 at the Atlantic Technology Center in Charlottetown, PEI.

Participants were chosen from a national competition that invited graduating new media students and recent graduates to submit original game concepts, or submit their resumes for a chance to work on someone else’s concept.

The first team is a group of graduates from New Brunswick Community College, Miramichi Campus in Video Game Art & Design. These students all completed their two-year program in May 2010: Bryan Viau - resident of PEI; John Landry, John Sollows, Kyle Leet and Sam Bowdridge - Residents of New Brunswick.

The following team is made up of participants from Holland College and UPEI. These participants graduated from post secondary programs in May 2010. Matt King- Resident of PEI and UPEI graduate from Computer Science with a major in Video Game Programming; Greg King - Resident of PEI and UPEI graduate from Computer Science with a major in Video Game Programming; John Hughes - Resident of PEI and Holland College graduate from Video Game Art and Design; Kent Giddings - Resident of PEI and Holland College graduate from Video Game Art and Design; Marshall Harrington - Resident of PEI and Holland College graduate from Video Game Art and Design.

"Game Garage 3 is the best ever. Having two teams working side by side in friendly competition has made both projects stronger,” said Mark Sandiford, President of the Interactive Media Alliance. “Game Garage is proving to be an invaluable program for building the game studios of the future."

The three-month incubation period was used get the game prototype ready to be pitched for sale but, if the grads would rather start their own company to market their game, then they have the option to set up shop in our growing game sector here on PEI.

As for career options, some of the participants have already been hired by game studios from PEI-based new media companies. The companies were partners in the Game Garage by providing mentorship to the students during the summer and had the advantage to see them at work, building a game.

“Innovation PEI is proud to support an innovative program that helps address the human resources needs of the Gaming Industry,” said Innovation and Advanced Learning Minister Allan Campbell. “This program shows the strength of the gaming industry in Prince Edward Island, and the cooperation that is taking place to achieve results that are capturing interest across the country.”

About the Interactive Media Alliance of PEI:

The IMA is an alliance of video game and other interactive media companies based in Prince Edward Island with a mandate to develop and support the new media and video game industry.

About Telefilm Canada:

Telefilm Canada is a federal cultural agency dedicated to developing and promoting the Canadian audiovisual industry. Telefilm provides financial support to the private sector to create distinctively Canadian products that appeal to domestic and international audiences. Telefilm also administers the Canada Media Fund. Visit www.telefilm.gc.ca.

Video and imagery:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7yDggTNF1Y

http://parples.posterous.com/game-garage-2010