Google Play Indie Games Festival kicks off in San Francisco this September

Competing as a game developer on the Google Play Store can be a tough proposition, especially as we see more and more professional game developers leave their big studios to start or join studios dedicated to mobile games. If you're one of those small-time game developers, good news: Google has announced that it will be giving independent developers a chance to have their moment in the spotlight later this year, when it hosts the Google Play Indie Games Festival in San Francisco.

The festival will be held on September 24, and considering the cost of admission will be free, it's sure to draw some gamers through the gates. Google is calling on indie developers to submit their game to be considered for a showcase at the festival, with submissions being open to studios based in the US or Canada that have 15 or less full-time employees. Most mobile games developers seem to have fewer than 15 employees on staff, so if that's one of the only barriers to entry, expect a lot of submissions for this festivals.

Those interested in being considered for a showcase at the festival have until August 14th to submit their game to Google. There's one important caveat that goes along with submissions: they must be games that have been released or will be releasing within the 2016 calendar year. Once submissions have closed, Google will be announcing which games will be featured at the festival at the end of August, giving those chosen just about a month to prepare for the show. Google is also encouraging those with games featuring augmented and virtual reality using the Google VR SDK or the Tango Tablet Development Kit to submit their titles, so if that's you, it might be a good idea to do just that.

Once the featured games have been decided, the festival will kick off on Saturday, September 24, in San Francisco's Terra Gallery. Players attending the event will be able to vote on their favorite games of the festival, and it seems safe to assume that Google might be planning to help promote the games voted as fan favorites during the event. For more information about the event or to submit your game for consideration, hit the source link below.

SOURCE: Google Events