Techotic

G.I.R.L 2008 Game Design Competition scholarship worth $10,000 is now accepting applications. The competition aims to educate and recruit more girls and women into video games design and production.

The event is sponsored by SEO (Sony Online Entertainment) a major player in the online gaming world, applications can found online at www.girl.soe.com.

The Gamers In Real Life or G.I.R.L. competition is the first designed with the intention of encouraging female students to take career path into video game production and design. The ultimate goal of the competition is the development of new games that will be of interest to women.

SOE spokesman Torrie Dorrell said “The secret is out: Females game. We’re just trying to encourage more women to make the games they obviously enjoy playing” The company want to take more concrete steps to bring women into game development, and thus interest more female gamers.

G.I.R.L began as the result of a survey on women and games. The survey focused on female students already involved in either Visual and Game Programming or Game Art and Design.

The survey sponsored by SOE found that, 42% of women would like to see females portrayed at the forefront in video gaming, 35% of those surveyed wanted to create new games that are of interest to women players. 31% of the students wanted to get involved in gaming and wanted wider female representation in the industry. And 61% of the women are of the belief that near total male dominance in the gaming industry is deterring women from pursuing a career in the gaming profession.

The Entertainment Software Association, say that 38% of all players are female. In addition, that young women over eighteen are more important at 31% of gamers, than males under seventeen who account for just 20%.

The G.I.R.L Competition began officially on April 1. Entrants need to complete the online application and then submit an in-game design, concept art along with two essays.

The closing date for applicants is April 15^th. With designs and essays due by the end of May. The winner will be announced on June 30, 2008. The winner will receive $10,000 towards her education, as well as and internship at Sony Online Entertainment studios, which will be a paid position. The winner will also have their expenses fully covered.

There is also an official G.I.R.L blog produced by game designer Tracy Seamster.