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With a deadline of 6 June, Global VR Gaming Challenge now accepting all 2016 VR games

Get your mobile VR game in front of global experts and journalists

With a deadline of 6 June, Global VR Gaming Challenge now accepting all 2016 VR games

Update on 25th May: Due to popular demand from the global VR community, Steel Media have made some alterations to the Global VR Challenge in order to allow a greater number of developers to enter.

As such, the Global VR Challenge is now welcoming not only those concepts that are currently unreleased, but also any VR title or concept released in last 6 months which hasn't been published in Chinese market.

Time is running out to enter though, as VR concepts and titles must be submitted by June 6th. Developers wanting to enter can do so via the following link.

Also, any questions can be submitted via the email address support@globalvrchallenge.com


Looking to capitalise on the rise of virtual reality, developers all around the world are currently working on brand new virtual reality games.

However, with so many developing for virtual reality technology, standing out from the crowd has never been harder.

As such, in association with China’s leading VR company DeePoon, Steel Media, publisher of Pocket Gamer, is proud to announce the launch of the Global VR Gaming Challenge.

Gearing up

This international VR competition will look to identify the best VR games new VR games development talent and concepts, from UK, Europe, and the rest of the world, whilst also helping to both bring them to the world’s biggest VR market, China, and give them some further exposure.

The challenge will include a total of $35,000 worth of cash prizes up for grabs for the winners, alongside VR hardware for all longlisted teams, and an expenses paid trip to ChinaJoy, Asia’s biggest game show in Shanghai in July, for the developers that are shortlisted.

With so many developing for VR, standing out from the crowd has never been harder.

So how do developers qualify for the Global VR Gaming Challenge then? Well it’s simple really:

  • This competition is open to all independent developers
  • Any submitted game/concept must be suitable for mobile VR
  • Submitted games must be either a new concept or original idea that is currently unreleased, or a VR title released in last 6 months which hasn’t been published in the Chinese market.
  • Entrants will need to have at least one member of their team with a valid passport and able to travel to China on July 25th – 30th.

A full detailed set of rules can be found at the following link.

Get going

In order to enter, developers must submit a one page description of their game / concept, alongside any artwork and video assets available via the Global VR Gaming Challenge website.

After an initial entry period, expert judges from the industry will create a longlist of nominees in June who’ll then be provided DeePoon hardware and a month to hone their games.

This is then followed by one final judging session on 15th July in order to create a shortlist of developers who’ll all be invited to ChinaJoy (flights and accommodation paid) to pitch at the final in Shanghai.

Those interested can also find a full breakdown of the competition's timeline at the following link.

Through this competition Steel Media and DeePoon collectively hope to not only help the development of brand new VR concepts, but also in deepening the ties between China, Europe, and the rest of the world within the video game industry.

Developer Evangelist & Big Indie Pitch Manager / Special Features Writer

Queen of all things Indie. Sophia is Steel Media’s Big Indie Pitch Manager and Developer Evangelist. She’s also a global speaker and lifelong gamer with a fanatical love of all things Nintendo and Japan. So much so that she’s written a thesis on one and lived in the other.