Gaming talent honoured

Last Modified: 30 Oct 2007
By: Channel 4 News

The proud winner of the gaming world's Golden Joystick Awards walked off with a £2500 cash prize.

The annual award supported by Channel 4's 4Talent and interactive entertainment software company Electronic Arts once again gave budding mobile games developers the chance to pitch their ideas to a panel of industry gurus.

Tom Dowding, 25, from Bristol won with his Let It Grow concept. Using the device's integrated camera, it offers nurturing, creativity and self expression. Starting from a humble basic plant, you must guide and evolve your flower throughout its lifetime and turn it into a thing of beauty to share with your friends.

Tom thinks that with new technologies available such as GPS and cameraphones, new aspects to games development and design can be experimented with.

'Tom's idea is a bloomin' good one!'
James Estill, Senior Producer, 4Talent

As well as the cash he has been given the chance to do a hothouse placement within EA's mobile game division.

He said: "Coming to this event has been a fantastic experience, and meeting people from different areas of the industry has been invaluable. I can't wait to see my game being a hit with the public."

Tom beat eight competitors, each of whom worked within groups with the help of a mentor, to put together presentations on the following topics: creative ideas generation, crafting your concept and pitching techniques.

James Estill, Senior Producer, 4Talent: "Tom's idea is a bloomin' good one! But joking aside, elements of the gameplay need development and Tom now has the opportunity to nurture his idea with help from professional teams at EA Mobile."

Tim Harrison, European Marketing Director, EA Mobile: "We were impressed by the high quality of all the ideas, the professionalism of the pitches and the commitment of the budding designers."

Despina Kaparaki, Head of Games, O2 UK, said: "We're looking for new ideas to entice people to the gaming world and to do that you need to keep it simple."

Matt Locke, Commissioning Editor for Education, Channel 4, said: "At Channel 4 we are constantly looking for new ways to reach 14-19 year olds, ways which would help them to reflect on their life and the world around them."