X48, an XNA™ Game Studio GameCamp for emerging game design and development talent from the UK…60 students, 2 days, 1 goal, no sleep. Twice.

On 19th February 2010 budding videogame design and development students from all over the UK will relocate to the Birmingham City University’s City Center campus for a two-day intensive development session dedicated to gaming. Using Microsoft’s XNA Game Studio 3.1, X48 will offer the student teams an unprecedented opportunity to be mentored by and have their work reviewed by computer giant Microsoft and regional screen agency Screen West Midlands – key sponsors of the two-day game camp. The events are produced by Pixel-Lab, creators of the successful Playful conference and organisers of industry prototype programme Get in the Game.

The event will be themed to challenge the students to develop games that look beyond the traditional puzzle or first person shooter in a bid to create new conversations around gaming and attract the attention of new audiences. And to ensure the teams do not prepare in advance, they will not be given the theme for their game prototypes until the opening session on each Friday morning.

Andrew Wilson, Course Director for the BSc (Hons) Computer Games Technology and Certificate in Professional Studies Game Technologies at Birmingham City University said, “it gives our Faculty great pleasure to be able to host Microsoft’s X48 game camp this year, giving our students and staff the opportunity to experience game development in a new fun and exciting way outside of the normal classroom environment.”

Andrew Sithers, Academic Lead at Microsoft UK: “Bringing together the excitement and pressure of X48 with the global impact of the Imagine Cup will give students a real opportunity to showcase the potential of the next generation of games industry leaders and innovators.”

Jason Hall, Head of Innovation at Screen WM said, “Screen WM is thrilled to be sponsoring such a unique event as X48 which aims to support and discover new and upcoming talent in the games industry.”

As well as having the chance to develop a game from scratch in a studio environment, student competitors will receive invaluable mentorship from industry professionals, as well as support from members of the regions many world-class digital companies.

“There’s nothing quite like the atmosphere at X48. There is so much energy and excitement – a real testament to the upcoming games talent that will be the next generation of developers.” said Toby Barnes, Managing Director at Pixel-Lab.

This year X48 expands, repeating at a second event at the University of Huddersfield’s Canalside Studios on Friday 19th March 2010. More budding game design and development students from all over the UK will relocate to the University of Huddersfield’s cutting-edge and award-winning studios for yet another two-day intensive development session dedicated to gaming. The University of Huddersfield currently holds the X48 title, with teams placing first and second at X48 2009.

To register for Birmingham X48 visit, www.x48birmingham.eventbrite.com

and for more information on the Huddersfield event in March visit, www.x48huddersfield.eventbrite.com

Post-event, the playable versions of the X48 games will be made available for download at x48gamecamp.com where anyone can try them out and give the teams valuable feedback.

X48 Birmingham is proudly supported by Screen West Midlands, Advantage West Midlands, European Regional Development Fund, and us here at Game Central.