Unity has teamed up with Universal Pictures for the Universal GameDev Challenge, announced at GDC 2018 this week.

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GamesIndustry.biz reports participants will be given access to five iconic Universal IPs, and they have to create a concept for a game based on just one.The titles the indie devs will be able to use include Hollywood franchises like Back to the Future, Jaws, and Battlestar Galactica, as well as Turok, and DreamWorks' Voltron Legendary Defender.Microsoft and Intel will be providing technical support and mentorship for the participants.The developers have a month to prepare their pitch, with a panel of judges selecting six finalists. The successful studio stand to win a cash prize of $250,000, a consulting contract with Universal, and the chance to make their game concept into a reality."Universal initially came to Unity with the idea to give developers an opportunity to interact with their iconic brands," Unity's vice president of marketing Katrina Strafford told GamesIndustry.biz."We then brought Microsoft and Intel into the conversation, as we knew they would have a lot to offer the community as well. Ultimately, all of us are committed to providing great opportunities to our developer community, so it was a natural fit."Chris Heatherly, executive vice president of games and digital platforms at Universal, said the competition is a good way for the them to find new developers that wouldn't have been on their "radar" otherwise."What we'll be looking for is ultimately core gameplay. We're used to seeing early game prototypes all the time, so we're not necessarily looking at art or polish," he explained. "We know these are prototypes, not final games. What we'll be looking for is whether the game concept is fun to play - not just once, but repeatably - and whether it fits the core aspirations of the IP."Heatherly says Universal is "100% committed" to the contest, and is confident "something from this contest" will "come to market."

Shabana is a freelance writer who enjoys JRPGs, wine, and not finishing games. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram