MELBOURNE – Wednesday 19 August, 2009 – The Game Developers’ Association of Australia (GDAA) today announced the expansion of the GDAA Indie Games Awards, the awards program designed specifically for emerging game developers and students in Australia.

“The Indie Awards were a huge success at last year’s GCAP, with an unprecedented number of entries received, all of an impressively high standard. So, this year we’ve decided to expand the competition by introducing two new categories – Best Gameplay and Best Graphics,” advised Tom Crago, President of the Game Developers’ Association of Australia.

“The GDAA Indie Game Awards are the premiere awards for emerging game developers and students in Australia and we look forward to an event greater response to the program this year. The winners will be announced at our Awards show held at GCAP in November,” he added.

In order to be eligible for the GDAA Indie Games Awards, entries must be unreleased and unattached to a publisher as at October 30, 2009 and games must be entirely the work of the entrant or be work to which the entrant has all necessary rights. The development team involved in making the game must not have received significant funding or payment for the production of the game. Only games developed in Australia and New Zealand are eligible for the program.

The finalists and winners of each of the Indie Games Awards categories will be determined by an expert panel which will be convened at Game Connect Asia Pacific 2009 (GCAP 2009).

“Each of the games that are shortlisted as finalists in their respective category will be on display during GCAP 09, giving finalists the unique opportunity to put their skills front on show to the industry,” Mr Crago commented.

“We’re urging any budding game developer eager to make their mark in the games industry to make sure they enter the GDAA Indie Games Awards,” he concluded.

Award guidelines are available at the GCAP website: www.gameconnectap.com