The Big Hypercasual Pitch at Pocket Gamer Connects Digital #8

We’ve been hosting the Big Indie Pitch for over eight years now, travelling all around the world in order to highlight the best and brightest from the talented world of Indie development. From London, San Francisco, Busan, Cologne, and even, in the last 18 months, completely online, we’ve offered developers a chance to showcase their games to a panel of talented experts in a series of short, quick-fire sessions.

The gaming world, and in particular the mobile space, has changed drastically in that time! Most recently we’ve seen the hypercasual genre boom. So, in collaboration with our event sponsors Sunday, we’ve established the Big Hypercasual Pitch! This fresh take on the format will enable developers of hypercasual games far and wide the opportunity to pitch their latest project to a range of hypercasual-focused judges (including journalists, publishers, investors, and notable developers). They’ll answer questions and share expert insight on their game. What’s more, we’ll be doing this online, so there’s no need to even leave your home or office… Even better, it’ll take place as a part of Pocket Gamer Connects Digital #8, and all shortlisted developers get a free ticket for the whole conference, not just for the pitch.

For those who have previously been a part of a pitch, the format remains very familiar. This unique speed-dating format gives each developer five minutes with a couple of experts, before moving on to the next, meaning entrants will get real feedback from the event, honing their pitch across a series of small meetings.

The winner, alongside the runners-up, will receive editorial coverage on PocketGamer.Biz, making this a perfect opportunity to get your studio and your game acknowledged by the world.

Plus you could potentially win a very special prize from our sponsors Sunday, who are offering the top 3 exclusive mentoring/coaching focusing on creating a profitable hit hypercasual game with the end goal of signing a publishing agreement.

Big Hypercasual Pitch Prizes

The top 3, alongside any honourable mentions will:

• Be covered in our winners’ article on PocketGamer.Biz
• Be interviewed for PocketGamer.Biz
• Receive tickets to a future PGC of their choice
• Receive a Certificate (Digital) to commemorate the placement

Additionally, the winner will also receive:

• Booth space at a future physical PGC of their choice
• A slot within PocketGamer’s LaunchPad event as part of BIP roundup
• A very special prize from our sponsors Sunday, who are offering the top 3 exclusive mentoring/coaching focusing on creating a profitable hit hypercasual game with the end goal of signing a publishing agreement.

What? How? Who?

How it’ll work couldn’t be simpler. We’re inviting hypercasual developers from around the world to join us in order to pitch their games to our expert panellists.

Approximately 15 teams will run the gauntlet, giving their all in quickfire five-minute pitches to demonstrate how their title works. Can they persuade the experts that their hypercasual game is worthy of being crowned the first-ever Big Hypercasual Pitch winner? Renown in the games media awaits!

Be a part of it

Fancy the chance of winning the first-ever Big Hypercasual Pitch, but wondering if your game qualifies? Here’s a quick-glance checklist of criteria:

The basic criteria:

• Games must be level-based and presented in portrait mode
• Gameplay must be quick and rewarding with level durations being approximately 30 seconds
• Games must not include a metagame or deep complex systems
• Ideally, the game will have only one mechanic and can be played with one hand
• Games must be easy to pick up and play without a tutorial by those who regularly play games and those who don’t alike
• You can pitch your game even if you’ve pitched it at a previous BIP
• We prefer to see unreleased games, though we’re happy to see games that are out too
• Developers must not currently have a publisher for the game they submit

All submissions will be notified if they are successful in their application to pitch at the event. Please note that all entrants must be able to attend the event and Steel Media will not cover costs associated with getting to the event.

The closing date for entries is Friday 17th September 2021.

*****Please note that the sooner you enter the better a chance of being shortlisted you have. We advise not leaving it until the deadline to apply. If you enter early and wish to update your entry, please email Sophia Aubrey Drake ([email protected]).*****

Just want to attend the event?

Pitchers get free entry to the show, but if you want to just simply attend and check out all the talks, use the meeting system, and join us for a week of all things gaming, then no problem.

The Big Hypercasual Pitch is suitably placed inside Pocket Gamer Connects Digital #8, the brand new all-digital event from the makers of the world’s leading mobile games industry conference, Steel Media, and there are even some great offers on tickets for indie developers.

Check out the official site for more information…