Rising Tides - XP Gaming

Launch your game dev career!

Why participate?

Develop Your Skills: Learn from industry experts and hone your game development abilities.
Showcase Your Talent: Get your game in front of judges and potential collaborators.
Network and Connect: Build valuable connections within the game development community.
Win Amazing Prizes: Compete for exciting prizes and recognition.
Have Fun: Enjoy the creative process and the thrill of competition.

Open to all skill levels, you’ll connect with fellow developers, receive mentorship, and showcase your work at XP Indie Biz Connect Atlantic in Charlottetown.

Ready to make your dream a reality?

Here's how it works:

Sign Up: Register your interest in the competition.
Form Your Team (or Go Solo!): Gather your friends or fly solo – the choice is yours!
Reveal the Theme: Get ready for the exciting theme reveal that will inspire your game creation.
Create Your Game: Dive into the development process, bringing your unique vision to life.
Virtual Learning Sessions: Enhance your skills with exclusive virtual workshops led by industry professionals.
Showcase Your Game (In Person!): Present your masterpiece at the Live Showcase at the XP Indie Dev Connect, where you’ll get to demonstrate your game to judges and attendees (At least one member must attend to showcase your game).
Connect with the Industry: Network with industry leaders, potential collaborators, and fellow developers.
Celebrate the Region: Join us at the East Coast Kitchen Party to celebrate the winners of the competition!

Dive into an 8-week competition: build your game, learn from industry experts, and compete for the $5,000 grand prize plus tickets to the Montreal International Games Summit 2025, Canada’s premier gaming event.

Important Dates:

March 24: Theme Drop – Find out what theme you’ll base your game around
May 16: Submission Deadline – Submit your game to be evaluated by our panel of judges
June 6: Showcase: show off your game and connect with the industry at XP Indie Biz Connect Atlantic

Rules & Guidelines

Eligibility:

Participants must reside within Atlantic Canada (Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, or New Brunswick)
Participants must be 18-25 years old.
Eligible participants include current students, recent graduates (within 5 years), and young developers.
Teams can have up to 3 members, or individuals can submit solo.
All participants must have an XP Indie Biz Connect Atlantic pass and showcase at the conference
Only one game submission per team/individual is allowed.

Game Requirements:

Games must be an audio visual computer video game.
Games must adhere to the competition theme.
Games must be original creations, though pre-existing engines and royalty-free assets (with attribution) are permitted.
Games must be playable on Windows PC, with hardware/software requirements clearly stated.
Submissions must be playable, even if they are prototypes.
Detailed documentation (game title, team, description, instructions, asset list) is required.
Submissions must be in ZIP formatted google drive link.
Games must not contain discriminatory content.

Submission Process:

The Competition will run for 8 weeks from March 24 – May 16
Judging will take place from May 17 – June 5
Theme will be announced on March 24
Participants may join anytime before the final deadline, as long as their submission is in and they have a pass for the XP Indie Biz Connect Atlantic, but will not be granted any extra time or access to missed resources.

Deadline: May 16, 2025 at 11:59 PM ADT.

Submission via a Google Form which will be provided no later than a week before the submission deadline.
Confirmation email upon successful submission.

Judging:

Criteria:

- Theme interpretation (3 Points)
- Gameplay (5 Points)
- Design (5 Points)
- Art & Audio (5 Points)
- Technical Execution (3 Points)
- Creativity (5 Points)
- (See Full Rules and Regulations for detailed a detailed breakdown of the criteria)
Judges’ decisions are final.

Other Key Points:

Prizes: To be announced. Winners will be announced at the XP Indie Biz Connect Atlantic awards ceremony at the East Coast Kitchen Party.
Showcase: Competitors must present games at the XP Indie Biz Connect Atlantic conference. Details will be provided following the final deadline.
IP: Participants retain IP their rights; however, organizers may use submissions for promotional materials.
Disqualification: Violations of rules, cheating, plagiarism, or discriminatory content will lead to disqualification.
Amendments: rules and dates can be changed by the organizers.
Contact: Questions should be directed to the competition organizers.

partners

Gold partner

Silver partner

Bronze partners

Key partners

Programming Schedule

	House of Sovereigns	Finding Your Voice: UBCP/ACTRA Collaboration Station	Funding Room by CMF	Discovery Room
9:00 am	Caffeination Connection & Welcome Remarks 9:00 am - 9:30 am Enjoy life-affirming caffeine and snacks to kickstart your day with your fellow industry pros!	Morning Events in House of Sovereigns 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
9:30 am	Scratching the Surface: Early Findings from the First National IDM Profile since 2012 9:35 am - 10:00 am Kristian Roberts, CEO of Nordicity, will reveal initial findings from the most recent profile of Canada’s interactive digital media industry. It is the first time that the entire IDM industry has been measured since 2012. How has the industry evolved over the last twelve years? What does the data show us about the industry in 2024? Join Kristian as he scratches the surface of this key industry information.
10:00 am	You Must Self-Publish: The Future of Funding Your IP 10:00 am - 11:00 am It’s rough out there. Despite recent indie successes, it is harder than ever to get your IP funded. Publishers, investors, and platforms are shifting the burden of proof that success is possible to the developer. It seems developers need to presumptively self publish in order to build up initial momentum/hype/traction so they can demonstrate to the publishers that their game is worth publishing! On average, publishers sign below 1% of the games they are pitched. What’s a developer to do? Start the self publishing process! This lecture will cover the current state of indie funding and publishing deals, and make the case that all studios need to start their marketing and community efforts asap. Further, that such efforts are what open the door to more funding and support options.
10:30 am
11:00 am	Trends and Innovations in the GameDev Market: The Role of Artificial Intelligence in High Tech 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
11:30 am
12:00 pm	Lunch 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm (served on-site)
12:30 pm
1:00 pm	Networking 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm (20 min. Sessions)	Game Changer: The UBCP/ACTRA Low Budget Video Game Agreement Explained 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Learn how you can collaborate with local, union Voice talent on a budget, with UBCP/ACTRA's New Low Budget Video Game Agreement	Path to Funding: Roundtable Discussion 1:00 pm - 1:30 pm Learn how to fund your game with in-depth insights and strategies from fellow indie devs, the CMF, and game studio accountants from Insert Coin Accounting. Registering VIA the MeetToMatch platform is the ONLY way to guarantee your spot at the table.	Ask Games Lawyers Anything Roundtable 1:00 pm - 1:30 pm Have you been pondering an interesting legal question but haven’t had the opportunity to ask? In that case, please join us for an AMA with experienced (and very friendly!) in-house and external lawyers where you’ll have a chance to ask and discuss legal questions regarding game development. Note it's recommended to register for a session via MeetToMatch to guarantee a spot.
1:30 pm		Influencer Marketing Focused Topic: Twitch Integrations and Audience Interactions 1:30 pm - 2:00 pm Deep dive into strategies around designing Twitch integrations and campaigns around audience engagement to lengthen tail of game coverage on Twitch. Reference Cult of the Lamb's Twitch integration success as well as other indies.	Path to Funding: Roundtable Discussion 1:30 pm - 2:00 pm Learn how to fund your game with in-depth insights and strategies from fellow indie devs, the CMF, and game studio accountants from Insert Coin Accounting. Registering VIA the MeetToMatch platform is the ONLY way to guarantee your spot at the table.	Ask Games Lawyers Anything Roundtable 1:30 pm - 2:00 pm Have you been pondering an interesting legal question but haven’t had the opportunity to ask? In that case, please join us for an AMA with experienced (and very friendly!) in-house and external lawyers where you’ll have a chance to ask and discuss legal questions regarding game development. Note it's recommended to register for a session via MeetToMatch to guarantee a spot.
2:00 pm		Marketing From Day One: How to Build Your Marketing Plan Throughout Development 2:00 pm - 2:30 pm Don’t leave your marketing until the end of development! Starting marketing early supports game design decisions, strengthens your announcement and launch, organizes timelines, and reduces stress. Marketing Director Tia Young discusses how to build your marketing plan and materials throughout your game’s development using her proven marketing template with examples from RimWorld - Anomaly and RimWorld - Biotech. By the end of the talk, developers will be equipped with powerful tools to create their own plans covering platforms, PR, social media, and more.	Path to Funding: Roundtable Discussion 2:00 pm - 2:30 pm Learn how to fund your game with in-depth insights and strategies from fellow indie devs, the CMF, and game studio accountants from Insert Coin Accounting. Registering VIA the MeetToMatch platform is the ONLY way to guarantee your spot at the table.	Ask Games Lawyers Anything Roundtable 2:00 pm - 2:30 pm Have you been pondering an interesting legal question but haven’t had the opportunity to ask? In that case, please join us for an AMA with experienced (and very friendly!) in-house and external lawyers where you’ll have a chance to ask and discuss legal questions regarding game development. Note it's recommended to register for a session via MeetToMatch to guarantee a spot.
2:30 pm		Key Business Imperatives for Game Studios Today 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm	Is Self-Publishing the Future of Game Marketing? Roundtable 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm With the gaming industry’s current economic conditions affecting developer/publisher relations, the decline of traditional platform exclusivity, and a growing shift towards direct-to-consumer models, self-publishing has become a viable alternative for many game developers. Join us for a candid roundtable discussion with industry experts and fellow developers as we delve into the potential of self-publishing as the future of video game marketing.	Play & Share 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm Gaming is what unites us and we all want to try each other’s work. Bring your laptop to share your work and try others. Super casual - drop in and out as you like.
3:00 pm			Is Self-Publishing the Future of Game Marketing? Roundtable 3:00 pm - 3:30 pm With the gaming industry’s current economic conditions affecting developer/publisher relations, the decline of traditional platform exclusivity, and a growing shift towards direct-to-consumer models, self-publishing has become a viable alternative for many game developers. Join us for a candid roundtable discussion with industry experts and fellow developers as we delve into the potential of self-publishing as the future of video game marketing.
3:30 pm		Blurred Realities: Creating Marketing That Brings Your Game To Life 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm Crafting marketing and community strategies that turn curious players into zealous fans has never been more challenging and expensive — and more necessary! In this presentation, Steven Messner, PR & Communications Lead of Blackbird Interactive, details campaigns he led for Warframe and Devolver Digital that blurred the lines between reality and fiction, immersing players in these vivid worlds long before they hit play. Through Steven’s insights and learnings, attendees will understand how to leverage their own games’ world, story, and characters to build scalable, more evocative marketing and stronger communities.	Is Self-Publishing the Future of Game Marketing? Roundtable 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm With the gaming industry’s current economic conditions affecting developer/publisher relations, the decline of traditional platform exclusivity, and a growing shift towards direct-to-consumer models, self-publishing has become a viable alternative for many game developers. Join us for a candid roundtable discussion with industry experts and fellow developers as we delve into the potential of self-publishing as the future of video game marketing.
4:00 pm	XP Indie Biz Connect Happy Hour Presented by DLA Piper 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Join us to wrap up an eventful day with a drink and great company!
4:30 pm	Closing 4:30 pm - 5:00 pm

	House of Sovereigns	Finding Your Voice: UBCP/ACTRA Collaboration Station	Funding Room by CMF	Discovery Room
9:00 am	Caffeination Connection & Welcome Remarks 9:00 am - 9:30 am Enjoy life-affirming caffeine and snacks to kickstart your day with your fellow industry pros!

	House of Sovereigns	Finding Your Voice: UBCP/ACTRA Collaboration Station	Funding Room by CMF	Discovery Room
9:30 am	Scratching the Surface: Early Findings from the First National IDM Profile since 2012 9:35 am - 10:00 am Kristian Roberts, CEO of Nordicity, will reveal initial findings from the most recent profile of Canada’s interactive digital media industry. It is the first time that the entire IDM industry has been measured since 2012. How has the industry evolved over the last twelve years? What does the data show us about the industry in 2024? Join Kristian as he scratches the surface of this key industry information.

	House of Sovereigns	Finding Your Voice: UBCP/ACTRA Collaboration Station	Funding Room by CMF	Discovery Room
4:30 pm	Closing 4:30 pm - 5:00 pm

	House of Sovereigns	Finding Your Voice: UBCP/ACTRA Collaboration Station	Funding Room by CMF	Discovery Room
1:30 pm		Influencer Marketing Focused Topic: Twitch Integrations and Audience Interactions 1:30 pm - 2:00 pm Deep dive into strategies around designing Twitch integrations and campaigns around audience engagement to lengthen tail of game coverage on Twitch. Reference Cult of the Lamb's Twitch integration success as well as other indies.

	House of Sovereigns	Finding Your Voice: UBCP/ACTRA Collaboration Station	Funding Room by CMF	Discovery Room
2:00 pm		Marketing From Day One: How to Build Your Marketing Plan Throughout Development 2:00 pm - 2:30 pm Don’t leave your marketing until the end of development! Starting marketing early supports game design decisions, strengthens your announcement and launch, organizes timelines, and reduces stress. Marketing Director Tia Young discusses how to build your marketing plan and materials throughout your game’s development using her proven marketing template with examples from RimWorld - Anomaly and RimWorld - Biotech. By the end of the talk, developers will be equipped with powerful tools to create their own plans covering platforms, PR, social media, and more.

	House of Sovereigns	Finding Your Voice: UBCP/ACTRA Collaboration Station	Funding Room by CMF	Discovery Room
3:30 pm		Blurred Realities: Creating Marketing That Brings Your Game To Life 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm Crafting marketing and community strategies that turn curious players into zealous fans has never been more challenging and expensive — and more necessary! In this presentation, Steven Messner, PR & Communications Lead of Blackbird Interactive, details campaigns he led for Warframe and Devolver Digital that blurred the lines between reality and fiction, immersing players in these vivid worlds long before they hit play. Through Steven’s insights and learnings, attendees will understand how to leverage their own games’ world, story, and characters to build scalable, more evocative marketing and stronger communities.

House of Sovereigns

Caffeination Connection & Welcome Remarks
9:00 am - 9:30 am

Enjoy life-affirming caffeine and snacks to kickstart your day with your fellow industry pros!
Scratching the Surface: Early Findings from the First National IDM Profile since 2012
9:35 am - 10:00 am

Kristian Roberts, CEO of Nordicity, will reveal initial findings from the most recent profile of Canada’s interactive digital media industry. It is the first time that the entire IDM industry has been measured since 2012. How has the industry evolved over the last twelve years? What does the data show us about the industry in 2024? Join Kristian as he scratches the surface of this key industry information.
You Must Self-Publish: The Future of Funding Your IP
10:00 am - 11:00 am

It’s rough out there. Despite recent indie successes, it is harder than ever to get your IP funded. Publishers, investors, and platforms are shifting the burden of proof that success is possible to the developer. It seems developers need to presumptively self publish in order to build up initial momentum/hype/traction so they can demonstrate to the publishers that their game is worth publishing! On average, publishers sign below 1% of the games they are pitched. What’s a developer to do? Start the self publishing process! This lecture will cover the current state of indie funding and publishing deals, and make the case that all studios need to start their marketing and community efforts asap. Further, that such efforts are what open the door to more funding and support options.
Trends and Innovations in the GameDev Market: The Role of Artificial Intelligence in High Tech
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Lunch
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

(served on-site)
Networking
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

(20 min. Sessions)
XP Indie Biz Connect Happy Hour Presented by DLA Piper
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Join us to wrap up an eventful day with a drink and great company!
Closing
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm

Finding Your Voice: UBCP/ACTRA Collaboration Station

Morning Events in House of Sovereigns
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Lunch
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

(served on-site)
Game Changer: The UBCP/ACTRA Low Budget Video Game Agreement Explained
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Learn how you can collaborate with local, union Voice talent on a budget, with UBCP/ACTRA's New Low Budget Video Game Agreement
Game Changer: The UBCP/ACTRA Low Budget Video Game Agreement Explained
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Learn how you can collaborate with local, union Voice talent on a budget, with UBCP/ACTRA's New Low Budget Video Game Agreement
Influencer Marketing Focused Topic: Twitch Integrations and Audience Interactions
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm

Deep dive into strategies around designing Twitch integrations and campaigns around audience engagement to lengthen tail of game coverage on Twitch. Reference Cult of the Lamb's Twitch integration success as well as other indies.
Marketing From Day One: How to Build Your Marketing Plan Throughout Development
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Don’t leave your marketing until the end of development! Starting marketing early supports game design decisions, strengthens your announcement and launch, organizes timelines, and reduces stress. Marketing Director Tia Young discusses how to build your marketing plan and materials throughout your game’s development using her proven marketing template with examples from RimWorld - Anomaly and RimWorld - Biotech. By the end of the talk, developers will be equipped with powerful tools to create their own plans covering platforms, PR, social media, and more.
Key Business Imperatives for Game Studios Today
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Blurred Realities: Creating Marketing That Brings Your Game To Life
3:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Crafting marketing and community strategies that turn curious players into zealous fans has never been more challenging and expensive — and more necessary! In this presentation, Steven Messner, PR & Communications Lead of Blackbird Interactive, details campaigns he led for Warframe and Devolver Digital that blurred the lines between reality and fiction, immersing players in these vivid worlds long before they hit play. Through Steven’s insights and learnings, attendees will understand how to leverage their own games’ world, story, and characters to build scalable, more evocative marketing and stronger communities.
Closing
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm

Funding Room by CMF

Morning Events in House of Sovereigns
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Lunch
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

(served on-site)
Path to Funding: Roundtable Discussion
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm

Learn how to fund your game with in-depth insights and strategies from fellow indie devs, the CMF, and game studio accountants from Insert Coin Accounting. Registering VIA the MeetToMatch platform is the ONLY way to guarantee your spot at the table.
Path to Funding: Roundtable Discussion
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm

Learn how to fund your game with in-depth insights and strategies from fellow indie devs, the CMF, and game studio accountants from Insert Coin Accounting. Registering VIA the MeetToMatch platform is the ONLY way to guarantee your spot at the table.
Path to Funding: Roundtable Discussion
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Learn how to fund your game with in-depth insights and strategies from fellow indie devs, the CMF, and game studio accountants from Insert Coin Accounting. Registering VIA the MeetToMatch platform is the ONLY way to guarantee your spot at the table.
Is Self-Publishing the Future of Game Marketing? Roundtable
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm

With the gaming industry’s current economic conditions affecting developer/publisher relations, the decline of traditional platform exclusivity, and a growing shift towards direct-to-consumer models, self-publishing has become a viable alternative for many game developers. Join us for a candid roundtable discussion with industry experts and fellow developers as we delve into the potential of self-publishing as the future of video game marketing.
Is Self-Publishing the Future of Game Marketing? Roundtable
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm

With the gaming industry’s current economic conditions affecting developer/publisher relations, the decline of traditional platform exclusivity, and a growing shift towards direct-to-consumer models, self-publishing has become a viable alternative for many game developers. Join us for a candid roundtable discussion with industry experts and fellow developers as we delve into the potential of self-publishing as the future of video game marketing.
Is Self-Publishing the Future of Game Marketing? Roundtable
3:30 pm - 4:00 pm

With the gaming industry’s current economic conditions affecting developer/publisher relations, the decline of traditional platform exclusivity, and a growing shift towards direct-to-consumer models, self-publishing has become a viable alternative for many game developers. Join us for a candid roundtable discussion with industry experts and fellow developers as we delve into the potential of self-publishing as the future of video game marketing.
Closing
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm

Discovery Room

Morning Events in House of Sovereigns
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Morning Events in House of Sovereigns
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Lunch
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

(served on-site)
Ask Games Lawyers Anything Roundtable
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm

Have you been pondering an interesting legal question but haven’t had the opportunity to ask? In that case, please join us for an AMA with experienced (and very friendly!) in-house and external lawyers where you’ll have a chance to ask and discuss legal questions regarding game development. Note it's recommended to register for a session via MeetToMatch to guarantee a spot.
Ask Games Lawyers Anything Roundtable
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm

Have you been pondering an interesting legal question but haven’t had the opportunity to ask? In that case, please join us for an AMA with experienced (and very friendly!) in-house and external lawyers where you’ll have a chance to ask and discuss legal questions regarding game development. Note it's recommended to register for a session via MeetToMatch to guarantee a spot.
Ask Games Lawyers Anything Roundtable
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Have you been pondering an interesting legal question but haven’t had the opportunity to ask? In that case, please join us for an AMA with experienced (and very friendly!) in-house and external lawyers where you’ll have a chance to ask and discuss legal questions regarding game development. Note it's recommended to register for a session via MeetToMatch to guarantee a spot.
Play & Share
2:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Gaming is what unites us and we all want to try each other’s work. Bring your laptop to share your work and try others. Super casual - drop in and out as you like.
Closing
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm