It's been a month since the day we visited the Very Big Indie Pitch in Helsinki. And only now I found time to talk a little bit about our experiences. Very Big Indie Pitch - is an annual event organized by Pocket Gamer within PG Connects for mobile indie developers from around the world.
This is a great opportunity to show themselves and game for representatives of the mobile gaming industry and gaming media. The "Pitch" takes place in the mode of speed-dating - 50 selected participants in turn sit at one of the tables with the judges and 4 reserved minute tell and show them your game when time is running out - it sounds a beep, and the pitchers go to the next table and so while not pass all five judges' table. After the judges selected three nominees for the victory, and then all the participants of "Pitch" is sent to the party. Thus ends the first day of the Very Big Indie Pitch. The next day, the nominees are given the opportunity to advertise itself to visitors PG Connects. Well, at the end of the second day is declared the winner, which is awarded the bat, and most importantly, why should all go to on this event - advertising package worth $ 7,000 by Steel Media. Also, the nominees and the winner has a great chance to be featured on the App Store and Google Play. Many mobile hits like Timberman, Pako, Createria, Bullet Boy et al. Got his fame by participating in VBIP.
We also had the chance to participate in this event by accident. While searching on the internet resources to promote "Adventures of Flig", we stumbled upon a page of application for participation. We sent application for participation and month later, we get message on email that we are among the 50 selected participants. And then we ponder - agree or refuse to take part. Despite the fact that this in itself is a good chance, and that the entrance to the event is free for selected participants, the main obstacle for us was the language barrier, Plus the lack of a visa to Finland. A couple of days of reflection, after weighing all the pros and cons, we still decided to participate. Prepared the pitch, we made visa and a week later flew to Helsinki.
Helsinki met us pouring rain, under which we got on arrival. Prior to the event was a couple of days that we spent on viewing sights and preparation for the "pitch".
PG Connects and with it the Very Big Indie Pitch opened September 7th. And on the same day it was my 26th and probably the most unusual birthday, which I did not accept gifts and presents, but felt like in school before the exam in English. We got to the venue, received their badges and took place in the hall "F" to expect the beginning. By this time the hall has already gathered some pitchers that absorb free snacks and discussed about hard life of an indie developer. More successful, such as "Two Men and a Dog" - the creators of "Zombie Catchers" sat at the rented tables with promotional materials of their game, and behind them on three large screens show the game trailers of participants, among whom was our trailer for "Adventures of Flig"
By two o'clock came judges and occupy their tables, among whom were: Matt Wilson (Rovio), Andreas Hoffman and Ravi Belwel (Samsung), Keith Stuart (Guardian), Peter Willington and James Gilmour (AppSpy), Harry Slater (Pokket Gamer). Then, Samsung as a sponsor said words, and "Pitch" is started. But as it turned out later, this is our expectation is not finished. When we went into the lobby, we had to first of all enroll and get a membership number, which we did not, and in result we were at the end of the list. So we had to wait for their turn and contemplate how to take turns five pitchers for several hours. At 6 pm turn came, and this time it seemed to me that I do not remember my learned speech. But after the start's sound, we sat down to the table with first judges, who were friendly tuned to the "Russians with bad English language" and in the end was pitching quite well (in our opinion). At the end all the pitchers got a baseball balls of Very Big Indie Pitch, after that all went into another hall where the stage announced the nominees for the victory and went to a party at a local club.
Yes, our game, unfortunately, did not become the nominees and winners of VBIP, but we're at it, of course, not really hoping (well, maybe just a little). In itself, entering the top fifty and participate in such an event, it was for us a very big event and an invaluable experience. "Adventures of Flig" - our first mobile game and the fact that Pocket Gamer chose it, and played it himself Matt Wilson from Rovio and other famous people of the gaming industry - this is a big win for us. Thank Helsinki and Pokket Gamer for this interesting time, we will continue to make games, and perhaps soon we will get not only the ball, but and winning bat of Very Big Indie Pitch!
