playWRITE Blog

As promised, we’ve got studio sponsor news for you this week!

We’re happy to introduce you to NSI playWRITE’s latest industry partner: Radical Entertainment.

Founded in 1991 Radical Entertainment has developed games for game publishers such as THQ, Microsoft, and Fox Interactive and is responsible for such titles as Scarface: The World is Yours and Crash of the Titans. Radical is currently working on the recently announced game Prototype. Radical Entertainment will be taking part in NSI playWRITE for purposes of jury participation and the development of training camp curriculum.  Radical will also being considering candidates for internship opportunities.

Radical Entertainment brings yet another accomplished Canadian studio to the NSI playWRITE program alongside the likes of BioWare and EA Black Box.

We’re also pleased to announce the addition of cognitive-fitness game designer Fit Brains to the NSI playWRITE roster. Both studios will be assisting in jurying and curriculum development for NSI playWRITE’s boot camp.

It is an honor for the National Screen Institute, Telefilm and Zeros 2 Heroes  to be teaming up with Radical, and Fit Brains for NSI playWRITE –we’re excited to move forward with these and our other Canadian studio sponsors!

Although the application phase might be over, the studio partnership announcements continue to pour in. This week, we’re pleased to inform you of NSI playWRITE’s latest studio sponsor: Action Pants Inc.

Based in Vancouver, BC, Action Pants is an independent third-party game developer, specializing in video games for the Xbox 360 and PS3 game systems. An incorporated federal company established in April of 2006 by four industry veterans, Action Pants specializes in all-original IP works. Action Pants will be taking part in NSI playWRITE both in terms of jury participation and the development of training camp curriculum.

Action Pants brings yet another unique complement to NSI playWRITE’s curriculum alongside recently announced partners BioWare and EA Black Box.

It is a pleasure for the National Screen Institute, Telefilm and Zeros 2 Heroes  to be partnering with Action Pants for NSI playWRITE and we’re excited to move forward with the support of yet another proud Canadian studio.

Last week, we brought you the announcement of BioWare’s recently forged partnership with NSI playWRITE. This week, we’re pleased to introduce our latest partner–EA Black Box!

EA Black Box is a Canadian boutique game studio founded in 1998 responsible for developing the blockbuster franchise, Need For Speed. EA Black Box will be taking part in NSI playWRITE as both an internship provider and an active participant in the training camp curriculum.

Black Box’s Brett Sparks remarked “Black Box is a strong believer in the value of nurturing and developing creative talent. We look forward to partnering with The National Screen Institute, Telefilm Canada, Zeros 2 Heroes and our fellow industry sponsors to make the playWRITE initiative an overwhelming success.”

The National Screen Institute, Telefilm and Zeros 2 Heroes are proud to be collaborating with EA Black Box for this initiative and we look forward to the subsequent opportunities provided to the successful training candidates through this partnership.

There’s still more time to get your applications in for NSI playWRITE at http://nsiplaywrite.zeros2heroes.com.

Stay tuned for more studio partnership announcements!

It’s been a surging start to playWRITE and we’re seeing lot of new (and some quite enticing) pitches going up every day. However, up until now we’ve been mum on who the participating studios in NSI playWRITE will be.

Well, you’ve been waiting for it, and we’re proud to begin our announcement of collaborating studios for playWRITE with none other than BioWare.

BioWare, the creators of such hits as Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect will be working with the National Screen Institute and Zeros 2 Heroes to provide internship opportunities for the talent creative writers who manage to make it through the several grueling phases of NSI playWRITE’s training program.

BioWare’s Kevin Barrett commented on the new collaboration, saying, “the demand for quality game writers in our industry is increasing, but there are very few programs to develop this unique talent. I look forward to seeing the potential employees that NSI playWRITE can offer.”

BioWare will also be collaborating with the National Screen Institute and Zeros 2 Heroes alongside other game studios in the development of the playWRITE curriculum and training exercises.

We look forward to working with Bioware during playWRITE and look forward to announcing more of our partners over the coming days and weeks!