R Franco, the major manufacturer, held its second Game Weekend in Madrid with more than 50 developers, marketing experts and visual artists taking part as the programme of investment to encourage newcomers to the games and gaming industry moved to the next level in Spain.
December 19 saw the IE Business School section for entrepreneurs taken over by the Game Weekend and the developers were given the task of creating a Christmas-related game in 15 hours.
A jury judged the winner, who received financial backing for their new start-up business as a prize. It went to a game named Goodboy and its developers entered the Wanajump Incube, Franco’s pre-acceleration programme for entrepreneurs.
In the winning game, children were able to communicate with Santa Claus with the parents taking the role of Santa. Children asked for their Christmas presents and the parents decided how many sweets they had to "unlock" for each present. Challenges are set – usually household chores – to be rewarded by sweets.
Franco’s new digital initiatives have been presented to universities and business schools and the Game Weekend is the result. The finalists included at least one student from Madrid’s Higher School of Design.
