This past weekend, on December 6-7, the Euskalduna Center in Bilbao hosted the 2024 edition of the Bilbao International Games (BIG) Conference, where DigiPen Europe-Bilbao made the difference by winning the Best Basque Game award for Abyssal and securing three additional nominations. The academic projects Abyssal, Mouse Ventures, and Zima Polaris showcased the talent of our students and the impact of DigiPen’s industry-connected education.
The BIG Conference, formerly known as the Fun & Serious Game Festival, brings together video game professionals with conferences, indie showcases, and networking sessions aimed at boosting the industry, fostering innovation, and supporting aspiring developers. Sergio Martínez, who manages film and festival relationships at DigiPen Europe Bilbao, shares that events like these offer students the chance to build industry networks, share experiences with other creators, collaborate with filmmakers and developers, present their work globally, and stay updated on industry trends. There’s also the chance of winning an award, which undoubtedly serves as an extra boost. “Being selected for a festival gives them a chance to make a name for themselves in the audiovisual and interactive entertainment industries.”, he adds.
Students dedicate significant time and effort to their animation and video game projects. Beyond the knowledge and experience gained, one of the greatest rewards is the chance to enter the Festival and Event Circuit.
- Sergio Martínez, Department Chair for Digital Arts and Film Production
That’s why we take great pride in having three of our titles reach the finals in the categories of Best University Game (Mouse Ventures) and Best Basque Game (Abyssal, Mouse Ventures, and Zima Polaris), with Abyssal ultimately taking home the award. Below, we delve into the projects that stood out at the event:
ABYSSAL
Abyssal is a 3D turn-based strategy game where a Monk, skilled in arcane magic, leads their minions into battle against hordes of enemy creatures. This academic project was developed by fourth-year students from the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital Art and Animation (BFA) — Miguel Santos, Susana Villar, Álvaro Rodríguez, and Pietro Cazzaniga — and Bachelor’s Degree in Real-Time Interactive Simulation (RTIS) — Jokin Martínez, Guillermo Hurtado, and Mikel Etxabe. The game was awarded the Best Basque Game, a recognition that none of the team members expected but embraced with great excitement.
Everyone congratulated us on the game and the award, even if they hadn’t played it. It made us feel incredibly proud.”
- Jokin Martínez, RTIS student
At BIG, they had a booth where attendees could try out their game. They proudly highlight the warm reception it received from players and the highly positive feedback they gathered.
Seeing that the work and effort of so many months is appreciated by someone is incredibly rewarding and motivates you to keep going.”
- Susana Villar, BFA alumni
ZIMA POLARIS
Zima Polaris is a video game created by second-year students from BFA — Peru García, Alma Garcías, Pedro Dinis, Ander Martínez, Asier Rodríguez, Irati Arranz, Carla Ni Alonso, Daniel Higuera, and Gema Ormazabal — and RTIS — Iker Quintana, Oihan Abruña, Pol García, Víctor Ibáñez, and Kenji Casado.
The game follows a small fox who, after being adopted by a family of birds, decides to climb the Zima Polaris mountain. What makes this project remarkable is that it was built entirely from scratch in C++, without using any external engine, in just nine months. The game received a nomination for Best Basque Game and provided its creators with an unforgettable experience.
MOUSE VENTURES
Mouse Ventures is a third-person puzzle game where a small mouse navigates through levels by using magnetism and light, guided by two magical books. The development team consists of fourth-year students from RTIS — Unai Madrazo, Jon Ander Eceiza, Adrián Montes, Adrián Alonso, Jon Legarretaetxebarria, and Aihotz Arruti — and BFA — Aiden Yerga, Mirari Cañaveras, Rong Hang, Zahira Gómez, Estíbaliz Gómez, Xinyi Liu, and Leire Santamarina.
The team received two nominations, for Best Basque Game and for Best University Game. Showcasing their game at BIG was the perfect way to cap off months of hard work, gain visibility as artists and programmers and, above all, connect with like-minded individuals and industry professionals.
The awards, while exciting, were secondary. What I take away from the event is the experience itself, beyond the impact the nominations might have on my career. Seeing so many people play our game was incredibly exciting.”
- Mirari Cañaveras, BFA alumni
Additionally, Asier Azkarraga, of the Fine Arts and Animation Department Chair, participated in a roundtable discussion on the Basque audiovisual industry. Meanwhile, Aitor Tejedor, a DigiPen graduate now working at Ubisoft Studio, delivered a talk on the critical role of optimization to maximize the performance of computer processors and graphics.
With three finalist titles, a Best Basque Game award, and the active involvement of our faculty and alumni, DigiPen Europe-Bilbao reaffirmed its commitment at BIG to shaping the future leaders of the video game industry. We continue striving to take innovation and creativity to the next level!