In 2014, we piloted the NYU Game Center Incubator, an experimental program to support the work of our graduating MFA students. Five years later, our experiment has exceeded all expectations, funding thirty-eight games by sixty-six developers from NYU and across the country!
We’re proud to continue this program in 2019, with a cohort of four games Bizarre Barber, Crosshatch, despelote, and We Should Talk. This incredibly impressive cohort of eleven developers has already earned IGF nominations, IndieCade selections, Oculus grants and more for their work, and we’re excited to see how these four unique games develop over the next three months and beyond. Below you’ll find info on each of the games and teams in this year’s Incubator.
The success of the Incubator is made possible by support from many people and organizations, and in many forms. This year, we’re grateful to welcome Kowloon Nights as an Incubator sponsor. Kowloon Nights is a fund dedicated to independent video game developers globally. They share our vision of supporting the development and financial success of a wider range of games and game creators.
The Game Center continues to receive substantial support from New York State Empire State Development. New York State is committed to long-term investment in the game development industry in the state. Learn more about how New York state is investing in games here.
Bizarre Barber
by Synesthetic Echo
Bizarre Barber is a fast-paced VR action game for Oculus Rift set in a surreal world where you play as an alien barber providing stylish haircuts for eccentric clientele. Instead of a comfy adjustable chair you’d see in most barber shops, all of your clients move chaotically through the world unable to sit still even for a second. Players will make perfect cuts, dodge dangerous obstacles, catch speed boosts and power-ups, and even earn money to unlock new tools and new worlds. Can you keep up with the bizarre styling trends and hyperactive pace of this surreal metropolis?
SITE | TRAILER
Crosshatch
by Rustforms
Crosshatch is a first-person puzzle and exploration game set in a city fractured between dimensions. Cross dimensions to solve mind-bending spatial puzzles and explore a beautifully-rendered open world. Awaken sleeping spirits and unravel forgotten histories as you approach the ominous megastructure which casts its shadow over the city.
SITE | TWITTER
despelote
by Julián Cordero & Sebastián Velbuena
‘despelote’ is a single player, first person, semi-autobiographical narrative where players use a soccer ball to interact socially with the world and its characters. Throughout the game, the player will be exposed to the social ramifications of soccer. The game intends to separate itself from soccer as commonly seen on TV, instead, placing its focus on the sociopolitical context of soccer around the world, where it is played in streets and parks, and how it bleeds into many aspects of society.
SITE | TRAILER
We Should Talk
by Kat Aguiar, Nobonita Bhowmik,
Francesca Carletto-Leon, Jordan Jones-Brewster,
Carol Mertz, Jack Schlesinger
It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it. We Should Talk is a short narrative game that highlights the nuance of conversation.
Things are tense. Your partner’s been trying to get you to talk about the problems affecting your relationship, but you’re not sure if you’re ready. You head to your common haunt, a local bar where your best friend works, to relax and think things through. You discuss ongoing problems about life and romance with your partner over text, while also chatting with friends and strangers at the bar about what’s on your mind. The interactions you have and the perspectives you take affect how genuinely you can connect with your partner, and whether your relationship can survive the night.