Mason Korea concluded its third annual Progress@Play Competition, sponsored by leading gaming publisher, NCSoft, with an awards ceremony hosted on campus. The competition has seen consistent growth each year, and this year's event boasted the highest participation rate to date.
An unprecedented 70 teams and individuals from around the globe took part in the competition, including 42 teams in the university division and 28 teams in the middle and high school division.
From February to May, students submitted their works, using digital art to address pressing social issues. The submissions ranged from computer games and videos to animations, highlighting topics such as declining birth rates, aging populations, environmental challenges, youth unemployment, and gender conflicts.
Selected entries were showcased at Seoul City Hall Citizens' Hall for two weeks in May. A panel of judges, comprised of Mason Korea Computer Game Design (CGD) faculty John Doran, John McGrew, and James Broderick, and external judges, evaluated the final pieces.
Taking first place in this year's competition was the G-nonymous A Team, a student organization specializing in Computer Game Design at Mason Korea. Their thought-provoking computer game, "Sweet Descent," creatively used a bear collecting honey as a metaphor to emphasize the dangers of drug addiction.
"We're proud of our accomplishments and deeply grateful for this recognition," said a representative of the G-nonymous A Team. "We will continue to push boundaries and strive for innovation and excellence in all our endeavors," he added.
Additionally, Mason student Alex James (CGD, '25), a visiting student from the Fairfax campus, secured a well-deserved third place for his video game titled "Clean Corps."
The Progress@Play Competition, organized by Mason Korea's Strategic Partnerships Office, has demonstrated remarkable success over the past three years. Mason Korea plans to continue hosting this annual competition, aiming to promote the positive use of computer games and digital art while raising awareness of global social issues.
June 05, 2023