MONMOUTH, Ore. – Western Oregon University hosted the 17th season of the Oregon Game Project Challenge, a video game development competition for middle and high school students. 

Each fall, OGPC announces a theme for the year’s competition, which is typically held in May. Teams then work together to design a video game based on that theme to present at the main event. Students interact with judges, event attendees, and tech industry professionals during the competition.

This past May, 60 teams (285 students) participated, representing over 30 schools from Oregon and southern Washington. Each team has between 2-7 members and an adult coach. See this year’s winners.

Western has hosted the competition since 2017 and will host it again next year. The date for next year’s event will be announced this fall. “OGPC seeks to inspire students to develop various skills based on their passion for making video games,” shares Andrew Scholer, director of OGPC. “Students write code, create art and music, craft a story, and design gameplay. They learn project management and teamwork as they collaborate over multiple months to deliver a project. And they practice their soft skills as they present their project to judges and other students.”

OGPC was started by a non-profit arm of the Software Association of Oregon (now the Technology Association of Oregon). In 2015 it was spun off as an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit also called Oregon Game Project Challenge. Learn more.

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About Western Oregon University

Western Oregon University, established in Monmouth in 1856, proudly stands as Oregon’s oldest public university. Hosting around 4,000 students, Western embodies a mid-sized, NCAA Division II institution, with approximately 80% of its students hailing from within the state. Notably, its diverse student body comprises individuals from underrepresented backgrounds, veterans, and non-traditional learners. Western stands as the preferred campus in Oregon for those pursuing an enriching education within a nurturing, student-focused environment, characterized by faculty-led instruction. Where YOU belong.