For those of you not following along on Twitter or Facebook: Game Prototype Challenge version 5 has begun! The themes for this iteration are COMPANION and RISING, and games made for the Challenge should be completed by 11:59pm on Monday, April 25th, 2011. You can view the official start post on our site and join the conversation with us on Twitter using the #GPCv5 hashtag or on our Facebook page. We’re really excited to see the games that will be made this week, and hope you’ll join us in making something!

The GPC started as a Toronto-based event and though the majority of entries are still local, there are a growing number of global entries as well.  Let’s show the world the strength of game making in Toronto.  It’s good practice for TO Jam, too! Happy prototyping!

After four successful iterations of the Challenge and a total of 39 games created, the Game Prototype Challenge is coming back for version 5. If you haven’t heard of the Game Prototype Challenge (first mentioned on Hand Eye Society here) it is a spur-of-the-moment motivator for making games, utilizing not one but two different—and slightly contrary—themes which inspires people to make interesting and different games. Each version runs for a week, and thus far has produced a lot of very cool games for your enjoyment, which can be found on the Challenge’s website.

Now on to the good bit, the announcement of the fifth version of our Game Prototype Challenge: #GPCv5! Due to exams and Easter, we at the Game Prototype Challenge were worried about people being too busy. However, every single previous Challenger who we queried insisted we run #GPCv5 anyway, and so mark your calendars, #GPCv5 will run Monday, April 18th, 2011 to Monday, April 25th, 2011. Themes will be announced at noon EST on the 18th, and games due at 11:59pm EST on the 25th.

We hope to see a lot of new faces participating in the upcoming #GPCv5.  Please spread the word, and if you’ve been thinking about participating but haven’t yet we highly encourage you to do so.  Let’s make this the best Challenge yet!

Thoughts? Get in touch with us by means of any of Twitter, Facebook, or email and talk to us.