Research in Motion, after a number of postponements, has finally declared January 30, 2013 as the launch date of its next generation mobile platform, Blackberry 10. RIM will hold its launch events simultaneously at multiple locations around the world. The events will also mark the launch of the first two Blackberry 10 smartphones. Details on the smartphones and their availability will be announced along with their launch.
Last December, RIM said that it was planning to launch new BB10 phones in late 2012, a delay from an expected mid-2012 launch. Now that it has postponed the launch to late January and given that Microsoft has recently joined the party with Windows Phone 8; the dream comeback that RIM is hoping for looks increasingly uphill.
Nevertheless, RIM has gone all-in to lure game developers with its BlackBerry Got Game Port-a-Thon. It’s an online event dedicated for developers who can create games for the upcoming Blackberry or have an existing game that they’d like to port to Blackberry 10.
In the 36-hour event starting on November 16, RIM will shell out $100 for each gaming app that gets accepted to the BlackBerry App World. Moreover, if you get more than 2 apps accepted, you’ll get a Blackberry PlayBook tablet in addition to the cash. More than 5 apps gets approved? If you’re among the first 100 to do it, they’ll reward you with a Dev Alpha device. Now, if you get more than 10 apps approved and you’re among the first 10 to do so, RIM will fly you to its Game Developers Conference in San Francisco to be held in March 25-29, 2013!
In addition to the cash and the hardware, Blackberry technical guys will provide live support and would help you in your game development or porting, during the event. You’ll also have access to high-profile RIM gaming personalities and presentations that share insider tips and tricks.
Google pitched free high-end Android handsets to developers at the 2010 Game Developers Conference to sit through some of their game development sessions. Taking a leaf out of Google’s book, RIM is trying to regain the land lost to competitors like Apple, Google and Microsoft by trying to populate its ‘App World’ with apps that have high entertainment value. Nevertheless, this is a good opportunity for developers who are into games, to get some free bucks and BlackBerry hardware.
So, if you’re ready for the upcoming event on November 16, get yourself registered and get the required tools rolling, which might help you earn some Blackberry goodies for good. For more information on BlackBerry 10, have a look at our detailed discussion with Sarim Aziz, of the Developer Relations team at Research in Motion.
