On Friday, September 12, the OXO Museum of Video Games in Madrid hosted the grand final of the second edition of the DevContest by AEVI (Asociación Española de Videojuegos / Spanish Video Games Association). This nationwide competition was open to all universities and schools in Spain, providing a platform for students to showcase and recognize emerging talent in the video game industry.
The final brought together finalist students from seven universities and schools across Spain, along with faculty, industry representatives, and AEVI members, highlighting the quality and potential of academic programs dedicated to game development in the country.
The Contest: Games and Portals
Participants competed in three categories: Programming, Art, and Design. Students in the Programming category faced the challenge of implementing a playable game, while those in the Art category were tasked with creating a fully developed character design. Both disciplines were tied together by a central theme: portals, a recognizable concept in video games used as devices for instant transport, connecting two points in space and allowing players to move from one place to another. A classic example is the renowned video game Portal, whose idea originated from a student project, Narbacular Drop by DigiPen, developed at our Redmond campus in the United States.
The contest showcased the creativity, innovation, and technical mastery of students from across Spain, emphasizing both their artistic vision and their ability to solve technical challenges under clear constraints.
Double Victory for DigiPen Europe-Bilbao
This year, DigiPen Europe-Bilbao students competed in two of the three categories in the contest — and won both:
Both Lucas and Suyay traveled to Madrid accompanied by DigiPen staff, who supported them throughout their stay. Some DigiPen alumni also showed up to the event awards reception to support their peers.
Their DigiPen Journeys and Breaking into the Industry
Lucas Serrano Barrenechea – Art Winner
Lucas graduated from DigiPen Europe-Bilbao in May 2025 with a BFA in Digital Art and Animation. He is currently working as a 3D Modeler at a subsidiary of 3Doubles, a studio renowned for titles such as Heidi, SuperKlaus, Helen, and Flamingo Flamenco.
During his time at DigiPen, Lucas contributed to the art of a 2D game Virtual Mayhem, created a solo 3D short film, and completed a study abroad year at DigiPen’s main campus in Redmond, Washington.
I’m super excited to have started working in the industry so soon after graduating. And events like the one organized by AEVI are a great opportunity for showcasing your work and making more connections.”
- Lucas
Suyay Charles – Programming Winner
Suyay recently graduated in Spring 2025 from DigiPen Europe-Bilbao with a BS in Computer Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation (RTIS). He is now working as a Game Designer at TellMeWow, a mobile video game company based in Bilbao.
During his studies, Suyay developed several ambitious projects, including the 2D video game developed in C++ Virtual Mayhem (where he collaborated with Lucas), a 3D game built entirely from scratch with a custom C++ 3D engine (CrashNBurn), and a senior capstone project, Numbra, developed in Unreal Engine alongside his peers. At the time of this article’s publication, Numbra had already been added to more than 180,000 Steam libraries.
I want to thank AEVI and, above all, DigiPen for trusting me to represent the Programming Department. It has been a pleasure to participate, to learn so much during the project, and to share this experience with people so passionate and motivated by the video game industry. For me, this recognition marks the beginning of a new stage that coincides with the start of my professional career. My goal is to grow, go far, and contribute my grain of sand to this ever-growing and successful community.”
- Suyay
A Meeting Point for Talent and Industry
Beyond the competition, the DevContest has become an important meeting point for students, universities, and the video game industry. Faculty, publishers, and professionals took part in networking sessions where ideas were exchanged, experiences were shared, and the connection between education and the professional sector was reinforced.
During the event, AEVI’s general director, José María Moreno, underlined the importance of initiatives such as this one: “These types of initiatives are important for Spain’s development sector because they promote national talent and encourage the professionals of tomorrow.”
Recognition and Future
As a warp-up, we warmly congratulate Lucas Serrano, Suyay Charles, and Marcos Molero, and all of the other finalists who showcased their work in the competition.
We also extend our thanks to AEVI for fostering this initiative, which strengthens the link between academia and the professional world, while providing opportunities for young talent to be recognized at the national level.
Shaping the future of games, one talent at a time.
