Presented by ExxonMobil, the XR Showdown™ allows college students the opportunity to work on enterprise VR/AR/MR development while being featured in a livestream TV show

HOUSTON, Texas, Aug. 20, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- What do you get when you mix ExxonMobil, college students, and an enterprise VR/AR/MR development opportunity with a livestream show? Hosted within Station Houston, the XR Showdown™ involves college students creating VR/AR/MR simulations and games for enterprise use, followed by a review by potential employers — all featured in a livestream TV show with presenting sponsor, ExxonMobil.    

Throughout the six-week long showdown, selected students and recent graduates from various universities including the University of Houston, The Art Institute of Houston, Houston Community College, and more, will be creating simulations and video games to assist in enterprise marketing, education, research or training efforts.

"ExxonMobil is leveraging XR to create a safer and more effective workforce," said Kyle Daughtry, immersive technology design lead at ExxonMobil. "We believe we are just hitting the tip of the iceberg with the technology and want to help drive it forward. XR Showdown™ represents an opportunity to continue on this journey together, while helping universities build the skills needed for the future of serious games." 

Non-profit and community supporters include Houston VR, the HoustonVR/AR Association, and AREA (Augmented Reality for Enterprise Association).  

A livestream TV show about the creation process will be broadcast on YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook each Friday from 7:00-9:00 PM central time throughout the event. After the event, the show will be released on Amazon Prime video. The live online audience will be able to rate and review the students and involve themselves with in-show participation moments. At the end of the month-long internship, each student team will showcase their sponsored project to their team sponsor in the hope that they land a job at the finale event on Friday, March 13th from 7:00-09:00 PM. 

Why mix an internship focused on VR/AR/MR simulation and video game development with a livestream show? 

"There are more educational degrees and programs for video game careers than ever before. With that rise comes a swell of graduates who will need jobs," notes Karen Snyder, Creator of the XR Showdown™, Managing Director of TYM Studio, and Adjunct Professor of Digital Media at the University of Houston. "Helping students see value in serious games and simulations is critical so that they realize there is more work to be found beyond entertainment studio positions."  

The production team includes a mix of professors from various educational institutions (University of Houston, Texas A&M, Houston Community College, The Art Institute of Houston, St. Edwards University, SMU Guildhall), professional game and technology mentors, and Emmy® award-winning broadcast producers. The collective goal of the event is to see digital media and technology students find work doing what they love best — creating solutions to problems using innovative means. 

"The livestream show format is 'Conan O'Brian' meets 'The Apprentice'," said Jon Lindgren, an award winning producer who is acting as a co-producer of the showdown. "It's a refreshing take on simulation production, and it's all about pushing the students through the ultimate internship while creating a serious game in the hopes they land a job." 

The event currently has a room for more team sponsors. 

"We welcome more companies to sponsor a student team," said Dennis Mathews, CEO of Revelation Interactive and Software Mentor in Residence for TYM Studio™. "We are always open to seeing value brought to sponsoring companies even as we train up students in best practices to bring to their future employers."  

The event includes a highly diverse group of video game professionals and instructors who will act as student mentors. Their efforts will be augmented by professionals offering their advice and expertise. 

Interested parties can assist the showdown by:

• Sponsoring a team or advertising in the show
• Co-Streaming the show on Twitch, Mixer, (and in certain instances, YouTube)
• Being a show ambassador and spreading the word on campus
• Watching the show and participating online, or at the finale event   

About XR Showdown™
Hosted within the Station Houston, the XR Showdown™ involves college students creating VR/AR/MR simulations and games for enterprise use, followed by a review by potential employers — all featured in a livestream TV show with presenting sponsor, ExxonMobil.    

The show is being produced by TYM Studio™, a B-corp pending transmedia student internship studio.

For more information visit: http://www.XRshowdown.com

About the TYM Studio
TYM Studio™ connects companies with technology and media college students through internships that drive innovation, talent development, and efficient project pipelines.

For more information, http://TYM.studio

About ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil, the largest publicly traded international oil and gas company, uses technology and innovation to help meet the world's growing energy needs. ExxonMobil holds an industry-leading inventory of resources, is one of the largest refiners and marketers of petroleum products, and its chemical company is one of the largest in the world. For more information, visit http://www.exxonmobil.com or follow us on Twitter.

Media Contacts
Karen Snyder, MFA
kys@tym.studio

SOURCE TYM Studio