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Iran Computer and Video Games Foundation

The Iran Computer and Video Games Foundation (ICVGF), also known as the National Foundation for Computer Games (NFCG), is an Iranian nonprofit organization[dubious – discuss] established by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance to control and support the video game industry in Iran.

Established in 2007, the ICVGF is responsible for publishing and releasing video games, supporting Iranian video game developers, teaching video game development, and monitoring the activities of LAN gaming centers in Iran. The ICVGF is also responsible for banning foreign video games that are not compatible with Iran's political views, and filtering video game websites that do not meet governmental rules.

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Duties

The main duties of the ICVGF are:

  • Supporting and promoting game development in Iran10111213
  • Educating Iranian game designers, developers, and artists in Iran14151617
  • Managing the Entertainment Software Rating Association18192021 and the Game Development Institute22
  • Hosting officially-sanctioned gaming conventions and game jams in Iran232425
  • Promoting Iranian video games at regional and international gaming conventions and trade fairs2627282930
  • Governing and controlling video game sales in the Iranian market31323334

Video game bans

One of the responsibilities of the ICVGF is to ban video games that do not meet Iranian ideals or do not follow the Iranian government's media regulations. This is often done in conjunction with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. One notable ban was the 2016 video game 1979 Revolution: Black Friday, which, according to the ICVGF, presented "false and distorted information" about the Iranian Revolution.3536 The ICVGF blocked websites offering the game, and conducted an operation to confiscate all copies of the game in Iran.37 In 2012, the ICVGF denied Bohemia Interactive a license to sell Arma 3 in Iran due to its depiction of the Iran Armed Forces. Arma 3's plot depicts Iran as a leading member of the fictional coalition "CSAT", an antagonistic faction that fights the player's faction, NATO.38

Organization

Entertainment Software Rating Association

Main article: Entertainment Software Rating Association

In 2007, the ICVGF established the Entertainment Software Rating Association (ESRA), a self-regulatory organization that assigns age and content ratings for video games released in Iran.39404142

Iran Game Development Institute

In 2010, the ICVGF established the Iran Game Development Institute (IGDI), a video game development school, made for the purpose of training Iranian video game designers and developers. The IGDI regularly participates in game jams and gaming conventions hosted by the ICVGF, and often wins awards from them.4344454647

Video games developed by the Iran Game Development Institute
GameAwardEvent
Granny and GrimBest Indie Game of the Year1st Tehran Video Game Festival
Bloody StreetsBest Indie Game of the Year3rd Tehran Video Game Festival
Blue WatersBest Strategic Game of the Year4th Tehran Video Game Festival
Hate the Sin, Love the SinnersBest Selected ProjectGame Connection Asia 2013

Festivals and exhibitions

The ICVGF hosts gaming conventions and game jams in Iran for the purpose of garnering wider appeal for Iranian video games and the Iranian video game industry.

Iran Game Exhibitions 2011–2013
EventDateLocation in Tehran
1st Tehran Game Exhibition17–21 August 2011Milad Tower
2nd Tehran Game Exhibition13–17 August 2012Imam Khomeini Mosalla
3rd Tehran Game Exhibition13–17 August 2013Imam Khomeini Mosalla
Tehran Video Game Festivals 2011–2015
EventDate
1st Tehran Video Game Festival17–21 August 2011
2nd Tehran Video Game Festival13–17 August 2012
3rd Tehran Video Game Festival13–17 August 2013
4th Tehran Video Game Festival2 September – 2 October 2014
5th Tehran Video Game Festival20 May – 20 August 2015
Events hosted or sanctioned by the ICVGF
EventDate
Kashan GDC13 April
Persian Gold Game Development13 June
Global Game Jam13 January
Kashan GDC14 April
Ludum Dare 3014 August
NES Jam14 November
Ludum Dare 3114 November
Global Game Jam15 January
Tehran Indie Game Festival15 February

References

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  3. "Iran plans to block websites offering "1979 Revolution"". 17 April 2016. Retrieved 21 August 2016. http://www.tehrantimes.com/news/300689/Iran-plans-to-block-websites-offering-1979-Revolution ↩

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