Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) is the latest tech giant to set its eyes on the fast-growing Indie gaming industry. The search giant is to host its first ever Google Play Indie Games in San Francisco on September 24. During the event, the company plans to showcase some of the best games developed by independent developers.

 Submission of Applications

Google is hoping to use the event to attract more indie game developers as it continues to bet big on the multi-billion industry. Developers in the US and Canada with a team of not more than 14 people can now submit their applications for games they intend to display at the event.

The deadline for submitting applications is August 14, after which the company plans to announce featured games. Fun games that deploy augmented and virtual reality stand the highest chance of being selected. The San Francisco event will also act as a curtain raiser to a much bigger indie gaming festival; Indiecade slated for October 14 in Los Angeles.

 Google’s Big Plan

Google’s own festival will be open to the public where the tech giant says small teams will have an opportunity to reach a new audience.  Getting a new game discovered in a world where new ones with big financial backing are cropping by the day is a big challenge for small developers, which the tech giant wants to address with such initiatives.

Exposure is not the only thing that the tech giant is promising Indie game developers with its upcoming event. Prizes such as Tango hardware as well as tickets to next year’s Google I/O conference will also be on offer on the big day. Developers also stand to get ad space in Google Play Store with their games.

The September 24 event also presents Google an opportunity to court some of the best talent when it comes to the development of Indie games.  The launch of an ‘Indie Corner’ on the Google Play Store all but affirms how serious the company is about popularizing Indie games.