AR headset-maker Magic Leap is in hot water with indie developers over its Independent Creator Program.
Announced late last year, the Independent Creator Program promised funding and resources for smaller developers building Magic Leap apps. Studios with less than 20 members could apply for grants between $20,000 – $500,000. At the time, Magic Leap said it would screen applications and decide how much money to provide winners. Successful applicants were also promised free Magic Leap One kits and marketing support among other benefits.
According to the timeline shown on Magic Leap’s site, entrants were to be “offered grants on a rolling basis through February 15, 2019.” In an email sent by Magic Leap to applicants shown to UploadVR, the company said it would let them know if they had been selected “no later than February 15th, 2019.”
But, three days on from that date and some developers are claiming that they haven’t been notified as to if they were successful or not. Magic Leap’s official Twitter account yesterday told people to “Stay tuned for more info on who and what was selected.”
After months of reviewing the most innovative and imaginative ideas #mixedreality has ever seen, we’ve selected the recipients for this year’s #IndependentCreatorProgram. Stay tuned for more info on who and what was selected. pic.twitter.com/IgAZ8Nul80
— Magic Leap (@magicleap) February 17, 2019
Meanwhile, Chief Content Office, Rio Caraeff, stated that unsuccessful applicants would be notified, but contacting the winners was the “first phase”.
Yes. But first phase is notifying each selected winner, offering them grants, paperwork, funds, etc. If not accepted, we move to offer to others.
— Rio Caraeff (@riozilla) February 15, 2019
Yesterday, Caraeff added that anyone that hasn’t been notified by now probably wasn’t selected in “this first wave”.
If you have not been notified by now, then you likely were not selected in this first wave.
— Rio Caraeff (@riozilla) February 17, 2019
Some developers seem to feel as if they’ve been left in suspense. One AR developer told me they had spent around $3,000 on assembling their submission for the grant and had even put off investor meetings in hopes of hearing by now. One developer on Twitter said the situation had them considering dropping Magic Leap support. Over on the official forums, another said they may have to turn down the grant if they aren’t notified by the end of the month.
We’ve reached out to Magic Leap to find out when developers will know for sure if they’ve been accepted or not.
Tagged with: Magic Leap, Magic Leap One
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via Mint VR