Microsoft and Space Jam: A New Legacy are coming together for an epic partnership in the leadup to the film’s release in 2021. In celebration of the new movie, Xbox, Bugs Bunny and LeBron James are teaming up to help YOU create an original arcade-style video game inspired by the new movie.
Just announced on social, we’re on the hunt for the best fan-submitted video game ideas—the loonier, the better! Starting December 14 through December 30, fans ages 14 and up will be able to submit the game ideas they think will be a slam dunk at the official contest website. All you have to do is review the Official Rules, select the gaming genre of your choosing using a key image and describe your game idea in less than 500 words.
Two lucky winners will have their ideas brought to life in the official Space Jam: A New Legacy arcade-style video game, available as the newest Perk for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members in 2021. Winners will also receive the following prizes: their names featured in the game credits; an exclusive winner’s bundle with signed and authenticated LeBron James memorabilia, Space Jam: A New Legacy merchandise and Nike VIP packs, and a personalized Xbox Series S console; a private friends and family screening of the film; and a virtual Microsoft coding workshop for their local community.
To help coders of all ages jump-start their creativity, Microsoft Stores are hosting free, one-of-a-kind Space Jam: A New Legacy-themed virtual workshops on video game creation. Students will build a playable prototype of a video game using block-based coding on the MakeCode Arcade platform, all while learning about the professional skills and STEAM careers that are involved in game design.
The themed coding workshops are available online at aka.ms/SJANLcoding. You can also find additional resources and other free workshops that teach new skills and keep kids entertained this holiday season, on the microsoft.com virtual student workshop page.
Additionally, there are two Microsoft Learn lessons targeting more experienced coders, older teens, high school and college-aged students, and adults that focus on how to use player stats to help a coach make real-time decisions in the middle of a game. In the first lesson, you can predict efficiency ratings with machine learning and Visual Studio Code, using data from human and Tune Squad basketball players. The second lesson includes building a web app that uses additional machine learning models in real time to help a coach decide who needs a water break and who should be put in the game to yield the highest likelihood of winning. Think you have what it takes to lead a dream team?
LeBron James and co-stars Don Cheadle and Cedric Joe will help introduce the Microsoft Store and Learn lessons with short videos focusing on the power of computer science and coding. In the film, Joe plays James’s son Dom, who dreams of being a video game developer.
We’re so excited to join forces with Space Jam: A New Legacy to support computer science education. Our video game contest along with the coding workshops and lessons align with Microsoft’s greater skilling initiative, which aims at helping 25 million people—including those from under-represented populations—acquire new digital skills and apply them to their passions.
Microsoft and Warner Bros. have more exciting news to share in the coming months ahead of the official release of Space Jam: A New Legacy movie and video gamein 2021.
What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments!