Concept
Pair Law Center students with Computer Science students (and, where useful, Bauer students working in AI) to design AI-powered platforms that expand Access to Justice, with a primary focus on Texas courts and self-represented litigants and a design that can scale nationally. The competition emphasizes usable legal-help tools rather than consumer “apps.” Texas courts have repeatedly asked for tools that help unrepresented parties navigate filings, deadlines, and plain-language process. A structured contest can produce prototypes that students learn from and that courts or legal-aid partners might actually try.
Structure and Eligibility
Who Can Participate?
Open to undergraduate, graduate, and professional students enrolled in FY27 in good standing.
Team
Teams of two to four, each team preferably including at least one Law student and at least one CS student (Bauer students working in AI welcome as additional members).
Information
An information session, offered in person and by webinar and open to all students, will introduce the competition and provide a mechanism for pairing interested students across Law, Computer Science, and Business.
Awards: gold, silver, and bronze medals, presented at the April 20, 2027 ceremony.
Participants & Team Qualifications
Confirm that you and your team meet the eligibility requirements before registering.
Student Eligibility
- ✓ Successfully complete a full load at the University of Houston main campus Fall 2026.
- ✓ Register for a full load at the University of Houston in Spring 2027.
- ✓ Be in good academic standing.
Team & Industry Restrictions
- ✓ Participants cannot have prior employment in the video game industry.
- ✓ A student cannot join more than one team in one category.
- ✓ Each student may join one team in each category.
- ✓ Each team must designate one team leader for registration and communication.
Game Platform, Content & Rating Guidelines
All submissions must comply with content, originality, and rating rules to remain eligible.
Platform Requirements
The game must be designed to run on one of following platforms:
- PC or Mac
- Virtual Reality (VR)
- Smartphone
- Tablet
For details, refer to the ESRB Ratings Guide on the official ESRB website.
ESRB Rating Requirement
Game rating must be no higher than Everyone 10+ (E10+) according to the ESRB ratings guide.
- May contain cartoon or fantasy violence.
- May contain mild language.
- May contain minimal suggestive themes.
For details, refer to the ESRB Ratings Guide on the official ESRB website.
Disqualification Criteria
A game will be disqualified if:
- It contains sexually suggestive themes, strong violence, and/or strong language.
- It uses unauthorized copyrighted materials (art, music, characters, code, etc.).
- More than 50% of the game is produced using AI.
- It is a copy of an existing game (over 50% similarity).
Competition Schedule
Follow each round from registration to final winners:
Round 1 – Team Registration
Duration: October 08, 2026 - November 6, 2026
Each team designates a team leader who registers the team on the Centennial Games website by submitting:
- Team leader's name
- UH Cougarnet email address
- Official team name
After registration, the leader receives a team code used by members to join the team. Teams that submit all required info by Friday, November 13, 2026 advance to Round 2.
Round 2 – Storyboard Submission
Duration: November 14, 2026 – December 11, 2026
A team leader must submit ONE storyboard by the closing date of Round 2. Teams that submit the storyboard by Friday, December 11, 2026 advance to Round 3.
Round 3 – Preliminary
Duration: December 12, 2026 – February 26, 2027
A team leader must submit the following entry materials in ONE zipped file by the closing date of Round 3:
- One (1) Game Summary Document
- One (1) Game Play Instructions
- One (1) Playable Game
Among teams that submit the entry materials by Friday, February 26, 2027, top 25 teams will advance to Round 4.
* The maximum file size for the Round 3 submission is 1 GB
Round 4 – Semi-Final
Duration: February 27, 2027 – March 26, 2027
A team leader from each must submit the following entry materials in ONE zipped file by the closing date of Round 4:
- One (1) Updated Game Summary Document
- One (1) Updated Game Play Instructions
- One (1) Updated Playable Game
- Three (3) Game Screenshots
- One (1) Game Demo Video
Among teams that submit the entry materials by Friday, March 26, 2027, top 10 teams will advance to Final Round.
* The maximum file size for the Round 4 submission is 1.5 GB.
Final Round
Duration: March 27, 2027 – April 16, 2027
Final Demo & Playtesting Date: April 16, 2027
A team leader from each must submit the following entry materials in ONE zipped file by Thursday, April 15, 2027:
- One (1) FINAL Game Summary Document
- One (1) FINAL Game Play Instructions
- One (1) FINAL Playable Game
- Three (3) FINAL Game Screenshots
- One (1) FINAL Game Demo Video
On April 16, 2027, the finalists (top 10 teams) will be invited to a live demo and playtesting round at the final in LOCATION TBD. Here is a sample of what the finalists can anticipate competing in the Final:
- Ten finalists’ game demo videos will be viewed by the judges in series
- Each finalist has up to 5-minute live presentation to judges presenting its game design submission
- Ten 15-minute hands-on game play sessions for judges to play finalists’ games
- At the end of the game play sessions, the judges will select 3 best teams as winners of UH Centennial Game in Game Design Category. The ranking for these 3 winners (1st, 2nd and 3rd places) will be revealed at the Award Ceremony.
* The maximum file size for the Final Round submission is 1.5 GB.
Award Ceremony
Duration: Tuesday, April 20, 2027
Final Demo & Playtesting Date: April 16, 2027
The winners from the Final Round will be invited to the Award Ceremony at LOCATION TBD.
- 1st Place: $6,000, to be divided equally among each officially registered member of the team
- 2nd Place: $3,000, to be divided equally among each officially registered member of the team
- 3rd Place: $1,000, to be divided equally among each officially registered member of the team
* The mentor will NOT be awarded any portion of the monetized prize winnings listed above.
Judging Criteria
A mixed panel of faculty, Ph.D. students, recent alumni, State Bar representatives, and legal-tech practitioners would score submissions on:
impact (how many people the tool could help); usefulness and accuracy of legal content; originality and sophistication of the AI design; elegance, efficiency, and responsiveness; user interface and experience; accessibility and multilingual support; feedback mechanisms; generalizability beyond a single county or docket; and comprehensiveness of the work product.
Administration
- Professor Chandler will draft competition rules, recruit Law students (including from LLMs for Lawyers and the Center for AI, Law and the Legal Profession), and handle most administration.
- The Law Center is in the process of launching a center on AI, Law and the Legal Profession, and support for this Centennial Games competition will be part of that new body's activities. Dr. Chen, Associate Chair of Computer Science, who coordinates Computer Science's Centennial Games proposals to reduce overlap among them, will serve as CS point person for liaison, CS publicity, and coordination with other Games competitions.
- Chair Damian Dechev has endorsed the concept. A modest faculty stipend, as offered in the August 20 call, would support judging and student mentoring.
- The University would host registration and the public website; the proposers will supply guidelines within a week of approval so that work can proceed on the published Games calendar.
Ready to Register Your Team?
Ensure your team meets all qualifications.
- All team members are eligible UH main campus students for Fall 2026.
- Designated team leader with UH Cougarnet ID and email address.
- Unique team name confirmed.
- Understanding of E10+ rating, AI, copyright, and content rules.
Team Registration
Contact Us
If you have any questions about the contest, please reach out to Chandler, Seth J, Professor Dean, Law at SChandler@Central.UH.edu.