Bacause the Amstrad CPC is both a limited 8bit machine and a well rounded one : has sound, colours, straight-forward video modes, needs everything to be coded due to lack of very specialized co-CPU... and because those machines were suppsoed to be tools to learn computers (the OS is basically a coding interface/language), this may be some clever learning experience that a whole past generation of badroom bedroom coders used to live and now they are the executives and major projects leaders of the industry.
While originally opened to student from the university, it went on to be a more open contest, with veteran sceners as well as past students and contestants trying to progress or win some of the prizes.
With time, more Prizes, rewards and categories are now distributed.
Physical copies of the productions are available each years edition : a Tape Compilation of the released games can be purchased each year to run on real Tape based Amstrad CPC.