Indie Game Contests
You can download a more detailed PDF version of Indie Game Contests here:
LAST UPDATE : JUNE 2023
Our goal is to collect information that may be useful to indie game developers. We try to keep this information as complete, accurate and up to date as possible, but things are always changing so we are counting on your support to help us! If you have any suggestions for additions or changes, please contact us at info@artigames.com
1) BAFTA Games Awards
Submission deadline: November
Finalists announced: March
Place: London
Entry Fee: £175 – £350 + VAT
Prizes:
– Trophy
Award Categories:
– Debut Game
– Original Property
Platforms:
All. You will be required to list a preferred platform for consideration.
Requirements:
Any game is eligible as long as it has been, or will be, released in the UK in the last year.
2) BIG Festival
Submission deadline: N/A
Finalists announced: June
Place: Sao Paulo
Entry Fee: Free
Prizes:
Trophy and a prize of R$ 5,000 for Best Game, Best Game: Latin America and Best Game: Brazil.
Award Categories:
– Awards from the Jury
– Best Game
– Best Game: Latin America
– Best Game: Brazil
– Best New Game
– BIG Impact: Educational Category
– BIG Impact: Social Matters Category
– BIG Impact: Best Diversity Game
– Best XR/VR
– Best Sound
– Best Art
– Best Narrative
– Best Gameplay
– Innovation
– Best Multiplayer
– Best Game for Kids
– Best Mobile Game
– Best Student Game
– Awards from the Audience
– Best Game: Popular Choice
Platforms:
All types of digital games will be accepted for any platform, console or media.
Requirements:
If the Game has been commercially released, the release must have taken place within 2 (two) years before the festival date.
3) Devcom Indie Award
Submission deadline: N/A
Finalists announced: August
Place: Flora Cologne
Entry Fee: N/A
Prizes:
– The award will be handed out in 3 awesome categories, each with a sweet 3,000 € prize.
Award Categories:
– Blockbuster
– Creative Overkill
– Optical Blast
Platforms:
All
Requirements:
The contestants are all developers and studios taking part in Devcom indie game exhibitions: the NRW Indie Showcase and the devcom Indie Market.
4) DevGAMM Awards
Submission deadline: May/September/October
Finalists announced: June/October/November
Place: Vilnius/London/Lisbon, DevGAMM
Entry Fee: $150 – $450 (ticket for DevGAMM)
Prizes:
– Showcased at DevGAMM.
Award Categories:
– Best Game of the Show
– Best Game from the Baltic States
– Most Anticipated Game
– Best Mobile Game
– Best Visual Art
– People’s Choice
Platforms:
All. (It is preferable if your game is playable on PC).
Requirements:
If the Game has been commercially released, the release must have taken place within 1 (one) year before the festival date.
5) DICE Awards
Submission deadline: December
Finalists announced: January
Place: Las Vegas/Reykjavik
Entry Fee: $1,000 or $250 for verified independent publishers/developers.
Prizes:
– Trophy.
Award Categories:
– Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game.
Platforms:
Console, handheld system, Windows, Mac, Mobile, Tablet, XR HMD, web.
Requirements:
Any game is eligible as long as it has been, or will be, released in North America the last year.
6) Game Connection Development Awards
Submission deadline: July/December/April
Finalists announced: N/A
Place: Paris/Shanghai (Chinajoy)/San Francisco/Online
Entry Fee: Free
Prizes:
– Nominees will be invited to attend Game Connection America, Game Connection Europe or Game Connection Chinajoy. They will benefit from two complementary business passes.
Award Categories:
– Best console game
– Best PC game
– Best mobile / tablet game
– Best casual game
– Best hardcore game
– Best visual art and design
– Best story / storytelling
– Best upcoming game
– Grand Award
– People’s Choice Award
Platforms:
All.
Requirements:
Companies submitting their project must be looking for funding, publishing, distribution (worldwide, regional or domestic), investment or promotion for that specific project.
Nominees will be responsible for their own travel costs, meals, accommodation, and any other associated costs.
7) Game Developers Choice Awards
Submission deadline: N/A
Finalists announced: March
Place: San Francisco, GDC
Entry Fee: Free
Prizes:
– Trophy
Award Categories:
– Best Debut Game
Platforms:
All
Requirements:
Games eligible for The Game Awards must be available for public consumption.
All games are automatically eligible for nomination. There is no formal submission process for Game Developers Choice Awards.
8) Game Development World Championship
(GDWC)
Submission deadline: June
Finalists announced: August
Place: Online/Helsinki, Finland
Entry Fee: Free
Prizes:
– $8,500 cash Prizes and Dev Partnerships $20,000+ value.
– Trip to Finland & visits to Finnish Game Studios for one Team Representative.
Award Categories:
– VR & AR Award
– Made-With-Houdini Award
– Hobby Award
– Indie Award
– Action Award
– Best Web3 Game
– Studio Award
– Mobile Award
– Gcore Cloud Award
Platforms:
All.
Requirements:
Games still in-development and games fully released in past 12 months.
9) Games for Change Awards
Submission deadline: February
Finalists announced: N/A
Place: New York
Entry Fee: Free
Prizes:
N/A.
Award Categories:
– Best Board or Tabletop Game for Impact
– Most Innovative
– Best Gameplay
– Most Significant Impact
– Best Learning Game
– Best Civics Game
– Best Health Game
– Best Narrative Game
– Best XR for Change Experience
– Best Student Game
– Vanguard Award
– Industry Leadership Award
– G4C Accessibility Award
– G4C Giving Award
– G4C People’s Choice Award
– Game of the Year
Platforms:
All.
Requirements:
Games released in past 15 months.
All games must fall within the broad confines of being a ‘game for change,’ addressing real-world challenges, improving people’s lives, driving social change, serving as critical tools in humanitarian and educational efforts, inspiring learning, encouraging empathy, or making a difference.
10) Gamescom Award
Submission deadline: July
Finalists announced: August
Place: Cologne, Gamescom
Entry Fee: 1 category 360 euros / Submission Best Indie only 69 euros
Prizes:
Trophy.
Award Categories:
– Best Indie Game
– 19 more categories
Platforms:
All
Requirements:
All exhibitors of gamescom who booked an exhibition space at the Entertainment Area are eligible to enter.
Only games with a release date between the start of current gamescom and next gamescom in Germany may be submitted.
11) Independent Games Festival
Submission deadline: November
Finalists announced: January
Place: San Francisco, GDC
Entry Fee: $75 (regular), $25 (student)
Prizes:
| – Seumas McNally Grand Prize | $10,000 |
| – Excellence in Visual Art | $2,000 |
| – Excellence in Audio | $2,000 |
| – Excellence in Design | $2,000 |
| – Excellence in Narrative | $2,000 |
| – Nuovo Award | $2,000 |
| – Best Student Game | $2,000 |
| – Audience Award | $2,000 |
Each Finalist will receive:
– Two (2) GDC All Access passes
– Up to Five (5) Exhibitor Passes
– A mention in the IGF Awards Show program
Award Categories:
– Excellence in Visual Art
– Excellence in Audio
– Excellence in Design
– Excellence in Narrative
– Nuovo Award
– Best Student Game
– Audience Award
– Seumas McNally Grand Prize
Platforms:
PC, console, mobile, handheld platforms and VR.
Requirements:
All Entered Games must either be currently released, or be substantially feature-complete.
You must have intent, at the time of submission, to release the game within 12 months of the IGF Ceremony, if your game is not already released or publicly playable.
12) IndieCade – International Festival of
Independent Games
Submission deadline: May
Finalists announced: October
Place: Online
Entry Fee: $75
Prizes:
– Opportunity to participate in our signature GameTasting (show-and-tell).
– VIP passes for your full team.
– PR game promotion, including pre and post event social releases and media outreach.
– Team members from all selections will be entered into the Festival’s Developer Summit (IndieXchange), including developer networking.
Award Categories:
Universal Awards Categories
– Grand Jury Award
– Jury Prix
– Innovation in Experience Design
– Innovation in Interaction Design
Spotlight Awards Categories
– Procedural Design
– Tabletop Game
– Location Based and Live Play
– Narrative Game
– Performance
– Impact Game
– Audio Design
– Visual Design Special & Honorary Award Categories
– Developers Choice
– Audience Choice
– Trailblazer
– Game Changer
– Bernie DeKoven Big Fun Award
Platforms:
All – tabletop, VR, AR, Escape Rooms, Zoom Games, mobile, traditional digital games, and more.
Requirements:
Submissions may be published or unpublished, but their development may not be fully funded by a publisher. Partial funding, marketing help, etc. are valid ways to have a relationship with a publisher while still being eligible for IndieCade.
13) Intel Pixel Awards Europe
Submission deadline: April
Finalists announced: May
Place: Warsow, Poland, Pixel Heaven Games & Pop Culture Festival
Entry Fee: Free
Prizes:
– The creators of the game that qualify (nominees) for the final will receive a 4 sqm. exhibition space. The organizer will provide each of the creators with an exhibition stand at the Pixel Expo area, which will comprise a 2×2 m area with a table, two chairs, a power socket, powerful PC and professional screen and WiFi access.
The creator will also receive two free entry cards for the entire event.
– The winners will receive the prizes funded by the Partners of Pixel Heaven Games & Pop Culture Festival. Additionally, the winner of the Big Fish Grand Prix, Indie Grand Prix and the creators of the winning games in particular categories will receive an annual subscription of the PSX Extreme monthly and a review of their games in the magazine.
Award Categories:
– Big Fish Grand Prix
– Indie Grand Prix
– Best Gameplay
– Best Art
– Best Audio
– Best Story
– Retro Roots
– Big Bang!
Platforms:
All. (We treat VR and Mobile simply as one of many platforms, on a par with, for example, PC or PS5).
Requirements:
It is permissible to submit a game that has not premiered yet, in demo or prototype version.
Games that were available on the market in the last year, cannot be submitted for the contest, regardless of the form of distribution, model of payment, gameplay mode, and access (incl. Early Access).
14) Reboot Develop Indie Award
Submission deadline: April/November
Finalists announced: April/November
Place: Dubrovnik/Banff
Entry Fee: 385-1,385 euros
Prizes:
– Reboot Develop Indie Package for the next iteration of the Reboot Develop event.
– Unique Reboot Develop Blue 2023 award plaque/ statuette.
Award Categories:
– Game of the year
– Outstanding Gameplay
– Visual Excellence
– Best Audio
– Special Selection
Platforms:
PC, Mac, console, VR, AR, XR, handheld and/or mobile.
Requirements:
The state of the submitted project/game can be in the active development, Early access (presence on the market not longer than 9 months) or full release (presence on the market not longer than 6 months). Every studio/company or individual that submits a project/game for Indie Award must be independent, i.e.:
– Majority of the ownership and control of the company/studio belongs to the company/studio or an individual itself and is not owned and/or controlled by a video game publisher, investor, or third-party company.
– The production of the submitted project/game is funded in majority through the various independent sources.
15) The Game Awards
Submission deadline: N/A
Finalists announced: December
Place: Los Angeles, Microsoft Theater
Entry Fee: Free
Prizes:
– Trophy.
Award Categories:
– Best Debut Indie
Platforms:
All
Requirements:
Games eligible for The Game Awards must be available for public consumption.
All games are automatically eligible for nomination. There is no formal submission process. Qualified developers and publishers can contact The Game Awards to receive the list of voting outlets.
