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The Initiative Creative Gaming bestowed the international Creative Gaming Awards in two categories as part of the PLAY - Creative Gaming Festival (October 31 - November 5, 2023). Artists and developers from around the world could propose games and playful media works that allow players to interact with the game in a creative way. In addition, all projects in the PLAY23 exhibition could win the Audience Award.

Creativity can mean overturning existing structures, finding new perspectives or simply questioning previous game ideas and finding originality. We do not want to restrict you in any way and we welcome all forms of video games, playful media and performances - whether they are games with a narrative focus; projects that play with the game controls as we know them; video games as media art; or whether you have developed a game that you find entertaining and that you would like others to play as well.

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NOMINEES

MOST CREATIVE GAME


The Most Creative Game award honors games and playful media works from around the world that give players the opportunity to interact creatively within the game. The creative freedom can arise in the interaction with the game, out of the game or in the mind of the player.
For example, works in this category may have multiple story paths, non-linear gameplay, role-play opportunities, unexpected interactions with other gamers, or be open to interpretation. The creativity of the players can also be stimulated by built-in editors or the possibility of enriching the game world with your own creations, designs and your own social rules.

The winners will receive prize money of 500€ and the PLAY AWARD trophy.

That's what the jury said:

“Different Strokes lets us live out a dream of exhibiting in a gallery, whether we consider ourselves talented or not. Leaving a painting to be finished, or finishing someone else’s, felt like giving a gift to an unknown stranger on another side of the world.

Ebitapes lets you be creative with different sounds you find in your surroundings and shows that you can make music out of the most ordinary things. Together with an adorable artstyle and a charming story it draws you in after playing it for the first seconds.

Sticky Business is a childhood dream come true! Anyone can create cute, funny or wacky stickers with the many images available in the game. Wonderfully colorful and adorable!

Trailmakers offers you a big variety of blocks and parts with which you can create all kinds of vehicles, contraptions and builds. Besides designing cars for specific races or collecting parts in the campagne players can unleash their creativity in the sandbox.

Leximan is a game that combines exploring a magical world and casting creative spells in such a humorous way that laughing is guaranteed. Whenever you interact with something or someone the game comes up with entertaining and fun ways to tell the story of the game.”

And the winner is..

Different Strokes

"The winner of this year’s Most Creative Game Award goes to a game that uses technology to let us be creative in a way that would not be possible otherwise. A game that generated surprising and original creative approaches that not even its developers could have foreseen. A game that makes a great effort to be inclusive and accessible, and where even the least confident creators can make half a masterpiece, and enjoy its completion as a creative gift from the ether."

Congratulations to the winner!
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AUDIENCE AWARD


During the festival, visitors of the festival could choose their favorite from all the works in the exhibition, which will also be honored with the PLAY trophy at the Awards Show.

And the winner is...
ZUSAMMEN FLUSS by studio playces


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The Jury

Awards Show

THE AWARDING CEREMONY TOOK PLACE AT:
November 4th, 2023 onsite and online at the PLAY – Creative Gaming Festival

We started off with a one hour live Let's Play by our Hosts Manu and OddNina, followed by the appearance of many guests and the announcements of the award winners.

PREVIOUS WINNERS

MOST CREATIVE GAME


MOST INNOVATIVE NEWCOMER


AUDIENCE AWARD

PLAY23 – Creative Gaming Festival is an event produced by the Initiative Creative Gaming e. V. and jaf – Verein für medienpädagogische Praxis Hamburg e. V.

Funded by Projektfonds Medien und Bildung Hamburg, der BĂĽrgerStiftung Hamburg, Gamecity Hamburg, Das Zukunftspaket des Bundesministeriums fĂĽr Familien, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend and JIZ - Jugendinformationszentrum Hamburg der BSB

Supported by the University of Applied Sciences Hamburg, dem Fonds fĂĽr kreative Zwischennutzung von der Freien und Hansestadt Hamburg und der Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, KUTI-Spiele, Fundus Theatre | Theatre of Research and Kurzfilm Agentur Hamburg

Sponsored by siebold/hamburg messebau GmbH, OPAK Entertainment Systems and Fritz Kola

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