The Initiative Creative Gaming bestowes 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 can 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.
🎉🎉🎉
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.
Different Folks
US, 2022
Your friend, a conceptual artist, has invited you to their latest exhibition. You enter expecting to see their art adorning the walls, but to your surprise, the VISITORS are the ones drawing the art — they’re even drawing over each other’s work! It’s up to you to protect the exhibition from being covered in artwork that is, intentionally or otherwise, truly awful.
Geese&Goose
HU, tba
Go on an adventure to meet fun new friends, help them out, and create delicious beats along the way! Record the sounds of the world and make your own cool music.
Knights of Borria
UK, tba
Do you like silly hats? Were you that one kid in class who broke reality? Are you eating nutritional slime right now? Embark on a brilliant adventure, using words and incompetence to solve bizarre problems. There are also hat goblins.
Spellgarden Games
DE, 2023
Experience the joy of running your own cozy small business: Create stickers, pack orders and hear your customers’ stories. Time to build the cutest shop on the internet!
Flashbulb
DK, 2019
Build the ultimate vehicle and explore a vast open world filled with challenges and adventure. Play solo or team up with friends in multiplayer to conquer the toughest obstacles. With a thrilling campaign mode and endless creative possibilities, Trailmakers is the ultimate sandbox for adventurers.
The Jury
Awards Show
THE AWARDING CEREMONY TAKES PLACE AT:
November 4th, 2023 onsite and online at the PLAY – Creative Gaming Festival
We will start 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.
This is what it looked like last year:
PREVIOUS WINNERS
MOST CREATIVE GAME
Artholomew Video's Stream Challenge
Alistair Aitcheson
Song of Bloom
Philipp Stollenmayer
Welcome to Elk
Triple Topping
Do Not Feed the Monkeys
Fictiorama Studios
Keyboard Sports
Triband
FRU
Through Games
Among the Sleep
Krillbite Studios
MOST INNOVATIVE NEWCOMER
It's a Wrap
Chanko Studios
Marble Run
No Time
Pile Up!
Seed by Seed
Symbio
Jesper Bergman, Kristina Stiskaite, Zhang Hangning, Wang Kaijun, Alexander Sinn, Merve Metinkol, Songqiao Cai
Tell Me What You See
Pesky Bees
FAR: Lone Sails
Mr Whale’s Games Service
Lucid
Carina Anziger, Philip Sonnleitner, Dominik Winter, Bianca Zankl, Florian Peinsold
AUDIENCE AWARD
Giga Bash
Passion Republic Games
Marble Run
No Time
Grave Call
Totally not a game studio
Symbio
Jesper Bergman, Kristina Stiskaite, Zhang Hangning, Wang Kaijun, Alexander Sinn, Merve Metinkol, Songqiao Cai
Close the Leaks
Henning Steinbock
Streitwagen Simulator
David Lieb, Ulrike Mayer und Daniel Kaufmann
JOLLY JOUSTING!
Elitza Todorova, Marvin Podsenek and Raphael Polte
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