A MAZE. / Berlin 2025

14th International Games and Playful Media Festival

WELCOME TO THE A MAZE. AWARDS SYSTEM

SUBMIT YOUR GAME & PLAYFUL MEDIA WORK / REGISTER FOR SELECTION COMMITTEE

Since 2012 A MAZE. awards The Most Amazing works. The winner is selected by an interdisciplinary, international and 100% independent jury. We extended and changed awards in the many years since, our categories are now: “Most Amazing Award”, “Human Human Machine Award”, “Long Feature Award”, “Digital Moment Award”, “Explorer Award” and “Audience Award” as well as the "WINGS Award".

A MAZE./ is looking for works pushing the medium of playful arts - fully finished works, demos, experiments, interactive performances, installations, immersive theater or prototypes are welcome! 🎟️ Submissions are 50€ (35€ early bird until end of 2024) or pay what you want between 0 and 30€ with the help of the Supporter Tickets.

Every submission gets you:
- review by the selection committee and A MAZE curation
- feedback with scores and optional written notes
- possible live let's plays by streamers (if you give permission)
- listing on our website
- get on the A MAZE radar for talks, program points or future collaborations
- early access to the Open Screens registration (timed slots in the exhibition)
- 3 discount codes for the festival tickets (price of early bird, no matter when you submit).

Each nominee and honorable mention will receive news buzz and a spot in our onsite exhibition - Travel and building up booths is optional! Besides winning one of the Awards with their attached 1000€ price money (2000€ for the main price), every exhibited work at the festival has the chance to additionally win the Audience Award.


CHECK OUT LAST YEARS

NOMINEES, WINNERS and the HISTORY


Artists can register or use a previously used account to submit their work (automatically for all award categories, submission-fee 0-30€/€35/50€ per Entry - Early Bird ending with end of 2024) between December 16, 2024, and January 31, 2025. We support community tickets (pay more so others can take part too or use up to three Supporter Ticket Boosters for yourself). Check the Conditions of Participation.

Members of the Selection Committee can register or reactivate a previously used account to test Submitted Works between January 13, 2025, and February 24, 2025. To reactivate an account, simply log in, edit your Profile and select "2025" in the drop-down in your Jury Profile. Reviewing 5 or more entries will allow members of the Selection Committee to get a 25% discount at the festival tickets.


Register as Artist Register as Selection Committee


IT'S ALL ABOUT COMMUNITY

Join the A MAZE. Discord, where we invite anyone to showcase their works to our international playful media and arthouse games community. Hold livestreams, get feedback, discuss current topics or be part of the open playtests if you become a member of the selection committee. A MAZE. is all year around!

A MAZE. Discord


TIMELINE

Dec 16: Start of Submissions and Jury-Registration
Jan 13: Judging Wave 1
Jan 27: Judging Wave 2
Jan 31: Submission Deadline
Feb 11: Judging Wave 3
Feb 24: Judging ends
Mar 10: Announcement Nominees
May 14: A MAZE. / Berlin starts online and onsite
May 16: Award ceremony

How we review
The international Selection Committee reviews all entries and rates them based on innovation, potential, interdisciplinarity, social/cultural/political impact, aesthetics and overall awesomeness. They also leave comments and suggest a category. The A MAZE./ Berlin team builds upon that base and selects the nominees. After the nominee selection, a final jury of 5 experts, including the winner of the previous year, has the honor to select the winners.


If you just want to showcase your work for a few hours - Please apply for the open screens around one month before the festival, post your work in our A MAZE. Discord or become part of the A MAZE. Bazaar - the only and first international market for arthouse games, independent games and playful media productions which gives authors and digital artists the opportunity to meet with publishers, funding institutions, art institutions and collaborators. Submissions and Honorable Mentions in the Award Contest will be notified and preferred.

Read the directors statement | More about the award categories


Have a look at the last years editions:



2024 Recordings of Talks and Shows Weird Games Manifesto by Zeph & Ramo


If you have any questions, please contact us at award_at_a-maze.net.

More about A MAZE. / Berlin 2025
Festival-Tickets available here

Organized by A MAZE.
Check out the 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2029, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 editions!