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2021 Serious Play Awards
International Serious Play Awards honor outstanding commercial and student titles used for education or training. We have three separate award programs:
- Digital Learning Games (Professional)
- Digital Games Created by Students
- Learning Tabletop/Board Games (Professional and Student)
Entry categories include: Corporate/Vocational; Healthcare/Medical; Local and State Government/Military; Pre-K Education; K-12 Education; Higher Education; Museum/Visitor Centers/Non-Profit; Other.
Judging Criteria
Entries are judged on the following elements:
- Orientation
- Engagement
- Interactivity/Feedback
- Learning Objectives
- Assessment
- Aesthetics
- Gameplay
Entries accepted for Digital and Tabletop/Board categories until February 9, 2021, 11:59 PM, US Eastern time.
Student category is due by March 1, 2021, 11:59 PM, US Eastern time.
Payment due by deadline for entry to be evaluated. Please review the full application form before submitting your game. The entry information you provide is given to the judges and the basis on which they evaluate your entry.
Digital Game Entry
You must provide access to the game for up to 8 judges. This access (code or link) must be available through May. We can judge most digital two-user games. Games are evaluated on the basis of being a stand-alone product.
At this time, we do not have the capability to judge:
- digital multi-user games or games requiring high-end technology platforms,
- games requiring more than 4 hours to judge adequately,
- streaming games or games on Kinect
We cannot evaluate games on the basis of a video or a demo version. Judges must be able to play the game.
Send any questions regarding this application to awards@seriousplayconf.com
Fees for Professional Digital Game Entry
- Large Studio (25+) / Corporation/ Medical Institution/ Publisher - $400
- Mid-sized Studio (10 - 25 employees) - $350
- Museum/NonProfit/NGO/University Studio - $300
- Independent Studio (9 or fewer employees) - $250
- Ed Tech Teacher, Individual - $200
Student Digital Game Entry
The definition of a student digital game is one that was conceived by students and produced with light guidance by college faculty or high school advisers. Games produced in a university-affiliated studio for sale to the commercial market must be entered into the Professional category. Deadline for Student Created Digital Games entries is March 1.
Fees for Student Digital Game Entry
- College Student Entry (ages 19-22, student creation; not commercialized) – $100
- High School Student (ages 18 or younger) – $75
You must provide access to the game for up to 8 judges. This access (code or link) must be available through May. We can judge most digital two-user games. Games are evaluated on the basis of being a stand-alone product.
At this time, we do not have the capability to judge:
- digital multi-user games or games requiring high-end technology platforms,
- games requiring more than 4 hours to judge adequately,
- streaming games or games on Kinect
- games requiring a facilitator supplied by the entrant.
We cannot evaluate games on the basis of a video or a demo version. Judges must be able to play the game.
Send any questions regarding this application to awards@seriousplayconf.com
Learning Tabletop/Board Games Entry
At this time, we are only able to accept tabletop games in English. Games are evaluated on the basis of being a stand-alone product. We cannot evaluate games requiring a facilitator supplied by the entrant.
Please review the full application form before submitting your game. The entry information you provide is given to the judges and the basis on which they evaluate your entry.
DUE to COVID-19 and the conference expected to remain virtual format for 2021 we require tabletop/board game entrants to send copies to FOUR (4) different locations.Please be prepared to have copies ready to ship. Please write the name of the submitting studio/university/company AND the NAME of the game on external packaging containing your game.
If you want your game returned, you will need to send pre-paid packaging along with your tabletop game. In the case of heavy or expensive games, contact the executive director: sue@seriousplayconf.com
Note:The shipping address for tabletop games will be sent to you after your entry form and payment are received or after the deadline.
Fees for Learning Tabletop/Board Games Entry
- Large Studio (25+) / Corporation/ Medical Institution/ Publisher – $350
- Mid-sized Studio (10+) – $300
- Museum/Visitor Center/University/Non-Profit/NGO – $250
- Independent Studio (9 or fewer employees) – $200
- Ed Tech Teacher, Individual - $150
- College Student (or 19- 22 years) - $100
- High School Age Student (ages 18 or younger) - $75
