IndieCade was established to create vibrant festivals and showcases dedicated to independent games and open to the public. It is our goal to showcase exciting and innovative new work, host productive networking environments, hold important discussions, and have fun.
IndieCade invites independent game artists and designers from around the world to submit interactive media of all types for inclusion in our 2015 Festival. Works-in-progress are encouraged.
A diverse jury of leaders from industry, academia, fine arts and indie development will select our annual finalists and assign top awards at the IndieCade 2015 Festival. All entries for the Festival will also receive consideration for presentation at IndieCade Showcases.
It is IndieCade's ultimate goal to bring the eye of the public and industry to your games. IndieCade is an independent organization. All submission fees are used specifically to cover the costs associated with processing your submission and you are also provided with a Festival pass that provides complimentary particpation in the IndieXchange and feedback on your game. Regular submissions is $80 USD and late submissions $ 110 USD. Read below to find out what you get for your fees in more detail.
For more details about the submissions process and qualifications please read below or check out our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
If you want to contact us directly, central@indiecade.com can answer your specific questions.
IndieCade will be accepting game submissions through May 1, 2015..
Late submissions will be accepted from May 2 to June 1 (11:59 pm PDT) for an additional processing fee.
Standard submissions close May 1, 2015, and late submissions close June 1, 2015. To submit your game, please follow the process outlined below:
Regular submissions are open until May 1, 2015 ; late submissions will be accepted until June 1, 2015.
IndieCade is an independent organization. All submission fees are used specifically and entirely to cover the costs associated with processing your submission. Please see the FAQ sheet for more specific information for exactly where the money from your fees pay for.
If you have a discount code you may apply only one code per entry. Discount codes are only applicable for the regular submission. If you are in need of a scholarship, please fill out the appropriate form in the submission form or send an email directly to scholarships@indiecade.com.
Game processing fees are applied directly to the following;
1) Submissions and jury software development: IndieCade has built a custom system and continues to build and maintain this system;
2) Reviews: Developers have asked for better reviews and based on your input we are initiating an expanded review process and true coverage system, you will get a solid detailed review from a hand selected reviewer, but this costs us a substantial part of the fees to be able to provide this;
3) And finally a percentage of the fees go to the annual server and storage fees, as well as payment system fees. Note; For more information please visit the FAQ.
I’m not sure if I qualify as an independent game. How can I know?
Simply put, independent games are games that come from the heart, that follow a creative vision, rather than a marketing bottom line. Independent developers are not owned by or beholden to outside forces. This means that they generally have smaller budgets than mainstream games, but they also have the freedom to innovate and to enlarge our conception of games and game audiences. Indie developers can run the gamut from artists, to academic researchers, to students, to emerging development studios striving to make the next big indie hit, and to developers with strong AAA backgrounds. They can be one person or a large team. They may be internally funded, funded by crowdsourcing, funded by a studio that produces mainstream games, by an association with a university, school or non-profit institution, funded by grants or private investors, or not funded at all! The key is that they create games based on their own unique vision. Please feel free to contact us If you have any questions, we will be happy to help you figure it out.
What do you mean by 'game'?
We use the term “game” very broadly to mean interactive entertainment, art, non-digital games, all types of hybrid games, educational or documentary interactive works and more. These can be in established genres, or they can push the envelope of our traditional understanding and definition of the word “game.” It is the role of independent work to push the envelope. Interactive entertainment of all types, including virtual worlds, puzzles, augmented reality games, alternate reality games, big games, installations, interactive narratives, 2D, 3D, mobile, experimental, web-based games, and social games, are all acceptable. We also welcome such alternative content as serious games, documentary games, activist games, learning games, and other forms that fall outside the traditional categories of entertainment and traditional definitions of the term “game.”
Does my game need to be finished for me to submit?
No. Understanding the challenges of independent development, works-in-progress are not only permitted, but encouraged.
Does my work have to be a computer game?
No. All games are not only welcome, but encouraged. We look forward to seeing all ideas and formats.
Submission requirements:
Submission to or inclusion in other festivals does not preclude eligibility in any way. Previously submitted games may be resubmitted provided they:
1) Were not awards recipients in a previous IndieCade Festival;
2) Have undergone significant changes since the last submitted version;
3) We suggest a new or altered name that clearly indicates a different version. There is no age requirement for submission.
IndieCade has an inclusive submissions policy and invites submissions of all styles and genres of games, including PC, browser-based, casual, puzzle, mobile, ARGs, Big Games and installation-based games (submitted via video if not playable on-site), mods (provided they conform to game engine licensing agreements), serious games, documentary games, activist games, art games, virtual worlds and "sandbox" style games, and more! We also welcome student games and games developed by universities, schools and non-profit organizations. All types are not only welcome; they are encouraged. Innovation is the name of the game.
Works in progress are permitted and encouraged, but they should include at least one finished, playable level.
All game content and copyrighted material must be fully owned by the designers/developers; if outside material is used, legal permission must be secured or your game will be disqualified. If you plan to submit a work that is on a non-standard game operating system (e.g., Linux, Atari), please plan to submit review hardware and have a representative on-site to be responsible for installation, or to supply hardware with the game fully installed to the Festival.
All games may be updated until the deadline, at which point all submission close (at midnight - 11:59PM PST - on May 1, 2015 and June 1, 2015 for late submissions). Submissions will be confirmed within one week of completion.
Entries will be selected by a diverse jury consisting of game designers, artists, curators and academics.
Finalists will be contacted by August 31, 2015. All entrants are informed of their games’ status before any official announcement is made. Rejection notices will be accompanied with feedback from the jurors if it is available.
until regular submissions close on May 1, 2015
If you have questions, need translation assistance, or have difficulty with any of these steps, please contact us.
如果您有任何問題，需要翻譯協助，或在繳件步驟上遇到困難的話，請透過以下的 email 聯繫我們: central@indiecade.com
질문 사항이 있거나 번역에 관련된 도움이 필요할 경우, 혹은 접수 과정 중 다른 문제가 있다면 이곳으로 문의해 주십시오central@indiecade.com
如果您有任何问题，需要翻译协助，或在缴件步骤上遇到困难的话，请透过以下的 email 联系我们: central@indiecade.com
Si tienes preguntas, necesitas asistencia de traducción o tienes dificultades en cualquiera de estos pasos, por favor contáctanos central@indiecade.com
Für Übersetzungen und Hilfe bitte central@indiecade.com kontaktieren.