IndieCade is a small, independently-run organization which relies on submission fees to maintain and administer our jurying process. However, we do provide full and reduced submission fee assistance to developers who would not otherwise be able to afford our submission fees. We are also delighted to receive contributions to this scholarship fund. Learn more about the program and how to apply HERE. Please note that the scholarships are only for the submissions processing fee and not for any related travel or expenses.

Due to the large increase in volume of submissions over the past years, we can no longer accommodate written feedback for all submissions at the quality level we feel is ideal. We are now providing feedback via our membership program. For more information see our MEMBERSHIP PAGE.

No, you cannot edit your application form once it has been submitted. There is some leniency if your form has broken download links or expired coupon codes, and IndieCade staff will contact you if your entry has such. Additionally, should you be selected to showcase at any of our events, you are more than welcome to bring an updated build and provide new materials for media (screenshots, videos, copy, etc.).

If you are concerned about a bug in your submission or have made a major technical advance that may assist in the jurying of your game you may email games@indiecade.com for consideration for updating your build, but there are no guarantees of accommodation of said build due to the fast nature of the jurying process.

IndieCade has a rigorous jury process based on standard academic review practices. Multiple rounds of review occur, engaging both the JURY COMMITTEE and the general JUROR pool. It is key that the DOCUMENTATION in your submission is as thorough as you can make it, as this will be what is reviewed by the first round of the jury process.

We guarantee that every game is reviewed by a jury committee member in the first round, as well as being assigned to the general juror pool for play. Some entries then go on to be further assigned to a review/ super juror who provides an additional review for that submission.

Absolutely! You may enter as many as you like. However, each work requires its own submission information in order to be juried as its own game. (Note: you will need to pay separately for each entry you submit.)

If you have a series of short games, you may submit those as one entry, but realize they will also be reviewed as a single entry.

Each IndieCade Award-winning game receives a handmade, one-of-a-kind trophy specifically designed for each awardee. IndieCade does not provide traditional prizes or cash for award winners. That said, accepted Finalists and Official Selections do receive a number of added benefits, including two VIP Passes to the event in which they are exhibiting, access to private IndieCade social events, features and promotions across our website and social media, passes to our IndieXchange pre-Festival developer summit, use of a display booth at the selected event, and inclusion in all press releases, publicity work, and more. Additionally IndieCade provides an in-house publicist and premiere opportunities for all of our events.

We are very accustomed to tabletop games (and all kinds of games with unique physical materials). For the initial process of the submission you simply need to fill out the form and it will ask for a lot of documentation. If you need to mail the game our Games Manager will reach out to you to coordinate that delivery. In the meantime we do not need to have that in our hands for your submission to be complete.

We also understand that games with physical materials can be difficult or expensive to send to us, particularly if they are prototypes. In such cases your entry may be reviewed ONLY on the DOCUMENTATION in your submission form if needed.

Our evaluation system has a feature that allows you to include events and venues where your submission has been or will be shown. This will enable us to match your entry with jurors who have attended, or will attend, these events or venues and have played it in its full form. We may also ask you to stage a session of your entry, bring your entry to one of our special jurying sessions, or provide instructions and/or materials for jurors to run a session themselves.

Please note that in some cases, such as event-based or installation works, your entry may be reviewed ONLY on the DOCUMENTATION in your submission form if we cannot find suitable jurors in the area.

We welcome and encourage all games on all platforms. If your platform isn’t listed on page 7 (Submission Format) of the submission form, under “Hardware Requirements”, then we ask you to write it in at the bottom of page 8 (Access Information) under “Other Access Information”.

Please provide video documentation of your submission in action. We suggest no longer than 10 minutes. The best videos include a silent playthrough, or playthrough with the creator(s) talking through the design process while the entry is played. We would like to stress the kind of videos that are NOT useful here. Please do NOT use Let’s Play Youtube style video documentation in your submission. It is too hard for the jurors to decipher what is going on and they cannot get a clear sense of your game from this kind of documentation. We also do NOT encourage a video taped reading of the rules for a game (such as the text of instructions for a table game.