Frequently Asked Questions

How do I enroll to the Championship?

First create an account by clicking "Create Account" button at the top of the page. Then go to your Dashboard and your Team. After that you can submit your Game from the Dashboard.

You can also watch quick (90 seconds) instruction video here: How to Join the Championship?

Do I need a Team to participate?

Every game has to have a Team to be able to be submitted. Team, in the context of GDWC, means the public entity behind the game. This can be a development team or studio, a group of game jam developers who made a game together, a group of friends or colleagues,or a solo developer.

I'm a solo developer without a Team. Do I need a Team to participate?

Solo developers can participate alone. You just need to create your one-person Team for your game. Every game has to have a Team tobe able to be submitted.

Can my submission be refused?

We reserve the right to refuse an application.

Does my game need to be finished?

No, your game can be in any phase of development. The only requirement is that you will need to have a playable build or prototype. You are free to update/edit your submission until the submission deadline.

Can I submit a physical game?

We don't currently accept physical games to the competition due to the logistical challenges they present.
We'll change this once we can figure out a good way to handle logistics for physical games.

My game was released in Early Access previous year. Can I submit it?

Yes. Games that are still in development can be submitted for the GDWC. This includes games clearly in any in-development phase like Early Access, Soft Launch, Open Beta, Closed Beta, Open Alpha, Closed Alpha, Open Pre-Alpha, Closed Pre-Alpha, etc., and have not reached an official full release status.

Can I participate in the GDWC in multiple teams?

Yes. You just need to ensure your team(s) all include you in them when submitting their games.

How can I find members for my Team?

There are several communities of game developers on services such as Facebook and Reddit. You may also be able to find a local IGDA chapter or university with game development in it.

We also have a Community Discord Server for

all GDWC participants and everyone interested in games and game development. It's a great place to network with other developers. Join our Discord server here.

Can we submit multiple games?

Yes. You can submit as many games into the contest as you like. To do so, follow the instructions in the entry submission platform after registering.

How can I contact you?

If you have a technical or submission issue, please contact our support at . For other inquiries, you can reach us via email at .

We're also available via Twitter, Facebook, and our Developer Discord.

You can find links to our Twitter and Facebook at the top and bottom of the page. Link to Developer Discord is on your profile page.

I have a Technical issue.

For support in technical issues, contact us at .

I registered but didn't get confirmation email.

Contact our support at as soon as possible from the same email address you used to register your account.

Can I participate with a Mod made for another game?

No. As mods generally require another game to run, we don't currently accept them into the competition.

Can I participate with a DLC or an Expansion Pack?

No. As DLC and Expansion Packs generally require another game to run, we don't currently accept them into the competition.

Can I participate with a Fan Game?

No. Due to the potentially challenging legal nature of Fan Games and the materials used in them, we've ruled Fan Games out from the competition.

Can I participate with a Remake, Remaster, or Re-Release of a game?

Please check out the current championship rules here for latest information.

Can I participate with a game ported on a new platform?

Please check out the current championship rules here for latest information.

I'm interested in Sponsoring or Partnering with GDWC. How can I contact you?

Please email us at

I have an issue with one of the games in your competition.

Please contact us at

My game is not yet finished, should I still submit it?

The earlier in the Championship period you submit your game, the more engagement and votes, and more exposure it can gather. It also has a better chance to be featured in our own channels.You can update your submission throughout all the way until the end of the submission period.

My game was in the competition last year while it was still in development. It will be released this year. Can I submit it again this year?

Yes you can.

Why do I need to submit five game keys?

The keys are for judges and for our team. The typical split is 3 keys for judges and 2 for us.

We use at least one key for testing the game, but sometimes use two on different accounts so that multiple team members can test out the games at the same time or not be locked out of testing one game because someone is testing another. We also use our keys for streaming and other content creation to promote the games.

Three keys are reserved for judges, as we have a minimum of 3 judges per category. Sometimes there might be more judges in a category, so we might have to request additional keys for judges later.

Why do you request keys in advance before the judging?

Keys are asked beforehand for checking the games and for logistical reasons. There's hundreds of games to check each year and a limited time to do this, so asking for keys in that short time frame would risk many developers missing the key request and us having to pass multiple games simply due to the game not being available at the right moment.

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