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Presented by GDAI: The India Game Awards 2025
12th October 2025 — Submissions Close
25th October 2025 — Nominees Announced
6th November 2025 — Awards Ceremony

India Game Awards, presented by the Game Developer Association of India (GDAI), honors exceptional game developers and studios across multiple categories. Nominations are rigorously evaluated by an international and national jury comprising leaders from various sectors of the gaming industry.

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Rules & Regulations

Award Categories

Mobile Game of the Year


Honors the best overall mobile game.

PC/Console Game of the Year


Recognizes the top PC or console game.

Upcoming PC/Console Game of the Year (NEW)

For the most promising unreleased PC/console title.

Upcoming Mobile Game of the Year (NEW)

For the most promising unreleased mobile title.

Indie Game of the Year

Celebrates excellence by an independent creator or team.

Best International Game Award

For the best title by a non-Indian studio.

Best Art Direction

Honors standout visual design and creativity.

Best Game Direction

Awarded for innovation in design and storytelling.

Student Game of the Year

Recognizes the best student-created game.

Popular Choice Award

Chosen by attendees and expo visitors.

Best Upcoming Gaming Streamer/Influencer (NEW)

Celebrates rising creators shaping the community.

Woman in Games (Jury Award)

Recognizes a stellar woman leader in gaming.

Best Esports Team (NEW)

Awarded to the best-performing Indian esports team.

Hall of Fame (Jury Award)

Honors a veteran for lifetime industry contributions.

Best Gaming Media (NEW)

For outstanding editorial or gaming coverage.

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2025 India Game Awards Rules and FAQS:

Eligibility Criteria

Any video game which has been released, and made publicly available to consumers, between 1st Sep 2024 to 30th Aug 2025, is eligible for nomination under for all the award categories except for Upcoming Game of the Year Categories. Upgrades, expansions and mission packs are not eligible.

For the Upcoming Game of the Year (PC/ Console & Mobile) categories, only games that are scheduled to be released by Aug 2026 are recommended for submissions. Also, the Nominees of the Upcoming Game of the Year (PC/ Console & Mobile) will need to pitch their games in person at the venue on the 5th of November.

The game submitted should:

  • Be owned by an Indian entity and developed in India
  • Be an original work of authorship
  • Not have any objectionable content including but not limited to content that is unnecessarily violent, racist, sexist, offensive, illegal or hateful.
  • Not infringe any third party's intellectual property or privacy.
  • Not in any way violate Indian laws

Rules and Terms for the Award

All game submissions will be reviewed for content and compliance with these Official Rules before being judged. Entries found to be in contravention of the Official Rules or otherwise deemed by the contest organizers, at their sole discretion, to be inappropriate will be disqualified. The organizers reserve the right to make the final determination as to what games are eligible to take part in this Contest.

Recognition and Prizes

  • Press releases will be issued mentioning the winners of the awards, and the prizes awarded to the Winners.
  • The winners and runners-up will receive citations from the awards for their accomplishment.
  • Winners of Indie Game of the Year, P/C Console Game of the Year, Mobile Game of the Year, Best Upcoming PC/ Console Game of the Year and Best Upcoming Mobile Game of the Year will get an opportunity to showcase at Prestigious International Conferences.
  • All the finalists of awards will automatically qualify for the scrutiny round for Investor-Publisher Connect.
  • Voting for the Popular Choice award, Upcoming Streamer/ Influencer, Best Esports Team and Gaming Media will be done by the audience on the first 2 days of the conference through physical or virtual votings.
  • Developers who reach the finalist stage for the awards will receive two complimentary passes to the IGDC 2025. If a developer has already bought a ticket, then no refund will be given for the existing ticket. Instead, the complimentary tickets for the awards can be given to anybody else.

Good Faith

  • The jury’s decision is final as far as the awards are concerned, while the organisers decision is final as far as the organisation of the awards are concerned.
  • The participants understand and acknowledge that the organisers are working with the best intentions to organise the awards. However, due to shortage of insights or limitations of resources, unforeseen mistakes may occur. Hence, the GDAI/ IGDC Awards team, we’ll be in constant touch and request your timely feedback in such scenarios.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - India Game Awards

This section provides essential information for all potential nominees and applicants for the India Game Awards! Please read these FAQs carefully before submitting your application.

General Eligibility & Submission

Q1: What are the general eligibility dates for released games?

For all award categories, except the “Upcoming Game of the Year” categories, your video game must have been released and made publicly available to consumers between September 1st, 2024, and August 30th, 2025.

For these categories, an “Upcoming Game” refers to a game that is unreleased or currently under development at the time of submission. To be eligible:

  • The game must be scheduled to be released by August 2026.
  • It must not have had a full commercial release on any platform. Public alphas or betas are generally acceptable if the game is still considered in active development towards a final launch.
  • A minimum of 30 minutes of gameplay must be available in the submitted playable build or recorded video footage of raw gameplay for evaluation.

No, upgrades, expansions, and mission packs are not eligible for nomination in any category. Only full game releases within the specified eligibility window can be submitted.

Yes, a participant can submit a game for a maximum of three (3) Award categories only. For instance, a game can be submitted for “Mobile Game of the Year,” “Best Visual Art,” and “Best Game Play,” but not for a fourth category.

Yes, each participant (individual or entity) can make a maximum of two (2) submissions in a specific category. For example, you can submit two different mobile games for the “Mobile Game of the Year” category, provided each game meets all other eligibility requirements.

No, a game or content that has been previously nominated or won an award in a past edition is not eligible for the same category. Our awards aim to recognize new and outstanding achievements within the specified eligibility period.

All submissions must be made through our official online portal available at Link to Submission Portal. You will need to create an account and follow the step-by-step instructions to upload your materials and provide necessary information.

A playable build of your game must be submitted in any one of the following formats:

  • Accessible link for free download: Please ensure that any cloud storage links (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox) are set to “anyone with the link can view/download” to avoid access issues.
  • Distribution platforms like TestFlight (for mobile games): Provide necessary access details or invite codes.
  • Installable key: Such as a Steam key, a GOG key, or an iTunes Promo Code.

No, there is no application fee for the India Game Awards.

None. Developers are expected to arrange their own devices to showcase their games to the jury during the pitch sessions.

Yes, if your game was released within the current eligibility timeframe (September 1st, 2024, and August 30th, 2025), you may submit it for consideration in any other relevant award category.

Generally, a previously released game is not eligible for the “Upcoming Game” categories. However, if you strongly believe your game has undergone a major redevelopment (beyond just refurbishing, porting, or content additions), you may still submit it. In such cases, the jury requires a short video note from the developer. This video should showcase both the old and new versions of the game, highlighting the significant differences and making a compelling case for why it should be considered an “Upcoming Game.” If the jury is convinced, your game will continue in the “Upcoming” category.

Indian Entity" Game Eligibility & Content Guidelines

For eligibility in most award categories (excluding the International Game Award), your game must meet the following criteria:

  • It must be owned by an Indian entity and developed in India.
  • It must be an original work of authorship.
  • It must not contain any objectionable content, including but not limited to content that is unnecessarily violent, racist, sexist, offensive, illegal, or hateful.
  • It must not infringe any third party’s intellectual property or privacy.
  • It must not in any way violate Indian laws.

An “Indian entity” generally refers to a company or individual legally registered and operating within India. This means the primary development studio or the individual developer responsible for the game’s creation is based in India and adheres to Indian legal frameworks.

Category-Specific Questions

To be eligible for the “Indie Game of the Year” category, the game must:

  • Be owned by a self-funded Indian entity.
  • The entity must have less than 15 members AND the entity’s annual revenue in the previous financial year must be 1.50 crores or less.
  • The game must also meet all general eligibility criteria (released between Sep 1, 2024 – Aug 30, 2025, owned by Indian entity, etc.).

“Self-funded” implies that the game’s development was primarily financed by the creators themselves, personal funds, or through crowdfunding, without significant financial backing or creative control from a large external publisher.

To be eligible for the “Student Game of the Year” category:

  • Proof of enrollment in an educational institution for the current or last academic year is mandatory. This typically includes a student ID, enrollment verification letter from the institution, or academic transcript.
  • The game should primarily be developed by students without significant professional assistance, aligning with the spirit of showcasing student talent.

Nominees for the “Upcoming PC/Console Game of The Year” and “Upcoming Mobile Game of The Year” categories will be required to pitch their games in person to the Jury on Day 1 of IGDC, which is November 5th, 2025.

  • Nominees who do not take part in this physical pitch session will be disqualified from these specific categories.
  • Further details regarding the pitch format and schedule will be provided to shortlisted nominees.

International Game Award Questions

To be eligible for the International Game Award, the game must:

  • Be owned by a Non-Indian entity and developed anywhere in the world other than India.
  • Be an original work of authorship.
  • Not contain any objectionable content, including but not limited to content that is unnecessarily violent, racist, sexist, offensive, illegal, or hateful.
  • Not infringe any third party’s intellectual property or privacy.
  • Not in any way violate Indian laws.

Judging & Awards Ceremony

The winners for most categories are determined by a rigorous judging process conducted by our esteemed panel of industry experts and jury members. For the “Popular Choice Award,” the winner is determined solely by votes from attendees and viewers at the expo.

Some of the awards are going to be based on online voting. Details will be provided on the IGDC website.

The India Game Awards ceremony will take place on 6th November at the Chennai Trade Centre. Details on how to attend or watch the live stream will be announced closer to the event.

To maintain the high standards of our awards and ensure meaningful recognition, if there are less than 10 eligible entries for any specific category, that particular category’s award will stand cancelled for the current year. This ensures that every awarded category reflects significant competition and excellence.

Contact & Support

For any additional questions or assistance with your submission, please contact our awards support team at awards@indiagdc.com