2026 Boston Festival of Indie Games
Figgie Awards Submission Guidelines
Regulations
These guidelines are for submitting a game for consideration for this year’s Figgie Awards. Chosen finalists will be featured in our Figgie Finalists Showcase at the Boston Festival of Indie Games on Saturday, October 3 in Boston at Cyclorama.
A registration fee is required to submit. Reduced pricing can be requested and will be considered on a case-by-case basis based on needs. BostonFIG is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and all funding goes towards creating programming for the indie games community.
Entered games are reviewed and assessed by our team of expert curators. If selected, the game you submitted must be playable at the Festival!
Eligibility Region and Criteria
Anyone capable of showcasing a game in-person at the 2026 Boston Festival of Indie Games is eligible for consideration. Since there is no perfect criteria for what an “indie” game is, we will take submissions on a case-by-case basis and work with studios to determine what games make sense from a community standpoint.
Submitting your game confirms you have read and agree to the Figgie Awards Submission Guidelines in full.
- Only unpublished games, or games that have been released after January 2026 can be submitted.
- Games should be independently produced, though publisher funding/distribution is acceptable.
- Games may not be produced by a major publisher-owned studio.
- Game content and other materials must be owned solely by the developer/designers or legal permission is obtained to use any other copyrighted material.
- Games that were entered for a previous Boston Festival of Indie Games must demonstrate that they have undergone significant changes with a brief gameplay video or screenshot(s) of the previous version.
- Your game must be playable at the Festival!
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- Digital games must have at least one finished, playable level (or have its core system in place so that curators and attendees can understand your game’s ambitions, mechanics, and gameplay). All digital games are played by our judges ahead of the Festival to determine submission eligibility.
- Tabletop games must have at least a physical prototype for attendees to engage with.
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- Tabletop games of all types (card games, board games, tabletop RPGs) can be submitted.
- Other games that may not fit directly into the Tabletop or Digital distinction are welcome to apply. Developers must be certain that they could exhibit or demo their game at the Festival and all submission guidelines still apply.
- Come ready to demo your game at Cyclorama in Boston, MA on October 3, 2026!
If you have any questions about the eligibility of your game, please contact [email protected].
Content Restrictions
- Use of AI technology is allowed as long as your game aligns with the other policies, including those around copyright and IP rights.
- The Boston Festival of Indie Games is a family friendly event, so some games may be rejected because of content that may be too explicit for all-ages.
Game Entry Rules
Requirements
To be eligible, all entries must include:
- The submission form and corresponding submission fee through GiveButter.
- A video showcasing your game.
- Digital entries must include a link to a playable build of your game. This build will be played and judged!
Video Entry
The video should be no more than 10 minutes long and uploaded to YouTube/Vimeo with a link provided to watch. Please do not submit any videos longer than 10 minutes. Please make sure it is accessible to anyone with the link, even if you would like it not to be public. We will need to share it within the Boston Festival of Indie Games organization.
- The video should give a clear and concise overview of the game’s main elements and what makes it special. Existing promotional videos and trailers are acceptable if they give an accurate depiction of the game.
- Use this as an opportunity to introduce us to your game for the first time.
- Tell us about your game, and why you believe your game is compelling.
- Include at least 30 seconds of gameplay that is unedited, so that we can see your game in action. (Added VO or text is fine, if you need to explain something, but please, NO added music/FX/dialogue not in the game.)
Some guiding ideas that might help:
- Give us a quick pitch of your game.
- Describe why your game is interesting and/or the design philosophy behind it.
- What does your player do and/or what is the player’s goal?
- Is there anything special about your game that other games don’t do?
- What is the future for your game?
This video will NOT be judged on production quality.
If your game cannot fit this format, please contact [email protected].
Timeline
Phase 1
- Submissions open on May 4th, 2026.
Developers must submit an overview video of their project (details on the video below) and complete registration via Givebutter.
- Submissions close on June 1st, 2026.
Curation begins. Factors such as mechanics, creativity, innovation, playability, and alignment with the Boston Festival of Indie Games mission of inclusivity, accessibility, and community in gaming will determine if the game moves forward.
Phase 2
- The BostonFIG curation team reviews all the game submissions packets.
- For digital games, this includes playing the build of the game you submit.
- Finalists for the Figgie Awards are identified and informed that they have been chosen via email.
- Developers of chosen games will have one week to confirm their availability.
Festival
- The Festival will be held from 10am-5pm ET (-5 UTC) on Saturday, October 3, 2026 in Boston, MA.
- During public showcase hours, your booth MUST be staffed and not left empty. For solo developers without a second person to support your booth in the Showcase, BostonFIG staff and volunteers will do our best to assist with brief breaks, but may not be able to accommodate all requests. If you have any questions or concerns about the staffing of your booth for the public showcase hours, please email [email protected].
Additional Information
The entry form will ask for basic information and include a section where further game information can be described. Chosen games will be notified via email and must confirm by completing the included form. Decisions are final. Questions can be directed to [email protected].
Developers of games that are not selected as Figgie Finalists are eligible for a discounted sponsorship package if they choose to pursue a booth outside of the showcase area.
The intellectual property rights from the games will belong to the designers, independently of their places in the competition, and will be respected. If a designer feels harmed by the Jury deliberation, we remind them that the game’s quality remains subjective, and that the main goal of the Figgie Awards (and the Festival as a whole) is to create buzz around the indie game scene. If there are not enough game submissions, the staff reserves the right to cancel portions of the 2026 Festival of Indie Games. Developer participation in the Festival requires the full acceptance of this Regulation.
Terms & Conditions
By submitting your game to the Boston Festival of Indie Games, you agree to the above stated process and that failure to comply with it can lead to your game being rejected from consideration without refund. You also understand that if your game is not accepted as a Figgie Award Finalist, your entry fee will not be refunded.
You agree that BostonFIG will not be held responsible for any damages incurred through participation in the showcase and submission process including, but not limited to: audience, media, and judges’ reactions to your game; rejection from the showcase; and feedback given by other constituents.
You agree that all game content and other materials are owned solely by you and fellow developers and designers. You agree that you have appropriate permissions from all developers and designers to enter your game into the showcase. You also agree that BostonFIG will not be held liable for any legal disputes that arise from your participation in the showcase and submission process.
FAQ
How much does it cost to submit a Tabletop Game?
It costs $50 per game!
Please reach out to [email protected] if a discount for showcase submissions is needed!
How much does it cost to submit a Digital Game ?
It costs $75 per game!
Please reach out to [email protected] if a discount for showcase submissions is needed!
Do I need to buy both a “General Admission” ticket and a “Game Submission” ticket, if I want to both attend and enter a game at the Festival?
Games accepted as a Figgie Finalist receive two complimentary tickets to the Festival. Studios who submit a game but do not get accepted still receive one complimentary Festival pass!
Can I submit multiple games for consideration?
Multiple games from the same team or individual can be submitted (with no discount), but only one game from the same team or individual will be accepted!
If you choose to submit more than one game, please consider adding a donation to the standard submission fee to support the extra time and effort of our volunteer curators.
I cannot afford the Game Submission fees for Boston Festival of Indie Games. Is there a discount available?
Discounts are provided on a general case-by-case basis.
Please reach out to [email protected] if a discount for showcase submissions is needed!
Are there any safety policies for the Festival?
Yes! Please check our Safety Policies page for more information!
Do I need to wear a mask for the Festival?
Boston Festival of Indie Games encourages but will not require attendees to wear a mask for the 2025 Festival. Surgical masks for attendees will be available on-site. Please see our COVID-19 Policies page for more information.
Are there any forms to fill out when I select a “Game Submission” ticket?
There will be a game submission form to fill out when “Buy Tickets!” is clicked on the Givebutter page, and then upon selecting either the “Tabletop Game Submission” ticket and/or the “Digital Game Submission” ticket.
The Game Submission forms will have the following fields to fill out :
(An asterisk* means a field is required)
Tabletop Game Submission Form
First name*
First name of the person filling out the form.
Last name*
Last name of the person filling out the form.
Email*
Email of the person or studio filling out the form.
Phone*
Phone number of the person or studio filling out the form.
Company / Organization
WThe studio’s name, or the developer’s name if solo.here the individual or studio is located.
Name of game*
Name of the game being submitted.
Name of studio / developer*
The studio’s name, or the developer’s name if solo.
Describe your game in 3 words*
Can be genre, mechanics, etc.
Number of players*
What is the maximum amount of players who can play your game? 1 player if single player, more than 1 if multiplayer.
Game length*
How long does it take to play your game in minutes.
Tell us why your game is compelling*
Give us a quick pitch of your game. Why is your game interesting, and/or the design philosophy behind it. What does your player do, and/or what is the player’s end goal? Is there anything special about your game that other games don’t do? What is the future for your game?
Provide additional materials for our curators
E.g. rulebook, supplements, pictures or anything else you’d like to provide alongside your submission.
Maximum upload file size: 5MB
Accepted file types: bmp, csv, doc, docx, gif, jpg, pdf, plain text, png, ppt, pptx, rtf, tiff, webp, xls, xlsx
Digital Game Submission Form
First name*
First name of the person filling out the form.
Last name*
Last name of the person filling out the form.
Email*
Email of the person or studio filling out the form.
Phone*
Phone number of the person or studio filling out the form.
Company / Organization
The studio’s name, or the developer’s name if solo.
Where is your studio / team located?*
Where the individual or studio is located.
Game Title*
Name of the game being submitted.
Game Description*
Describe your game in 250words or less.
Release Date*
When was your game first released, or when is the expected release date for an unreleased game?
Tell us why your game is compelling*
Give us a quick pitch of your game. Why is your game interesting, and/or the design philosophy behind it. What does your player do, and/or what is the player’s end goal? Is there anything special about your game that other games don’t do? What is the future for your game?
If you’re a student team, what school(s) are you and your teammates currently attending?
Please also note undergrad or grad.
Link to Video Submission*
Review all guidelines first! This link should point directly to a publicly accessible YouTube or Vimeo video.
Describe your game in 3 words*
Can be genre, mechanics, etc.
Please describe any content in your game that was created or significantly influenced by AI tools during development (e.g., art, code, sound, writing).
Include the types of tools used and the nature of the AI-generated content
Number of players*
What is the minimum or recommended number of players?
Game length*
How long does it take to play your game in minutes.
Provide a hosted link to your game build(s), and supply game keys if necessary.*
If using TestFlight, please note that here instead of a link to your game.
Platform(s) for your build*
Specify only the platform(s) you will be providing to our curation team:
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- MacOS
- Windows
- Linux
- Android
- iOS
- Web Browser
- Other
Does your game require a controller?*
Is a game controller needed for your game?
Have you submitted THIS game to a previous Festival?*
Have you submitted this game to any past Boston Festival of Indie Games events (e.g. Online Expo)?
If you have submitted this game to a previous Festival, provide a link to a brief gameplay video or screenshot(s) of the PREVIOUS VERSION submitted.
To demonstrate that your game has undergone significant changes since your last submission.
BostonFIG believes in highlighting games that include diversity in thoughtful ways, and make games accessible to differently-abled players. Would you like us to consider your game to be featured for accessibility & inclusion?
Please describe how your game includes diversity or considers accessibility features.