SAGA Award

(StyriAn Games Award)

We’re proud to announce that this year during Button Festival the second SAGA Awards will a total value of EUR 1500 sponsored by UBIT/WKO and Game Dev Graz will be awarded!

See the winners here: SAGA 2018 Winners

Here are the details:

** Grand Prize **
* Audience Choice Award *
* Local Star Award *

There will be five named finalists selected by an international jury for the Grand Prize. Finalists will be given free passes to the Button Festival and space at the festival to present their games. The Audience Choice Award will be voted at the Button Festival by the audience of the festival from the finalists. The Local Star Award will be awarded to the best game from developers from/living in Styria.

Submit your game pitches here: https://goo.gl/forms/LutDN2lgZABHjwHl1
The winners will be announced at the Button Festival.

Criteria: The competition is also open for entries in the prototyping stage, and finalists will be mainly judged based on their potential. Submissions must include a 2-3 minute pitch-video including gameplay of the game. Games must be in a playable stage for the Button Festival and presenting the game live at the button festival.

Open to all independent game developers worldwide. Award winners from previous years are not eligible for-resubmission.

Deadlines:

Feb 14, Submission Deadline
Feb 17, Finalists Announced

March 17, Award Ceremony @ Button Festival (16.-17 in Graz)

International Jury:

Tara J. Brannigan, Flaregames, DE
Foaad Khosmoos, Global Game Jam, Cal Poly, US
Sithe Ncube, Ubongo Game Lab, A MAZE Johannesburg, Zambia
Dan Da Rocha, Toxic Games, UK
Philomena Schwab, Stray Fawn Studio, CH

Finalists 2018:

SAGA Finalists:: These five games will be exhibited in the Game Dev area as well @ button 2018:
SAGA Award :: Second Styrian Games Award will be presented at Button Festival!

Get to know the five SAGA finalists here: http://gamedevgraz.at/de/game-development-graz-button-festival-2018/

Get to know the five finalists here:

Title: Kemono Heroes (Mad Gear Games)

Tsukigami, the Moon God is mad at the inhabitants of the forest and has transformed all of them into stone. The 4 Animal Ninja Masters are the only ones that can fight against Tsukigami’s hordes of evil spirit minions to reach Mt Fuji and confront him in time to break his magic Spell.

Join 3 friends in an arcade-platformer game like those you used to play in the arcade rooms. Every character has different abilities and there are different weapons to unlock and upgrade. You’ll also fight giant monsters at the end of each world, beat them and reach the final boss before the time goes up and the curse becomes permanent!

1-4 local coop game
The game is different every single day of the year!
Lots of fun and action!
4 different characters with different abilities
Unlockable weapons & powers
5 worlds with 3 sub-stages each

Watch the pitch video here

Title: Asymmetric (Klemens Strasser)

Asymmetric – Enhanced Edition is a heartwarming puzzle game coming to the Nintendo Switch later this year. Groopert and Groopine, two poor creatures, were trapped and torn apart. You have to reunite them by guiding them through labyrinths. Because the characters share a deep connection they can only move at the same time, but always in opposite directions.? In more then 70 levels, Groopert and Groopine must face off many obstacles – from holes to portals over speed pads. This includes obstacles never seen before in a previous version of Asymmetric. Also new is the addition of a local multiplayer mode. Two players are confronted with different levels – whoever can adapt to the different challenges faster wins. ??With an charming art style, challenging puzzles and a beautiful piano soundtrack, Asymmetric – Enhanced Edition will try to find its way into the the heart of many Switch players later this year.

Watch the pitch video here

Title: Path Out (Abdullah Karam / Causa Creations)

Path Out is a unique experience that is full of surprises, challenges and paradoxical humor. In this narrative adventure game , the Syrian refugee and artist Abdullah recalls life before the war, a family decision that led to his departure and the perilous journey from his hometown Hama to the Turkish border through the war-torn Aleppo province. Path Out is giving insight in this real-life adventure, on which Abdullah comments through youtube-style videos in the game.

Watch the pitch video here

Title: Once Upon a Nightmare (Manuel Metzger, Florin Metzler, Valentin Winkler, Patrick Zimmermann)

Once Upon a Nightmare is a story driven 2D-platformer with puzzle elements. Join a little girl on her journey through her nightmares. Feel the terror Emily experiences, as she is haunted by her fears, feel Emily’s courage, as she finds the strength to stand up to them and feel her relief, as she finally prevails over them.