Indie Game
"Selected Exhibit"
Call For Entry
In the world of indie game developments, new game ideas are constantly emerging and breathing new life into the entire video game industry. At the TOKYO GAME SHOW, with the cooperation of supporting companies, the event will set up an indie game “Selected Exhibit" scheme where selected indies can exhibit for free in the “Indie Game“ category for the purpose of supporting indie game developers.
Exhibitors of the indie game "Selected Exhibit" will be entitled to the indie game pitch event "SENCE OF WONDER NIGHT (SOWN)" as it is. Eight particularly outstanding works will be selected as SOWN finalists by selection. Finalists will be asked to present their work at the "SENCE OF WONDER NIGHT (SOWN)" held during the session. The SOWN pattern can be distributed and presented through online. If you would like to apply for the indie game "Selected Exhibit", please see Objectives of Indie Game "Selected Exhibit" and "SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT" below.
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The judges will select the exhibit in advance, and the successful works can be exhibited as an indie game "Selected Exhibit". If you do not meet the conditions of this project, please consider exhibiting in the "Indie Game Category" for fee-charged basis. The deadline for paid exhibition applications is June 25, 2021 (Friday). The notification of acceptance of the indie game "Selected Exhibit" is scheduled for mid-July. Those who missed the screening can apply for the "Indie Game Category" with fee-charged even after the exhibition application deadline.
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TGS2021 ONLINE Indie Game “Selected Exhibit” and “SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT(SOWN)” are sponsored by
Objectives of Indie Game "Selected Exhibit" and "SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT"
● To introduce game with a game design and ideas that are experimental and creative, and that cannot be called conventional or traditional
● To raise awareness of the great value of "Sense of Wonder" in games, which may transform the common sense of game, and lead to invigorate the game industry
● To provide future opportunities for those who are developing experimental and creative games.
● To create new domains in the game industry
Why don't you show your idea? And we would like you to be inspired by other presenters and audiences and find new experience and network at SOWN2021.
Acknowledgement
The “SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT” event has received a lot of inspiration from the “Experimental Gameplay Workshop” that was started at the Game Developers Conference in 2001. We would like to express our thanks to the many people who helped to make these workshops a success and to all our friends.
Five Criteria That Match SOWN
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A game that realizes a totally new, never-seen-before gaming experience
A game that employs technologies that have not previously been used successfully, such as natural language processing, physics engines, image recognition or gesture control, to present a new kind of experience.
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A game that challenges the common sense of games
A game that pursues new ways of gaming expressions and changes the player's vision of the world after playing and experiencing it.
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A game with emergent features
A game that brings user's activities into the game world by embedding features such as AI interactions and social elements.
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A game that makes people want to play it immediately
A game that makes everyone thinks that they want to enjoy the new experience for themselves and feel that they want to treasure it.
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An amazing game
Any kind of new, eye-grabbing and impressive game!!
Indie Game "Selected Exhibit"
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Venue
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Online Exhibition
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Period
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Thursday, September 30 to Sunday, October 3, 2021
* Exhibitor information will be released on TOKYO GAME SHOW 2021 ONLINE portal scheduled from September 1, 2021 (Wednesday).
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Screening
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Selection will be conducted by the TGS Management Office
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Exhibition fee
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Free of charge
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About Screening
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① To whom wish to apply for Selected Exhibit, please check whether you meet "Group or Organization that can be exhibited" and your work submitted for entry meet "What can be exhibited“ first, then click on the link below, named “Indie game Selected Exhibit ENTRY FORM” to fill out the web form and submit it. If you apply for more than one title for "Selected Exhibit", please apply for each one.
② After the application deadline, we are supposed to review all applications to select the titles presented for the exhibition. We will then directly inform individual or company applicants who passed the screening.
※Please refer to "What can be exhibited" for selection conditions.
③The exhibitor passed the screening for the Selected Exhibit are automatically applied for SOWN2021, an "Idea Contests" to choose the best game from the title exhibited at the Selected Exhibit. They will have a chance to make a presentation through online on the evening of October 2 (Saturday) . Please see the details of SOWN here
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Group or Organization that can be exhibited
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・For annual sales of organizations that attempt to exhibit:
Corporate : Annual Sales with USD500,000/JPY50 Million or less
Individual : Annual Sales with USD100,000/JPY10 Million or less
・For companies or organizations that try to exhibit at Indie Game Category, the exhibitors must be financially independent.
(For example, the capital of major game company is not in.)
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What can be exhibited
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・A completely original game (Derivative content cannot be exhibited regardless of whether or not it is licensed.)
・Created for a platform for which an applicant has the right to develop.
・Works that comply with the CESA Code of Ethics and the CERO Code of Ethics（http://www.cero.gr.jp/en/publics/index/18/） and do not fall under any of the following items:
1) An expression that conflicts with or that may conflict with Attached Appendix 3 "Banned Expressions" of the CERO Code of Ethics（http://www.cero.gr.jp/en/publics/index/18/） is included.
2) Works for which an "Z" rating category was assigned by CERO or an expression equivalent to the"Z" rating category may be included.
3) Works that have already been released overseas and for which a "17+" (MATURE) rating category was assigned by an overseas examination body (e.g. ESRB).
4) Works planned to be released overseas for which a "17+" (MATURE) rating category is expected to be assigned by an overseas examination body (e.g., ESRB) (excessively bloody works that cannot be regarded as being equivalent to a "13+" (TEEN) rating category.
How to Apply
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Deadline
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Friday, June 18 , 2021 *Japan time
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Application
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At first, Entry to Indie Game "Selected Exhibit" ENTRY FORM
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Qualification
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Open to all individuals regardless of nationality, age, or occupation (students, game producers, etc.) and to all corporate bodies.
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Schedule
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“Selected Exhibit” screening result: mid-July
“SOWN” Finalist : mid-August
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Notice
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SOWN Finalist will be selected from Indie game "Selected Exhibit" applicants.
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Contact
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Indie game "Selected Exhibit" Management Office
indiegame@eventinfo.tokyo
To Exhibit/Participate TGS2021 ONLINE
TOKYO GAME SHOW 2021 ONLINE offers a variety of paid menus in addition to the basic menus for exhibitors.
For example, you can carry out “Trial Play and Exhibition Area For Press / Influencers” by paying a separate fee. ALL of the Indie Games “Selected Exhibit” (free of charge) can also be eligible to join these by paying a separate fee. For details on the submission of the above menus, TGS Management Office will inform everyone who has been selected for the Indie Game “Selected Exhibit”(free of charge).
For details on the menus that can be exhibited and participated, please see TGS2021 ONLINE Exhibit Guide
What is "SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT"?
SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT 2021 (SOWN2021) throws spotlights on game developers to draw wellspring of ideas which may stir the static concept of the game. In other words, SOWN2021 will find out the game ideas causing “SENSE OF WONDER”. To make such unique ideas widely known, SOWN would provide a presentation opportunity for game developers with unique ideas at TOKYO GAME SHOW. SOWN2021 commemorates the 14th anniversary with internationally increasing applications.
Last year, total of 8 presenters had been selected presenters out of 80 exhibitors of Indie game "Selected Exhibit". Nomination process was conducted through the screening committee consists of indie game experts, creators and publishers inside and outside of Japan. 8 presenters from 7 countries/regions were selected. Countries of nomination were as follows: two from Japan, each one from Canada, Peru, Switzerland, Poland and Indonesia. SOWN2020 was held on September 25, 2020 (Friday) and was live-streaming. Overseas finalists gave presentations online.
"Audience Award Grand Prix" "Best Technological Game Award" "Best Arts Award" "Best Experimental Game Award" "Best Game Design Award" "Best Presentation Award" trophies were given in the end and all of eight developers enjoyed networking at Indie Night Party with attendees and screening committee members.
The entire applicants for the SOWN2021 are set to be entered as prospective exhibitors for Indie game "Selected Exhibit" at the TGS2021. The applicants are elected as the exhibitors of Indie game "Selected Exhibit" according to fair screening by the selection committee. Furthermore, the finalists of SOWN2021 will be chosen from the applicants elected as the exhibitors of Indie game "Selected Exhibit" by the selection committee.
※Watch the ”SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT (SOWN) 2020” on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q91Rl8Cbr2Y&t=959s
SOWN2021 Presentation
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Date
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Saturday, October 2, 2021 (11:00 to 13:00, tentative) *Japan time
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Venue
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The event will be held in Tokyo with the online live streaming.(tentative)
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Prize Money
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Grand prix (Audience Award Grand Prix) 3,000 USD
Other awards (Best Game Design Award, etc.) 500 USD
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Notes: The Presentation Day
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- The presenter is assumed to be displayed at Indie game "Selected Exhibit".
- Each presenter will be given 10 minutes for their presentation. Each presenter will be asked to present or demonstrate the games to the audience.
(There will be consecutive English-Japanese interpreting for all presentations.)
- Finalists participating from overseas and remote areas will give presentations online or show
presentation videos submitted in prior to the event.
- Video-streaming of all presentations is scheduled. Other information on the presented game ideas provided in advance will also be subject to release on TGS2021 ONLINE.
Games to which the following conditions will NOT meet the selection criteria:
A game in which only the elements comprising the game are the key facto
A game in which the newness and highlights are focused on the one elements comprising the game (such as the background setting, situation, character design, graphics, story, audio, etc.) instead of the game itself.
A game of a new genre created by combining or rehashing existing genres
However, a game providing a truly new game experience may be considered for acceptance.
A game that is new only in targeting a specific user group
A game will not be deemed as being new and innovative just because it is focused on a specific user group (such as female users or the elderly). However, a game providing a truly new game experience may be considered for acceptance.
A game created for the purpose of demonstrating a technological innovation, experimental business model, or distribution mechanism
A game of this kind will not be completely rejected from the screening process but they must demonstrate that it is capable of directly and tangibly providing a new game experience.
Member of SOWN Committee
(coming soon)
Contact
SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT 2021 Secretariat
E-mail：indiegame@eventinfo.tokyo
(Only e-mail inquiries will be accepted)