Rules & Criteria

Rules of entry

• Only submissions through dedicated Dutch Game Awards Eventbrite are accepted.
• The submission period remains open until September 1st 2025 midnight. 
• The submitted work needs to have a clear link with The Netherlands, for example:
  • The development of the game was done in The Netherlands
  • The entity developing the game has a registration at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce
  • The majority of team members are residents of The Netherlands
    The organization of the Dutch Game Awards is allowed to request proof to verify whether there is a clear link with the Netherlands. The organization of the Dutch Game Awards has the right to reject the submission at their discretion, resulting in a refund.
• The submitting party needs to be the original creator of the Game and supporting visual materials or have explicit written consent to submit the Game. By submitting the work the creator agrees their materials may be used in PR and communication by the Dutch Game Awards.
• The submitted work needs to be a digital product, or have a significant amount of interactive digital content to be considered a “Game”.
• Each company can submit a maximum of 4 games. Every game needs to be submitted using a separate form. The entry fee per game is € 99,00 (ex. BTW and fees), with the exception of the Student category which costs €2,00 (ex. BTW and fees).
• Each game can be submitted for a maximum of 4 award categories. Every game is automatically entered for the Best Game category. The submitting party may select 3 additional categories of choice. 
• If the submitting party selects more than 3 categories (in addition to the automatically selected Best Game category) it is up to the discretion of the Dutch Game Awards organisation to narrow down the selection.
• The game needs to be released between July 1st, 2024 and August 31st, 2025 and publicly available in the Netherlands during the game submission period. (Open) Beta access is accepted as well.
  • If your game was originally released before July 1st 2024, but has been released as a new game on additional platforms in the past year, it is up to the jury’s discretion to decide if the new release is unique enough to consider a New Game. 
    • Example 1: The PC version of your game has been first released on Steam in 2023. In 2025 you publish a Mobile version of the game with adjusted Free 2 Play economy, new content and a fully adapted control scheme. This game can be considered a new and unique game.
    • Example 2: The Xbox version of your game has been first released in 2023. In 2025 you publish the game on Switch with an adapted control scheme. This game version will not be considered unique enough for qualification.
  • If your game was originally released before July 1st 2024 but has been updated/expanded so significantly that it brings the game to a whole new level, this can also be considered a New Game. For example a new game mode, chapter or total overhaul of the player’s experience.
• We do not accept submissions that include content that could be considered racist, sexist, misogynistic, discriminatory, demeaning, hateful, inappropriate, offensive, or in any other way, shape or form hurtful.
• Any submission may be withdrawn from the competition by the rightful owner or publisher by written request to contact@dutchgameawards.nl, containing adequate proof of ownership. If there is a dispute in ownership the Dutch Game Awards has the right to withdraw the submission until the dispute has been resolved.

General Rules

• The Jury will select 3 nominees per Award, but keeps the discretion to select 4 nominees in exceptional cases.
• Although any game can be entered in up to 4 categories, any game entered can win a maximum of 3 Awards per edition of the Dutch Game Awards.
• All nominees will be notified by email beginning of November 2025. A list of nominees will also be made public through www.dutchgameawards.nl.
• The winners of the awards will be made public during the Dutch Game Award Show.
• All nominees are encouraged to attend the Dutch Game Award Ceremony in person. One free additional ticket to the Ceremony is included in their nomination.
• The decision of the jury concerning nominations and winners in each category is final. The jury will not correspond about their decisions.

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