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IndieCade Submission Guidelines

For further information, check the complete submission guidelines at our website

How do I submit?

Standard submissions close May 31, 2013, and Late submissions close June 30, 2013.

To submit your game you will follow the process outlined below:

1. Fill out the online entry form.
2. Agree to the terms and conditions.
3. Submit the processing fee prior to the deadline.
4. Upload, postmark, or supply a link or a minimum of three download codes for your game by midnight (end of day) May 31, 2013. or June 30 for late submissions. For games that require custom builds, UDID, console accounts for gifting, or other such information, you must clearly a) provide required information and b) state the information you need to submit the playable build, and you will be supplied with this information as jurors are assigned to your game. For iOS games, we have an anonymous process for transferring UDIDs through the jury system anonymous email and then ask you to create a custom builds of your game for these unique UDIDs.
5. You may save and edit your submission as many times as you want; please know, however, once the initial juror begins to review your game s/he may not see the same version as a later juror.
6. Once you hit the submit button, you may continue to update your submission until the deadline, May 31, 2013 or , June 30, 2013 at which point all submissions will close and no further changes may be made to your submission.
7. IMPORTANT: Only paid submissions will be considered. Be sure and pay for your submission prior to the deadline. Unpaid submissions will not be marked as complete and will not be eligible for review or inclusion in IndieCade’s Festival or Showcases.

Submission Processing Deadlines and Fees

Regular submissions open February 14 and late submissions will be accepted until June 30, 2013.

IndieCade is an independent organization. All submission fees are used specifically and entirely to cover the costs associated with processing your submission. Please see the FAQ sheet for more specific information for exactly where the money from your fees pay for.

• Early Submissions February 14th – March 30th, 2013: The early submissions processing fee is $60.
• Standard Submissions April 1st – May 31, 2013: The standard submissions processing fee $80
• Late Submissions June 1st – 30th, 2013: Submissions close May 31, 2013, however late submissions will be accepted from June 1 – June 30, 2012 for a $110 processing fee.

If you have a discount code you may apply only one code per entry. Discount codes are only applicable for the regular submission. If you are in need of a scholarship, please fill out the appropriate form in the submission form or send an email directly to scholarships@indiecade.com

Why do you charge so much money to submit a game and where does my money go?

IndieCade is an independent organization and volunteers-based organization, - no one is getting rich on this. We are probably as indie as you are, if not more so. Fees are directly applied to the cost to do the best job we can to review, respect, and jury your games.

Game processing fees are applied directly to the following; 1) Submissions and jury software development: IndieCade has built a custom system and continues to build and maintain this system; 2) Reviews: Developers have asked for better reviews and based on your input we are initiating an expanded review process and true coverage system, you will get a solid detailed review from a hand selected reviewer, but this costs us a substantial part of the fees to be able to provide this; 3) And finally a percentage of the fees go to the annual server and storage fees, as well as payment system fees. Note; For more information please visit the FAQ.

Eligibility

To be eligible for IndieCade, your game must not have funding from a major publisher (for a list of major publishers see http://www.theesa.com/about/members.asp) You can have other deals with these publishers, but the game you are submitting may not. Your game can have funding from other sources, including investments, grants, crowd sourcing or other funding apparatus.

Submission to or inclusion in other festivals does not preclude eligibility in any way. Previously submitted games may be resubmitted provided they: 1) Were not finalists in a previous IndieCade Festival; 2) Have undergone significant changes since the last submitted version; 3) We suggest a new or altered name that clearly indicates a different version.

There is no age requirement for submission.

IndieCade has an inclusive submissions policy and invites submissions of all styles and genres of games, including PC, browser-based, casual, puzzle, mobile, ARGs, Big Games and installation-based games (submitted via video if not playable on-site), mods (provided they conform to game engine licensing agreements), serious games, documentary games, activist games, art games, virtual worlds and "sandbox" style games, and more! We also welcome student games and games developed by universities, schools and non-profit organizations. All types are not only welcome; they are encouraged. Innovation is the name of the game.

Works in progress are permitted and encouraged, but they should include at least one finished, playable level.

All game content and copyrighted material must be fully owned by the designers/developers; if outside material is used, legal permission must be secured or your game will be disqualified. If you plan to submit a work that is on a non-standard game operating system (e.g., Linux, Atari), please plan to submit review hardware and have a representative on-site to be responsible for installation, or to supply hardware with the game fully installed to the Festival.

Submission Schedule

All games may be updated until the deadline, at which point all submission close (at midnight PST on May 31, 2013 and June 30, 2013 for late submissions). Submissions will be confirmed within one week of completion.

Entries will be selected by a diverse jury consisting of game designers, artists, curators and academics.

Finalists will be contacted by August 30, 2013. All entrants are informed of their games’ status before any official announcement is made. Rejection notices will be accompanied with feedback from the jurors if it is available.

For more information visit our FAQ page