By Sagar V. Mankar Recently The Indie Cup team announced its next and biggest-ever edition of the Indie Cup Festival – “Indie Cup Europe’24” to showcase the best upcoming indie games from European developers.
For the first time, the event is expanding its reach to include submissions from 40 European countries, covering major development hubs like Germany, France, the UK, Spain, Poland, and Ukraine.
How Does the Indie Cup Europe’24 Festival Work?
Starting April 15th, indie developers from across Europe can submit their games for free consideration on the official Indie Cup website.
The festival is hosted entirely online, making it easily accessible to developers and fans alike.
The latest edition will feature all the signature activities that have made the festival a staple for indie devs, including:
- An online showcase spotlighting in-development projects
- Awards for the best upcoming indie games across 7 categories
- Written feedback from an expert jury for finalist games
What Are the Indie Cup Europe’24 Award Categories?
From all submissions, standout indie games will be awarded in 7 categories:
- Gameplay Excellence Award – Best overall game
- Rising Star Award – Best game by a small team of 1-5 devs
- Critics’ Choice Award – Best game as chosen by media
- Creators’ Choice Award – Best game picked by YouTubers/Streamers
- Artistic Excellence Award – Game with exceptional art/audio design
- Most Experimental Award – Game that pushes boundaries of design
- Next Big Thing Award – Best game in early development stages
An all-star jury featuring experts from companies like CD Projekt RED, Crytek, Remedy, Ubisoft, and ZA/UM will determine the winners.
All nominated games receive written feedback which is a valuable lesson for indie devs from the industry’s biggies.
Why is Indie Cup Europe’24 So Important?
In an era of economic challenges, layoffs, and war impacting the gaming industry, Indie Cup Europe’24 provides a crucial free platform for independent developers:
- Gain visibility for their games
- Receive valuable feedback from experts
- Engage with a supportive community
- Opportunity for publishers/investors to discover new talent
As SeraPiece CEO Kahina Wong explains:
“Indie Cup is more relevant than ever amidst industry turmoil. It celebrates creativity and supports indie devs when they need it most.”
With an expanded scope, enhanced awards, and an all-star jury, Indie Cup Europe’24 shapes up to be the can’t-miss indie gaming event of the year in Europe.
We’re thrilled to announce #IndieCupEurope24 — our largest edition of the Indie Cup festival yet 💫
• 40 participating countries
• 7 award categories
• 100% online + free for developersJoin us to celebrate the future of European indie games!
SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW OPEN 👇 pic.twitter.com/YyvZTbd2C4
— Indie Cup 🇺🇦 (@IndieCupHQ) April 15, 2024
Key Dates:
- Submissions of games online: April 15 – May 19
- Digital Showcase: Opens May 29
- First Voting Round: May 24 – June 23
- Finalists, Nominations Announced: July 3
- Final Voting: June 28 – July 28
- Winners Revealed: August 1
Sources: Gamespress