Gotland Game Conference (GGC), previously known as the Gotland Game Awards, is an international conference, game exhibition and -competition for students. The event is held annually and marks the end of the academic year for the students at the Department of Game Design at Campus Gotland, Uppsala University. Here they can showcase everything that they have learned during the year to a jury consisting of professionals from the game development industry, the gaming press and academia.

History

The Department of Game Design on Gotland, Visby, has hosted a public event for displaying student projects since at least 2002. The event found a stable structure and was branded "Gotland Game Awards" in 2006 and re-branded "Gotland Game Conference" in 2011, when a presentation track was added and the event opened to public participation. In 2017 the GGC added an international summit for game educators — with the intention of annually gathering game educations from across the world to collaborate and share experiences.

  • Theme Park / Revive 2002
  • Public exhibition 2004
  • Gotland Game Convention 2006
  • Gotland Game Awards 2007
  • Gotland Game Awards 2008
  • Gotland Game Awards 2009
  • Gotland Game Awards 2010
  • Gotland Game Conference 2011
  • Gotland Game Conference 2012
  • Gotland Game Conference 2013
  • Gotland Game Conference 2014
  • Gotland Game Conference 2015
  • Gotland Game Conference 2016
  • Gotland Game Conference 2017 + Game Educators Summit
  • Gotland Game Conference 2018 + Game Educators Summit
  • Gotland Game Conference 2019 + Game Educators Summit
  • Gotland Game Conference 2020 + Game Educators Summit (cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic)

The event

The event can be seen as consisting of four separate parts (spanning over multiple days);

  • Public presentation of student projects to an international jury of developers, designers, academics, journalists etc.
  • Followed by The Gotland Game Conference + showfloor, where all student games are made available to the jury and general audience. The conference + show floor is roughly , but features only a single track of lectures.
  • The Award Ceremony
  • The GGC Party where students, jury and faculty celebrate their work and end of the school year.

Game Awards

The Department of Game Design maintains a public database of all games and students that have been awarded at the Gotland Game Conference. It is not uncommon for students recognized at the GGC to go on and win other national- and international awards.

Game Awards (2018–)

  • Best Presentation:
  • Best Arcade Experience:
  • Student Choice:
  • Alumni of the Year:
  • The Social Game Award:
  • Public Choice: , (tie)
  • The Almedalen Library Award:
  • The Innovation Award:
  • The Woke Award:
  • Expression in Game Design:
  • Jury Spotlight:
  • Jury Spotlight:

Game Awards (2006–2017)

AwardYearGame / NameNotes
Pwnage Award (Best in competition)2017
2016
201525 June 2016 at the Wayback Machine
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
Best First Year Project2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011There were no class awards this year.
2010Best Arcade Game
2009Best Arcade Game
2008Best Arcade Game
2007Best Arcade Game
2006Best Arcade Game
Best Second Year Project2017
2016
2015
2014Defunct
2013
2012
2011There were no class awards this year.
2010Best Big Game
2009Best Big Game
2008Best Big Game
Best Third Year project2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011There were no class awards this year.
2010Best Graduating Class
2009Best Graduating Class
Cha-ching! Award (Most commercially viable)2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
The Almedalen Library Award2017
2016
2015
2013
2010
2009
2008
The Innovation Award2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
Best Presentation
2017
2016
2015
2014
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007Roskilde
Alumni of the Year Award201717 February 2018 at the Wayback Machine
17 February 2018 at the Wayback Machine
2016Guerrilla Games
2015King
2014
2013Södertörn University
2012
2011
2010
2009GRIN
2008Starbreeze
2007Avalanche Studios

People's Choice Awards

AwardYearGameNotes
Student's Choice2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
People's Choice / Public Choice
2011
2010
2009
People's Choice - Most Helpful Group
2009

Special awards

AwardYearGameNotes
Best Serious Game
2010
2009
2008
2007
Best Exhibition
2010
2009
The Award for Human Rights and Anti-discrimination
2011
2010
2009
2008Red Cross Award #1
Red Cross Award #2
JADE Project Award
2009
2008
TUT-MS Dean's Award
2016
2014NicoGRAPH Conference
NicoGRAPH Award
2014
Best XNA Game
2010
Best Cinematic
2009Trojan Sheep
Nordic Game Jam
2009Sheep away
Mathematical Game
2009Euklides Magic
Best Game - Open and Invitational
2008Dark Room

Computer Animation Awards

AwardYearGameNotes
Best CG Animation
2011
2010
Best Commercial
2009
2008
Best Graduating Class
2010
Spotlight Category
2010
Best Student Animation
2009
Open and Invitational
2008Perfekt
Theme Park
2008

Student Effort Awards

AwardYearGameNotes
Best Student Effort in Art
2010Tobias Andersen
2009Anders Bäckman
Best Student Effort Technical
2009Ted Lindström
Best Student in Computer Graphics
2009Tommy Nilsson
Best Student in Game Design and Graphics
2009Emma Johansson
Best Student in Game Design and Programming
2009Tommi Lipponen

External links

  • - Gotland Game Conference official website
  • - the informal department blog
  • - the formal department website
  • 16 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  • - Starbreeze Studios
  • - Starbreeze Studios