iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

The winner of the Most Amazing Award is: Ben Swithen with “Trans Theft Horso” 🦩🏆🌴 This game reminds us that, as right wing policies are on the rise, it is a radically political act to create queer joy. Long live gender gladness!🌈 #playfulmedia #mbbfunded #amaze2026

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Selected by all participants as the winner of the Audience Award out of all exhibited works! Congratulations to "Kitiklop" by Flex & Dorian (France)

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Congrats to the Winner of the XR-History Award🏆🌴: “Flesh Network” by the artist collective Sickness International. 🦩 "Flesh Network" is a physically experienced commentary, which invites us to not only understand the digital presence but to feel it. #amaze2026 #playfulmedia

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Congrats to the A MAZE. 2026 WINGS Award: Name of the Will, by Zeitgeist Studio. This year's winner is so well written, that even from playing the demo, you begin questioning everything. WINGS is honored to recognize this team with this well-deserved award. #amaze2026

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Congratiolations to the winner of the Explorer Award: DaChu Interactive with “InSync” The Explorer Award it is for something harder to achieve and harder to name and this project asks you to be lost for a moment and to find your way back through contact alone. #amaze2026

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Winner of the Long Feature Award 🏆: MainSequenceStar with “Season 31” 🌴🦩 Your role is clear, make number go up. whatever the cost. Make number go up. But as you manage the twists and turns of the tracks, they suddenly untangle in front of you. #amaze2026 #mbbfunded

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This year’s winner of the Human Human Machine Award is🌴🏆: Sophia Bulgakova&the team behind “OTHERWORLDS”. 🦩🌴 What makes this work unforgettable is how it takes something so ancient and leaves it not diminished, but amplified. #playfulmedia #mbbfunded #amaze2026

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Congrats to the winner of the Digital Moment Award 🌴🦩: Hanwen Xu & Hatim Benhsain with coalescent || tidal rapture 🏆 This game goes beyond normative depictions of intimacy and doesn't shy away from being meaningfully sensuous, mysterious, complex, and primal. #amaze 2026

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It's time to shoutout our sponsors again! 🦩🌴 Without the support of @medienboard this festival wouldn't be possible! Thank you for all the support you've given us! 🍉 #amaze2026 #mbbfunded

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A huge thank you to the creators of Gang Bests, from Sheffield: Boneloaf 🍖 Thank you for your support of this years festival edition of A MAZE. 🦩🌴🍉 #amaze2026 #playfulmedia #mbbfunded @boneloaf @gangbeasts

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The biggest thank you to our hardware sponsor Tulpar Gaming Notebook! 🍉🦩 Tulpar provides us with all the screens, peripherals and laptops that make our exhibition possible! 🌴 The Laptops are powerful, resourceful and sustainable! #amaze2026 #playfulmedia #tulparnotebok

We want to tke this moment to thank all the sponsors, partners and friends, who made the Anniversary edition of A MAZE. / Berlin. possible! 🦩🦩🦩 Thank you for your support without you this festival wouldn't be possible! 🌴🍉 #mbbfunded #amaze2026

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Today's finally the day! 🦩✨ A MAZE. / Berlin will open its doors for the 15th time today! 🍉 Don't miss the opening night and join us for an amazing festival! 🦩🏝️ #amaze2026 #mbbfunded #playfulmedia

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An approach to level design that goes beyond the computer screen. Using modular 6×6 elements, participants build structures, test layouts, and explore non-standard ways of thinking about level design. Workshop hosted by: Dominik Cymer&Olivia Hajn

We will go over a brief history and culture of game manuals, imagine a videogame that doesn’t exist, and collectively craft a speculative instruction manual for it. Workshop hosted by: Biagi, Isabelle Smith&Hatim Benhsain @hatimb00.itch.io

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How do you build a community around your work? Where do you find financial support? And how do you test whether your core idea actually holds up? These are some of the challenges we’ll tackle together. Workshop hosted by: Elina Roinioti&Michael Liebe

We’ll start with a discussion about our guilty pleasures and favorite hacks in video gaming. Workshop hosted by: Chloé Desmoineaux

How do you turn real stories into game mechanics? The workshop begins with a short VR glimpse (approx. 5 min.) into the Real Vampires universe, where day turns to night and roles shift. Workshop hosted by: Julia Mirny&Trine Laier

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In this workshop, we will go over key things to know about when you are designing the user experience (UX) of workflows, while keeping in mind the user interface (UI) of their tools. Workshop hosted by: Robin-Yann Storm @rystorm.com

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This workshop offers an introduction to German federal games funding for developers, founders, producers, and start-ups. Workshop hosted by: Paul Mathia

With the help of the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® method, the workshop will work on the central question: How to imagine the Game Studio of the Future? Workshop hosted by: Dominik Rinnhofer&Sebastian Möring @sebomat.bsky.social

Let’s wake up together! Sophia and Nicole will welcome you with light movement to nice sounds and tasty smoothies! Start your morning with a smile! Powered by: German Dance Association/Creative Cross Collaborations Berlin Workshop hosted by: Nicole Fiedler&Sophia Herzog

A MAZE. @amazefest.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Before we officially open the festival later, meet your workshop hosts for Thursday! Find more information about the different workshops in our program here: 2026.amaze-berlin.de/schedule #amaze2026 #playfulmedia #amazeberlin

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The Village is the part of A MAZE. / Berlin that most resembles a fair. 🦩🌴 Take the opportunity to explore indie games, collectives, institutions, and universities, and talk to the people behind them! 🌴 Find more information our website: 2025.amaze-berlin.de/amaze-village

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A MAZE. @amazefest.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

Performance: It’s Time to Make a Choice by Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley. Saturday May 16, 2026 - Start 20:00, HAU2 Hallesches Ufer 34, 10963 Berlin 22€ (regular) / 12€ (Reduced) Get your ticket: here: hebbel-am-ufer-tickets.reservix.de/…

A MAZE. @amazefest.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

Still looking for something to do on the holiday with your family? 🦩🌴 How about checking out some cool arthouse games? We're offering a special holiday ticket for the occasion! 🍉 Grab your ticket here✨: 2026.amaze-berlin.de/tickets #amaze2026 #playfulmedia

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🏆 XR-History Award presented by Körber-Stiftung 🌴 Coalition Constellations: Constellating Reparations (🇺🇸,🇩🇪) 🌴 Flesh Network (🇺🇸) 🌴 Unsettled (🇵🇪, 🇵🇪,🇦🇷)

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🏆 Wings Award presented by @wingsfundme 🌴 Beware of the Cartographer! (🇳🇱,🇫🇷) 🌴 NAME OF THE WILL (🇺🇸,🇭🇰,🇯🇵,🇨🇳,🇪🇪,🇬🇧) 🌴 Phonopolis (🇨🇿,🇬🇧) 🌴 The Last Exam (🇹🇷) 🌴 Tom the Postgirl (🇨🇭)

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🏆Explorer Award 🌴 Border Control (🇨🇳,🇦🇺) 🌴 Crashboard 2000 (🇫🇷) 🌴 InSync (🇨🇳,🇺🇸) 🌴 Loopscroll (🇪🇸,🇨🇳) 🌴 The Great Orator (🇳🇱)

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🏆Digital Moment Award 🌴As Long As You're Here (🇩🇰,🇳🇱,🇺🇸) 🌴 coalescent || tidal rapture (🇨🇳,🇲🇦) 🌴 Egglets - The Long 10 Days (🇩🇪) 🌴 RUMINANT 4444 (🇨🇭) 🌴 We Are Dead Animals (🇳🇱,🇩🇪)

🏆Long Feature Award 🌴 Broke Signal Badlands (🇺🇸) 🌴 Easy Delivery Co. (🇨🇦) 🌴 No, I'm not a Human (🇷🇺) 🌴 Season 31 (🇫🇷) 🌴 The Wide Open Sky is Running out of Catfish (🇺🇸)

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🏆 Human Human Machine Award 🌴 labRats (🇺🇸) 🌴 OTHERWORLDS (🇺🇦,🇳🇱) 🌴 Pigeon: A Love Story (🇬🇧) 🌴 Silicomrades (🇨🇿) 🌴 Small Void (🇺🇸, 🇫🇷)

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🏆 Most Amazing Award 🌴 Manifest Your Dream Job Sleep Meditation (🇬🇧) 🌴 PEPPERED: an existential platformer (🇷🇺) 🌴 SIRE (🇳🇱) 🌴 Skate Story (🇺🇸) 🌴 Trans Theft Horso (🇬🇧)

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Here are this years categories for the 2026 #AmazeAwards ! Find the full list of nominees and the categorie overview here:

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It's showtime and we're excited to highlight the new wave of game & playful mediea creators!🏆🌴 This year we recieved 435 ubmissions from 78 countries! Come celebrate with us at A MAZE. Berlin! There will be entertainmet(+ more🦩🍉) visit: 2026.amaze-berlin.de/schedule for more info!