Enter K12’s Annual Game Development Competition
- Sony PlayStation®5
- Microsoft Xbox Series X
- Nintendo Switch™
- Valve Steam Deck™
- $100 Amazon Gift Card
Competition Details
Open to Students in Grades K-12
The Game On K12 Competition is open to all students in grades K–12. Students will be split into divisions based on their grade level (K–2, 3–5, 6–8, and 9–12) and judged against students in the same division.
Each grade band will have two winners—one selected by our judges and one People’s Choice winner chosen through public voting.
Entry Deadline
Students interested in participating should pitch their idea for an educational video game by 5 PM (ET) on November 18, 2024. Parents or guardians must enter on behalf of students aged 13 or under.
Competition Overview
To enter, students must submit a pitch for an educational video game. Pitches should be 6–8 sentences or a video describing the details of their game. All students in grades K–12 are eligible to participate in the first round and will be notified if they have progressed to the next round.
Students who progress to the second round will be asked to submit a full proposal for their educational video game idea. The proposal template can be viewed here. We encourage students to build their proposals around the judging criteria for their grade band.
Students who progress to the final round will be asked to create trailers for their video game—with help from the K12 team—using AI software provided by K12.
Round 1: Pitches will be judged based on the creativity of the game title, descriptiveness of the pitch, and clarity of the game’s educational value.
Round 2: Proposals will be judged based on the game’s title, objectives, characters, story, and mechanics.
Round 3: Trailers will be judged based on the criteria from round 2, as well as the game’s scalability and audience appeal, the quality and flow of the trailer, and how feasible the game would be to create and play.
Prizes
The creator of the best game in each grade band (K–2, 3–5, 6–8, and 9–12), as selected by our judges, will win their choice of one of these gaming systems: Sony PlayStation®5, Microsoft Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch™, or Valve Steam Deck™.
The creator of the game in each grade band receiving the most public votes will be declared the People’s Choice winner and receive a $100 Amazon gift card.
Competition Schedule
All students are eligible to participate in the first round and submit their game pitches. Students will be notified if they have progressed to the following rounds.
November 18, 2024
December 9, 2024
January 13, 2025
February 5, 2025
Need Inspiration?
Need some inspiration to spark your creativity? Check out some of our example pitches.
K–2 Example: Word Wizards
3–5 Example: Planting Game
6–8 Example: Veterinarian Game
9–12 Example: Coding Conquerors
Take a look at last year’s finalists!
Please review the rules and regulations related to Game On K12. These terms and conditions must be agreed to upon submission of entry.
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