2021 International Serious Play Awards: Entry Deadline and Categories
The 2021 International Serious Play Awards took entries for digital and tabletop learning games until February 9, 2021. The program continues in 2026 with new deadlines and a sector-based category list.
Updated
The 2021 call for entries
The International Serious Play Awards honor game-based learning, in digital or tabletop form, for use in the military, government, business, nonprofit sector, healthcare, higher education, K-12 and museums or visitor centers. For the 2021 edition the entry deadline was Tuesday, February 9, 2021.
The program had three categories. Commercial digital learning games from professional developers, and tabletop or board game learning games from professionals and students, were due on February 9, 2021. Serious games built by students in college and university game development programs were due in May 2021.
Judges scored how well the feedback, assessment and learning objectives were executed and how clear they were, the overall gameplay (how engaging and interactive the game is), the start-up orientation for the player, and the aesthetics.
2021 entry schedule
| Category | Entrants | Due |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial digital learning games | Professional | February 9, 2021 |
| Tabletop and board game learning games | Professional and student | February 9, 2021 |
| Serious games by students in game development programs | Student | May 2021 |
What is true today
The awards are still running. The awards page at the Serious Play Conference site covers the 2026 awards and links to winners for 2026, 2025 and 2024. Entries for commercial and in-house digital games were due March 15, and all student and tabletop entries June 1. Late entries were accepted up to one week after a deadline with a $100 late charge.
The sector list has moved as well. The 2021 call named the military, government, business, nonprofit, healthcare, higher education, K-12 and museums or visitor centers. The 2026 sector awards no longer list the military and add Humanitarian and NGO. The 2021 call also pointed entrants to the awards page of the Serious Play Conference for forms and details, and that is still the page that carries the rules.
The category structure has changed from the three groups of 2021. Sector awards, presented in June at Serious Play Conference Europe, cover Healthcare, Higher Education, PreK and K12, Humanitarian and NGO, Government and Enterprise, and Museums, Libraries and Heritage. Student awards, presented in August at Serious Play Conference North America, cover K12 Digital, Higher Ed Digital, K12 Tabletop and Higher Ed Tabletop. Special awards presented in August are Narrative, Gameplay, Analog and Game of the Year, named in honor of founder Sue Bohle.
Each category recognizes three finalists and one winner. The winners of the 2021 edition are listed on the 2021 Serious Play Awards page.
Questions about the Serious Play Awards
When was the entry deadline for the 2021 awards?
February 9, 2021 for digital and tabletop entries, with student-built games due in May 2021.
Are the International Serious Play Awards still given?
Yes. The awards page shows a 2026 edition with deadlines of March 15 for digital entries and June 1 for student and tabletop entries.
What categories do the awards have now?
Sector awards, student awards and special awards. Sectors include Healthcare, Higher Education, PreK and K12, Humanitarian and NGO, Government and Enterprise, and Museums, Libraries and Heritage.