Competition Rules for Bit1
Who can participate?
At least 50% of the team members must be enrolled as students in a Finnish educational institution during the spring semester at one of the institutions listed below:
- Universities of Applied Sciences (AMK)
- Universities (yliopisto)
- Vocational School (ammattikoulu)
- High School (lukio)
The game doesn’t need to be a school project or part of a course — you can apply independently or as a team!
You’re also welcome to apply with a prototype. Just be prepared to present your plans for further development in a clear and convincing way. While judging focuses primarily on a game’s potential, very early-stage projects may find it more challenging to compete with more polished entries. That said, a well-justified and well-presented prototype can absolutely succeed in the competition.
We encourage submissions of all kinds, regardless of stage. The feedback from the judges can be exactly what you need to take your project to the next level!
Approved games
Bit1 competition is open for all entertainment and educational games, which core gameplay loop is playable. Original ideas of the team and projects which IP rights belong to the team. All digital platforms are approved.
No games that involve legally determined gambling according to Finnish law (Rikoslaki, 17 luku, 16 § (24.7.1998/563)).
AI and purchased/stock assets: AI and purchased or stock assets can be freely used, but you must be transparent about them and clearly describe how they have been used.
Note: Excessive use of AI and purchased/stock assets may have a negative impact on the judges’ evaluation.
Regulations
The Bit1 organizer reserves the right to deny a team from competing in exceptional circumstances, for example a team being over competent or their game having offensive content. In these exceptional situations the organizer will always contact the team first before denying their participation.
Judging criteria
The jury evaluates the games based on commercial potential, technical execution, and uniqueness.
Commercial potential:
Who is your target audience / who is the game for? How does the game stand out in the market? Which games are your biggest competitors? Why would a consumer choose to buy your game? What is your business model?
These are the questions the Bit1 jury will want you to answer. If your project is a school project and not aiming for release, that’s totally fine too! In that case, it is still highly recommended to think these questions through, as they demonstrate professionalism to the jury—and you can still earn points in commercial potential.
Technical execution:
Is your game working as it should? Is it smooth or clunky? Are there any critical bugs? What is the user experience like? Does the player understand how to play the game?
As mentioned before, it’s totally fine if the game is not fully ready yet. Even so, you should ensure that the game works well enough for the judges to test it smoothly. Critical bugs or frequent crashes can significantly affect your score. Quick tip: make sure the core mechanics work well and that playing the game feels right. Polishing characters and environments is secondary in this category (but if done exceptionally well, it can earn you extra points!).
Uniqueness:
Does your game offer unique features compared to others on the market? Does the art style feel fresh and suitable for the genre? What is unique about the gameplay and/or story? Is the game fun to play?
In this category, games with a strong and interesting idea—such as a fresh take on a classic genre—tend to stand out. This is also where you can gain points for a beautiful art style and engaging story or gameplay. And let’s not forget the most important question: is your game fun and addictive to play? If yes, you’ll perform strongly in this category!
Categories
The Best Game, jury’s choice, the official winner of Bit1
Special mentions, for example best art style, best business plan etc.
Audience choice, the audience votes for their favorite game!