Bit1 Competition

From preliminaries

We at Bit1 are searching for the best Finnish game made by a dev team of students.

During spring, teams of young game developers are invited to join the competition. First they compete in the local events PreBits, held around Finland. The top two teams from each PreBit will continue to the final. Teams can also attend remotely, in case of long-distance to the preliminary cities.

Remote participation in the PreBits negotiable – thus please contact the organizers.

This year the PreBits are held in the following cities (updates and cancellations are still possible): 

  1. PreBit Helsinki (7.3.2025)
  2. PreBit Turku (in March, week 11)
  3. PreBit Rovaniemi (20.2.2025)
  4. PreBit Tampere (not confirmed)
  5. PreBit Jyväskylä (not confirmed)
  6. PreBit Kajaani (not confirmed)
  7. PreBit Online (in March, week 11)

Please note that some of the PreBit cities have not been fully confirmed yet. You can still choose the one that suits you best. If the event you choose gets canceled, we will contact you, and you will have the option to select a different city or attend the PreBit Online event.

To the Bit1 final

These teams chosen at the preliminaries to continue to the national final, the Bit1, will receive mentoring from pros to develop their game before the final. The Bit1 final is typically held between April and mid-May each year.

The winners will be selected by the top professionals of the game industry. The winning team will be able to meet industry representatives and present their skills in an exclusive event that can help them land a job or an internship.

Competing teams will receive feedback on their games from the jury.

The Bit1 Final will take place in Helsinki in early April. We will announce the exact date and venue later!

Application process for the teams:

Please first read the competition rules to make sure your team is eligible. The registration for the Bit1 Competition is now open!

Apply for the competiton here!

To submit your application you need following material:

  • Game Design Canvas
  • Video of the game's core loop

Here you find Game Design Canvas pdf or docx, that contains guide for how to fill it. You can edit game canvas right there and then save your edited version of that pdf on your computer. Then add it to your application.

Video of your core loop should be 1 minute long and locate somewhere where we can download it. Leave link to that in the application form. This can be updated to newer version by contacting organizer.

The games approved to compete can be on any platform, either single or multiplayer. In most cases, during the PreBits or the Bit1 Finals, the organizer will guarantee equipment for PC games on the spot, but unfortunately not for mobile and VR-games. (Always check!)  Teams must bring their own equipment for these types of games. 

If your game is selected to the finals, there is always a few weeks of time to develop the game further. We do not expected that everything is looking polished when you apply, but the core loop has to be playable. The focus is on the game concept, design ideas and your business plan.

The organizers of each PreBit have the right to limit the number of competitors in PreBits in case there are many applicants.

Prizes

  • All teams going to the final will recieve mentoring from pros before the Bit1 final
  • Pride and glory! The winning team will get to attend the Finnish Game Awards and pick up their trophy from the main stage.

To get you into the mood, here is the top 11 games from the Finals in 2023! 

Timeless
TAG
Swipe Miner
Mänteater
Totally Not Space Inviders
Orcs On A Train
Animal Planner
Bucket Brawl
Discordant
Chronological
Cardosseum


For PreBit organizers: How to set up a PreBit?

We encourage schools / universities / student organizations around Finland to take part and organize a preliminary event in yout city.  It’s all quite easy – no need to panic! 

Just follow these few simple steps: 

Step 1 – Let the organizers know that you are interested in organizing a PreBit in your city.

Step 2 – Find a location that can easily fit several student teams who would love to participate. The only criteria for the venue is that it is large enough for the teams to present and pitch their games to the judging panel. Ideally there would be also some room left for potential audience aswell.

Step 3 – Communication! Spread the word far and wide that there will be a PreBit in your city! Use social media and any(all) local networks. (We will provide you with materials for this.)

Step 4 – Have all potential teams sign up using a form that will be provided once the application period in 2025 is open. 

Step 5 – Find judges! Get your hands on 3-4 gaming industry professionals for the judging panel. It would be amazing if you were able to get judges from your local game companies.

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