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 is negotiable – thus please contact the organizers.

This year’s PreBits are held in the following cities:

PreBit Helsinki - 19.3. and 20.3.
PreBit Tampere - 18.3.
PreBit Turku - TBA
PreBit Jyväskylä - TBA
PreBit Kajaani - 25.2.
PreBit Rovaniemi - 11.3.
PreBit Online - 11.3.

To the Bit1 Finale

The winner(s) of each PreBit will advance to the Bit1 Finale to compete for the Bit1 crown! Before the Finale, teams will receive mentoring from their own PreBit jury to further develop their games. The Bit1 Finale is typically held in early April, where competing teams will also receive valuable feedback from the jury.

The winner of Bit1 will be awarded pride, glory, and an amazing trophy on the stage of the Finnish Game Awards!

The Bit1 Finale 2026 will take place in Helsinki in early April!

Stay tuned!

Application Process for the Teams

Please first read the competition rules to make sure your team is eligible.

Registration for the Bit1 Competition 2026 is now open! Apply here by Sunday, 22.2. at 23:59.

To submit your application you need following material:

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

Video of your core loop should be 1 minute long (no longer!) and locate somewhere where we can download it (no Youtube links!). Leave the link in the application form. The core loop video can be updated to a newer version by contacting the organizer. The core loop video can also be a more polished game trailer, as long as the basic core loop is clearly shown.

After submitting your application, a Bit1 organizer will contact you with further details about the process and the final deadline for updating all required materials. Please note that during the PreBits, teams will also pitch their game with a 3-minute presentation, which requires a prepared pitch deck. The organizer will provide ready-made slide templates, but teams are also free to create their own. The only requirement is that the pitch deck must be in Google Slides format, to ensure smooth handling of presentations during the event.

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 expect 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 too many applicants.

How to Prepare for Your PreBit

PreBits are fairly simple events that usually follow the same structure:

Welcoming the teams and introducing the judges
Teams pitch their games (a 3-minute pitch in English). Before each pitch, the team will show their core loop video.
The jury asks questions after each pitch
After all teams have presented, the jury will test the games and retreat to discuss which team(s) will proceed to the Bit1 Finale

Before the event, teams will arrive on site in advance to set up their game stations. PreBit organizers usually provide monitors, keyboards, mice, and sometimes PCs and headphones. The PreBit organizer will contact you beforehand to let you know what they can provide and what you need to bring. If you are unsure about anything, you can always contact your PreBit organizer or the Bit1 production assistant: joanna.linninen@metropolia.fi.

If you have signed up for PreBit Online, you must send your game build to your PreBit organizer before the event. If your game runs on a device other than a PC, please contact joanna.linninen@metropolia.fi or your PreBit organizer well in advance so they can ensure the judges have compatible devices available.

Please note that all PreBits are held in English. Good luck with your preparations!

To get you into the mood, here are the top 7 games from the Bit1 Finale in 2025!

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.