If you're an indie developer you'll be hungry for a way to get your game in front of press, publishers and industry experts of every stripe. The Big Indie Pitch events, run by PocketGamer.biz's parent company, are perfect for this. [UPDATE: you have until the end of September to enter!]

2018 has certainly been an incredible year for Big Indie Pitch sessions around the world - and we're no way near finished yet. We've already hosted 20 pitches since last year’s Big Indie Awards, with more than 250 developers entering!

And much like last year, we'll be celebrating the best of the last 12 months by staging a Big Indie Awards. It's the indie extravaganza that caps the year. We hosted the inaugural awards last year. The ceremony saw Northen Ireland developer Italic Pig's game Mona Lisa named the best indie title of 2017. And in 2018 we're at it again.

TL;DR

• We're celebrating the best indie games of the year with a big competition.
• If you've been in one of our Big Indie Pitches before, you're already in the running.
• If not, you've still got time to enter (just). 
• You don't have to travel anywhere to take part - the first rounds of judging are done remotely.
• But the winner will find themselves whisked off to G-STAR, the top gaming event in South Korea, to pick up their prize.
• Read on for details and entry form link...

The Big Indie Awards 2018 in association with G-STAR

This November we'll be hosting the Big Indie Awards in Busan, South Korea, in association with our 2018 season sponsors G-STAR. All developers who've been a part of the Big Indie Pitch since last year will automatically be considered for the first round of remote judging, and all of those that walked away with a prize in the last 12 months being guaranteed a place in the second judging round. 

If you're an indie developer who wants to be a part of this celebration, but haven’t entered one of our events before, there's still time to get involved!

There’s not long left to get your submission in. There are some cool prizes on offer - including a trip to South Korea for the ultimate shortlisted games - but you need to get your entry in this week. There's no need to turn up at this point. Our judges will be making the first and second stage selections. We'll be assembling a crack team of key Big Indie Pitch judges together the day before Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki 2018, in order to ponder the games on the longlist. 

Getting your submission in

Luckily, entering couldn’t be simpler. All you need to do to get your game in front of our judges is to head over to our REGISTRATION FORM by the end of September, 2018. Fill in all of the required information, including details about you and your game, alongside a link to a video of your game and some screenshots, please. You'll need to register to the Pocket Gamer Business Network, but it's quick and easy!

(Been a part of the Big Indie Pitch before? The form is exactly the same.)

These entries will then be filtered into a longlist through a provisional judging process. This process will take place as a part of Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki 2018, and will include a crack team of experts, including games journalists, influencers and experienced developers, all of which have acted as judges for the Big Indie Pitch in the last 12 months.

What are the prizes?

Of course, it wouldn't be a celebration without some tantalising prizes, and this year we've got some doozies:

• The overall winner will get a Silver Steel Media Preferred Partners package worth $10,000, in order to promote their game on the Steel Media network. Plus they'll receive a table package at an upcoming PG Connects event. The table includes a table, power, two chairs and two developer tickets to the conference, and is worth $250.
• The 2nd place will get a Bronze Steel Media Preferred Partners package worth $5,000 plus a $250 PGC table package.
• The 3rd place will get a Bronze Steel Media Preferred Partners package worth $5,000 plus a $250 PGC table package.
• The special Local Developer award winner will get a Bronze Preferred Partners package worth $5,000 plus a $250 PGC table package.
• The top three will also be awarded flights and accommodation for a trip to Busan, South Korea, plus entry into the awesome G-STAR 2018 show, one of the biggest games shows in the world. There, you'll receive on-stage adulation at the ceremony during G-STAR. Naturally, there’s also a fair amount of media coverage associated with that event. Plus you'll walk away with a posh award to put on your mantlepiece.

Live from South Korea!

Yep, you read that right. After the remote judging process, we’ll be taking the top three on the list out to Busan in South Korea, one of the most exciting places in the gaming world, to enjoy the G-STAR event. On November 21st, while out there, we'll reveal the shortlist to the world and invite those top three to collect their prize in person on stage. As part of this trip, those lucky enough to come along with us will not only have all their flights and accommodation paid for, but they’ll also get a chance to present their games on stage at the ceremony to a packed audience.

We have an array of prizes up for grabs worth over $25,000, as detailed above, including marketing promotional spend on our channels, tickets and expo tables at PG Connects. Plus there’s the paid trip to South Korea and all of the media coverage that goes along with that.

What is G-STAR?

Launched in 2005, G-STAR is the annual South Korean computer and video game trade show. It’s a one-stop, accessible gateway to the Asian market and it sees the biggest players in publishing, development and investment gather every year to do business and set the industry trends. G-STAR is open to both trade visitors and consumers, and it takes place on November 15-18 at BEXCO, Busan. In 2018 a focus for G-STAR will be the international scene so national pavilion participants will be strongly welcomed. As well as booths from representatives around the globe, 2018’s G-STAR will be heavily promoting the indie game scene. That’s where you come in. For more information about the conference, visit the official site.

More information about The Big Indie Awards in association with G-STAR can be found both over on our event page and on the Big Indie Pitch website.

Entries must be mobile, portable (including Switch), mobile VR or AR games. Teams that enter will need at least one member with a valid passport who could travel to South Korea between November 15 – 17, 2018. Please send other questions to the award coordinator at support@bigindieawards.com. Terms and conditions apply, see details at http://www.bigindiepitch.com/event/the-big-indie-awards-2018#rules.