Deutscher Computerspielpreis


The Deutscher Computerspielpreis is a prize mainly aimed at the German games industry and has been awarded since 2009. The DCP is awarded by the Cabinet of Germany and the German Games Industry Association game. In addition to awards, chosen categories receive various amounts of prize money donated by supporters of the award ceremony.

Description

The German Computer Game Award was first awarded on March 31, 2009. The awards are given out by the Cabinet of Germany and the German Games Industry Association game. The ceremony includes a certain amount of prize money for specific categories. The requirement to receive the money is that the winner must prove that they will use the check to develop a new computer game that meets the DCP criteria. The distribution of the prize money is also clearly regulated: the developer receives 70 percent of the sum, while the publisher receives 30 percent. The prize money is donated by supporters and most recently amounted to a total of €800,000 in 2023.

Format

The German Computer Game Award consists of a main jury and ten specialist juries. The main jury is composed of two representatives from each specialist jury. In addition, the German Bundestag may appoint two more members. Berlin and Bavaria, as the hosting federal states, may each appoint one more member of the jury as well. Specialist juries, the Bundestag, and the hosting federal states ultimately select eleven more individuals to join the main jury. This results in a total of 35 responsible members. The main jury determines the winners of the categories "Best German Game," "Special Jury Award," and "Best International Game." The specialist juries are assembled by the two organizers, game and BMVI. The jurors come from politics, research, or a field related to gaming. This includes the DCP developer, active players, the press, media educators, and youth media protectors. On average, the specialist juries consist of four people and determine the winners of the remaining ten categories. The format includes the possibility of games being nominated after the official announcement.

Awarded games

2009

In March 2009, the nominations for the first award ceremony were announced, consisting of nine categories with the ceremony being announced to happen on 31 March 2009. The winners were set to receive a total of €600.000 in all categories except for "Best International Game". The winner in the “Best German Game” category was chosen from the winners of the other categories, with the exception of the school and student concepts and the special prize. The ceremony was held in Munich, Germany, with Drakensang: The Dark Eye receiving two awards overall.
AwardRecipient
Best German GameDrakensang: The Dark Eye – Radon Labs
Best International GameWii Fit, LittleBigPlanet
Best Youth GameDrakensang: The Dark Eye – Radon Labs
Best Children's GameFritz and Chesster
Best Browser GameIkariam
Best Mobile GameCrazy Machines
Best Serious GameTechForce
Best Pupil's GameMonkey´s World Wide Jungle – Elsa-Brändström-Gymnasium, Oberhausen
Best Student's GameSnatch'em – Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin

2010

The second ceremony took place on April 29, 2010, where Anno 1404 took the lead by securing two awards. The game was nominated for "Best International Game" after the official announcement of nominations was given out. Gamestar observed that the heightened level of violence in the preceding nominees, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and Dragon Age: Origins, might have influenced the expansion of nominations.
AwardRecipient
Best German GameAnno 1404 – Related Designs
Best International GameAnno 1404 – Related Designs
Best Youth GameThe Whispered World
Best Children's GameLernerfolg Vorschule – Capt'n Sharky
Best Browser GameWewaii
Best Mobile GameGiana Sisters DS
Best Serious GameExperiMINTe
Best Pupil's GameGooseGogs – Frederic Schimmelpfennig, Nikolaus-August-Otto-Schule, Bad Schwalbach
Best Student's GameNight of Joeanne – Mediadesign Hochschule, Düsseldorf

2011

Source:

2012

Source:
  • Best German Game Crysis 2
  • Best Youth Game: Edna & Harvey: Harvey’s New Eyes
  • Best Children's Game: The Great Jitters: Pudding Panic
  • Best Browser Game: Drakensang Online
  • Best mobile Game: Das verrückte Labyrinth HD
  • Best "Serious Game": Vom Fehlenden Fisch – Die Geheimnisvolle Welt der Gemälde
  • Best Concept of the Young Talents Competition: About Love, Hate and Other Ones
  • Special Award Browser Game: Trauma
  • Special Award of the Young Talents Competition: ''Pan it!''

2013

Source:

2014

Source:
  • Best German Game The Inner World
  • Best Youth Game: Beatbuddy: Tale of the Guardians
  • Best Children's Game: Malduell
  • Best Browser Game: Anno Online
  • Best Mobile Game: CLARC
  • Best Concept of the Young Talents Competition: Scherbenwerk – Bruchteil einer Ewigkeit
  • Special award: ''The Day the Laughter Stopped''

2015

The winners were announced on April 21, 2015 in Berlin.

2016

The winners were announced on April 7, 2016 in Munich.
  • Best German game: Anno 2205
  • Best Concept of the Young Talents Competition: 1. Cubiverse, 2. Lost Ember, 3. Leaves
  • Best Children's Game: 1. Fiete Choice ; 2. Shift Happens
  • Best Youth Game: One Button Travel
  • Best Innovation: The Climb
  • Best Staging: Typoman
  • Best Serious Game: Professor S.
  • Best Mobile Game: Path of War
  • Best Game Design: Shift Happens
  • Best International Game: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
  • Best International Multiplayer Game: Splatoon
  • Best International New Game World: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
  • Special Jury Award: Indie Arena Booth
  • Audience Award: ''The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt''

2017

The nominations were announced in March 2017 while the ceremony was held in April, 2017 in Berlin.

2018

The winners were announced on April 10, 2018 in Munich.
  • Best German game: Witch It
  • Best Children's Game: Monkey Swag
  • Best Youth Game: Witch It
  • Best Innovation: HUXLEY
  • Best Staging: The [Long Journey Home (video game)|The Long Journey Home]
  • Best Serious Game: Vocabicar
  • Best Mobile Game: Card Thief
  • Best Game Design: TownsmenVR
  • Best International Game: Assassin's Creed Origins
  • Best International Multiplayer Game: Witch It
  • Best International Game World: Horizon Zero Dawn
  • Young Talent with Concept: 1. Ernas Unheil, 2. Sunset Devils
  • Young Talent with Prototype: 1. Fading Skies, 2. Realm of the Machines
  • Special Jury Award: Friendly Fire
  • Audience Award: ''ELEX''

2019

The awards were announced on April 9, 2019 in Munich.
  • Best German game: Trüberbrook
  • Best Children's Game: Laika
  • Best Youth Game: Unforeseen Incidents
  • Best Innovation: Bcon – The Gaming Wearable
  • Best Staging: Trüberbrook
  • Best Serious Game: State of Mind
  • Best Mobile Game: see/saw
  • Best Game Design: Tower Tag
  • Best International Game: God of War
  • Best International Multiplayer Game: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
  • Best International Game World: Red Dead Redemption 2
  • Young Talent with Concept: Elizabeth
  • Young Talent with Prototype: A Juggler’s Tale
  • Special Jury Award: A Maze. / Berlin
  • Audience Award: ''Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales''

2020

Source:

2021

Source:
  • Best German Game: Desperados III
  • Best Family Game: El Hijo – A Wild West Tale
  • Young Talent - Best Debut: Dorfromantik
  • Young Talent - Best Prototype: Passing By
  • Best Innovation and Technology: Holoride
  • Best Games World and Aesthetics: Cloudpunk
  • Best Game Design: Dorfromantik
  • Best Serious Game: Welten der Werkstoffe
  • Best Mobile Game: Polarized!
  • Best Expert Game: Suzerain
  • Best International Game: The Last of Us Part II
  • Best International Multiplayer Game: Animal Crossing: New Horizons
  • Player of the Year: Gnu
  • Best Studio: Mimimi Games
  • Special Jury Award: Indie Arena Booth Online 2020

2022

Source:
  • Best Live Game: Hunt: Showdown
  • Best German Game: Chorus
  • Best Family Game: Omno
  • Best Games World and Aesthetics: A Juggler’s Tale
  • Young Talent - Best Debut: White Shadow
  • Young Talent - Best Prototype: Wiblu
  • Best Innovation and Technology: Warpdrive Holocafe
  • Best Game Design: Kraken Academy!!
  • Best Serious Game: EZRA
  • Best Mobile Game: Albion Online
  • Best Expert Game: Imagine Earth
  • Best International Game: Elden Ring
  • Best International Multiplayer Game: It Takes Two (video game)
  • Player of the Year: Maximilian Knabe "HandOfBlood"
  • Best Studio: CipSoft
  • Special Jury Award: Games Jobs Germany

2023

Source:
  • Best German Game: Chained Echoes
  • Best Family Game: Die magische Bretterbudenburg
  • Young Talent - Best Debut: Signalis
  • Young Talent - Best Prototype: Light of Atlantis
  • Best Innovation and Technology: Beethoven
  • Best Game Design: Dome Keeper
  • Best Serious Game: Beholder 3
  • Best Mobile Game: Dungeons of Dreadrock
  • Best Expert Game: Touch Type Tale - Strategic Typing
  • Best Graphics Design: Abriss
  • Best Audio Design: Signalis
  • Best International Game: God of War Ragnarök
  • Player of the Year: Pia Scholz aka Shurjoka
  • Best Studio: Paintbucket Games
  • Special Jury Award: FemDevMeetup

2024

Source:
  • Best German Game: Everspace 2
  • Best Family Game: Spells & Secrets
  • Young Talent - Best Debut: Ad Infinitum
  • Young Talent - Best Prototype: Misgiven
  • Best Innovation and Technology: Marble Maze
  • Best Game Design: Lose CTRL
  • Best Serious Game: Friedrich Ebert – Der Weg zur Demokratie
  • Best Mobile Game: Cat Rescue Story
  • Best Story: Ad Infinitum
  • Best Graphics Design: The Bear – A Story from the World of Gra
  • Best Audio Design: Ad Infinitum
  • Best International Game: Baldur’s Gate 3
  • Player of the Year: Maurice Weber
  • Studio of the Year: Pixel Maniacs
  • Special Jury Award: Gaming ohne Grenzen