2026 AIAS Foundation Scholarship Applications Now Open
The AIAS Foundation has opened submissions for its annual scholarship programs benefiting students and early professionals in the video games industry. The AIAS Foundation, WomenIn, and Girls for Gaming scholarships are provided to talented students and early professionals who aspire to make a mark in the games industry through their dedication, passion, and interest in pushing forward the medium of interactive entertainment.
Submissions are due May 31, 2026.
2026 Game Maker's Sketchbook Submissions Now Open
Deadline to Enter: March 26
The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS), iam8bit, and fortyseven (47) communications are excited to announce that submissions have opened for its 5th annual Game Maker's Sketchbook, which celebrates excellence in video game art and visuals, highlighting a diverse range of creative contributions from artists across various game studios and projects.
Selected works will be showcased at the 2026 Summer Game Fest Play Days in Los Angeles, offering a platform for global recognition. The annual Game Maker’s Sketchbook exhibition will offer a chance for fans to buy prints and artifacts online, powered by iam8bit, with proceeds going to charities that support and uplift the games industry.
The Game Maker’s Sketchbook will collect submissions in the categories of Storyboard, Environment Art, Character Art, Iconography, Curiosities, and Impact.
Artwork must correspond with a video game title published publicly on or after January 1, 2025.
Listen to the special podcast all about the Game Maker's Sketchbook here.
D.I.C.E. Awards Winners Revealed
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 wins Game of the Year
The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) today recognized the most exceptional video games of the year during the 29th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, held at the Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The ceremony honored studios and creators whose work pushed the boundaries of interactive storytelling, technical innovation, and player experience throughout 2025.
Selected by the Academy’s global membership of more than 30,000 industry professionals, this year’s winners reflected a broad spectrum of creative achievement across 23 award categories spanning design, art, animation, audio, story, and technology.
Virgil Watkins
Embark Studios
#gamemakersnotebook
Adam Orth chats with Virgil Watkins, the design director behind Embark Studios' smash hit extraction shooter, Arc Raiders. Together they discuss his early passion in modding and how it led to him joining Embark Studios as a Technical Designer on the initial PVE version of Arc Raiders; how internal testing shaped the system design and core experience of the PvPvE version; the ways they're seeking to improve the game post-launch; and how they balance handcrafted experiences with randomness in the deadly Arc encounters.
Watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Ben Starr
Actor
#gamemakersnotebook
Alexa Ray Corriea chats with Actor Ben Starr. Together they discuss his role in the multi-D.I.C.E. Award winning game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33; balancing authenticity and restraint in the public sphere; voice acting in a game filled with intimacy in Date Everything!; and his observations on the difficulties many developers face today.
Watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Thomas Andersson
Battlefield Studios
#gamemakersnotebook
Adam Orth chats with Battlefield 6 Creative Director, Thomas Andersson. Together they discuss his path in games from level design to direction; what it takes to lead a team the size it takes to create a Battlefield title; the pillars and core features that drove the mission in the newest entry; how the kinetic movement and destruction work together to create unique and epic moments; and the technical and design challenges present when emphasizing player freedom.
Watch this episode on our YouTube channel.