Terms of Participation
Organizer
The organizer is the Hippodice Spieleclub e. V., based in Bochum, Germany.
Requirements for Game Submissions
Submitted games must be designed as board games, card games, dice games, or other non-digital formats. Purely digital games (e.g., computer games, mobile games) and print-and-play games are not eligible for the competition.
Only prototypes of newly developed, unpublished games may be submitted.
The maximum playing time may not exceed 90 minutes.
To qualify, each submitted entry must meet the following requirements:
- The game must remain unpublished until the day the results are announced.
- The game must not be under contract with a publisher.
- The game must not be part of an active crowdfunding campaign.
- If any of these conditions change during the competition, the organizer must be informed immediately. In such cases, the game will be disqualified.
- The participant must hold all necessary rights to the submitted entry and confirm that no third-party rights are infringed by submitting materials (photos, texts, or other intellectual property). The participant also grants the organizer permission to take and use photographs of the prototype for publications related to the competition (website, social media, result documentation).
- Participants must be at least 18 years old. For younger designers, a parent or legal guardian must submit the entry on their behalf.
Application Process
Applications must be submitted via the form on hippodice-competition.net by the stated deadline. The form requires two PDF uploads: a compact game description and the full game rules. Both documents must include the game’s title and the designer’s name.
The game description must not exceed one A4 page and should concisely outline the gameplay and key mechanisms (approx. 250–500 words). It should be supported with illustrations or diagrams.
The full rules must be uploaded as a separate PDF file and should also be supported with visuals where helpful.
Both documents can be submitted in either English or German.
No prototypes should be sent in for the preliminary round. Prototypes may only be submitted after receiving an explicit request from the organizers.
Each participant may submit a maximum of three entries per year.
Prototypes that were submitted to a previous competition may be resubmitted, provided they did not reach the final round and have been significantly revised since then.
A professional graphic design is not required — the game must be easy to play and test.
After the preliminary round, designers will be notified whether their prototype has qualified for the main round. No feedback will be provided for entries that do not advance.
Participation Fee
There is no fee for the preliminary round.
If a prototype qualifies for the main round, a fee of €25 per game must be paid.
Prototype Handling
Prototypes submitted for the main round will remain with the organizers at least until the final round is completed.
If a prototype attracts interest from a publisher, it may be handed over to them after the final round. Otherwise, it will be returned to the designer — provided they have covered the return shipping costs (see “Returning Prototypes” below).
Returned prototypes may show signs of wear or damage due to frequent playtesting. The organizer assumes no liability for such damage.
Returning Prototypes
After the final round, designers whose prototypes were not taken by publishers will be contacted by email and asked to provide a return shipping label. This email will be sent shortly after the final round.
Designers who do not wish to have their prototype returned do not need to provide this shipping label.
Publication of Results
To promote submitted games to publishers and the general public, the Hippodice Spieleclub e. V. produces various publications. For this purpose, the designer grants the organizer the right to publish photos and written content related to their prototype. These publications will include the designer’s name and the prototype’s title.
The prototype, rules, and the contact information required for communication with publishers may be shared with publisher representatives.
All rights to the prototype remain with the game designer.
Liability
The organizer’s liability, including to third parties, is limited to intent and gross negligence.
Participants may only submit entries that comply with all applicable German laws, including copyright, trademark, and personal rights.
If a participant violates any of these laws, they will be liable for all resulting damages. This includes claims made by third parties against the organizer.
All decisions regarding the competition are made by the editors, playtesters, expert jury, and the organizers. All decisions are final, and legal recourse is excluded.
Data Privacy
By submitting an entry, participants agree to the collection, storage, and processing of their personal data for the purposes of organizing and managing the competition.
The organizer may contact participants by email or, in exceptional cases, by phone regarding competition-related matters (e.g., feedback, missing information, prototype request, result notification, publisher contact, prototype promotion).
During the preliminary round, the editors will have access to the submitted game descriptions and rules.
For the main round, all members of Hippodice Spieleclub e. V. and attendees of the club’s playtesting events will have access to the prototypes and game rules.
Entries that reach the final round will be presented to various publisher representatives. After the final round, the organizer may hand over prototypes and the participant’s contact information to publishers interested in following up. This transfer of prototypes and contact data only occurs with the participant’s explicit consent, which is granted by submitting the application form.
The Hippodice Spieleclub merely facilitates contact between designers and publishers and is not involved in any resulting negotiations or contracts.
In accordance with Article 13 of the GDPR, the party responsible for data protection is:
Hippodice Spieleclub e. V., Bochum, represented by the board (see hippodice-competition.net/impressum)
Email: datenschutz@hippodice.de
Data processing is based on Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR (contract performance related to the terms of participation) and, where explicit consent is required, on Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR.
Participants who reach the final round consent to the long-term storage of their contact data, which may be revoked at any time after the competition.
Under Article 21 of the GDPR, participants have the right to object to the processing of their personal data at any time if the data is processed based on Article 6(1)(e) or (f) GDPR.
They also have the right to access and rectify their data.
If participants believe their data is being processed unlawfully, they have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, such as the Data Protection Commissioner of North Rhine-Westphalia: https://www.ldi.nrw.de