Culminating at the 2023 Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference, the Serious Games Showcase & Challenge (SGS&C) announced this year’s winners from a pool of 17 finalists at a special awards presentation on Nov 30.

The winning games for each category are:

· Best General Audience Serious Game: Cardio Ex by Level Ex

· Best Government Audience Serious Game: BORG Space by Boecore

· Best XR Serious Game: Firearm Safe Handling Virtual Reality Training by Booz Allen Hamilton

· Best Student-Developed Serious Game: Limbitless Journey by Limbitless Solutions UCF

· Innovation Award: Praxis: Post Brain Injury VR-Based Rehabilitation by BlueHalo

· Students’ Choice: Till Next Bill by Canton de Vaud

· People’s Choice: Dyslexia Intervention Training for Educators by Ball Aerospace in partnership with AFRL GRILL

Each game submission was evaluated by the SGS&C integrated planning team (IPT) to determine the 17 finalist games that were showcased as part of the I/ITSEC event. An esteemed panel of evaluators from around the globe reviewed the finalist games and their scoring determined the winners, except for the Innovation Award decided by the SGS&C IPT, Students’ Choice Award, which was picked by student players at their schools in advance of the conference, and the People’s Choice Award decided by votes from I/ITSEC attendees.

“It was another outstanding year for the challenge,” said Adelle Adams, RINA UK, and SGS&C IPT Chair. “The diversity of submissions reminded us why serious games matter and how they can positively challenge our ways of learning. The competition was fierce, and all our 2023 finalists and winners should be very proud!”

Jennifer McNamara, Breakaway Games, and SGS&C director, said, “Expanding the challenge to include a finalist auto advanced from our new European partner, SGSCE held as part of DSET, highlighted current serious games development outside of the United States. It was wonderful to include the SGSCE winner, CHOMP, at I/ITSEC this year, and we can’t wait to see the games the event draws for 2024.”

The SGS&C is the premier venue for recognition of excellence in the field of serious games development. Since 2006, SGS&C has helped foster creativity and innovation in serious games as part of NTSA’s I/ITSEC conference held each year in Orlando, Florida.