During Lucca Comics & Games 2025, the annual Masterclass dedicated to the “Gioco Inedito – Miglior Proposta di Gioco” (Unpublished Game – Best Game Proposal) contest took place.
Luigi Ferrini, the contest president, and Domenico Di Giorgio, editorial director of DV Games – a partner of the award for over 20 years – revealed the theme for 2026: “Comics!”. This theme was chosen to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the event that hosts the contest, which was founded in 1966.
The “Gioco Inedito” contest aims to select the best game among the submitted prototypes and reward it with a professional, high-quality publication, handled directly by DV Games.
The contest also aims to promote emerging graphic and artistic talent with the “Best Artwork Award,” as part of a broader collaboration with Lucca Comics & Games on various projects to support emerging creators led by the organization.
The winner will be selected by the contest jury, composed of 8 members chosen by Lucca Crea and DV Games, including president Luigi Ferrini, award coordinator Daniele Boschi, and the other jury members: Silvia Ceccarelli, Marta Ciaccasassi, Domenico Di Giorgio, Andrea Guerrieri, Andrea Parrella, and Silvano Sorrentino.
The official call for entries is available on the dedicated webpage. You can find the contest F.A.Q. here, while the registration form is located on the Lucca Crea Contests page.
ATTENTION: The deadline for enrollment has been extended until FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2026.
The contest is open to both Italian and foreign game designers, and prototypes may be submitted in either Italian or English. All submitted prototypes must conform to the technical and style requirements described below to avoid exclusion from the award process. The Award Jury will select the best games among those received before the contest deadline. Evaluation of the games for “Best Artwork Award”, which will be based on illustration quality and artistic level, will be carried-out by the contest jury and publishing professionals from DV Games.
All games submitted will be evaluated on originality, playability, editorial, artistic, technical, and cultural value (though not necessarily in that order). The graphic design of the product will not be considered as a criterion for the award: designers only have to ensure that all drawings are clear, and all text is legible. On the other hand, game elements that may make it difficult for the game to be published internationally will receive unfavorable evaluation. It is therefore recommended that designers limit or exclude textual elements on the cards and, wherever possible, make use of internationally recognized expressions, symbols, and drawings (though this is not a mandatory requirement to participate in the contest). The jury will also evaluate the average length of a game. Though there are no strict requirements for game length, it is recommended for designers to aim for a game that lasts about 15 – 30 minutes.