September 5, 2017

2018 Writers Guild Awards: Videogame Writing Award Call for Submissions

Contact: Gregg Mitchell (323) 782-4651; Jason Gordon (212) 767-7809
The WGAW and WGAE have announced the submission period is now open for the 2018 WGA Videogame Writing Award, honoring outstanding achievement in videogame writing.

LOS ANGELES AND NEW YORK – The Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) and Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) have announced the submission period is now open for the 2018 WGA Videogame Writing Award, honoring outstanding achievement in videogame writing.

Submissions will be accepted from September 5 through November 20, 2017, with videogame nominees set to be announced January 11, 2018.

Eligibility criteria for the WGA Videogame Writing Award are as follows:

  • The award is presented to the writer(s) of the best qualifying script from a videogame published in the previous year. To be eligible for entry, games must have been released between 12/1/16 and 11/30/17. The submission deadline is 5:30 p.m. (PT) on Monday, November 20, 2017.
  • Submitted games must have separate credit for writing (i.e., Written By, Story By, Writer, Story Designer, etc.). While there is no limit on the number of credited writers a particular game may have, credits not specifically tied to videogame writing are not acceptable (i.e., Lead Designer, Designed By, Produced By, etc.). *Note: Writers of source material are not eligible for awards consideration.
  • All submissions must be made in the name of the credited writer(s), and not the game itself. Scripts may also be submitted by the developer/publisher of the game, or by writer representatives, i.e., agents, managers, and publicists. Entries submitted by anyone other than the writer(s) must include an entry form signed by the submitting writer(s).
  • At the time the script is submitted, credited writer(s) of the game must be, or apply to become, a member of the WGA’s Videogame Writers Caucus.
  • Work that was not produced under WGA jurisdiction may be submitted.

Preliminary judging for the Videogame Writing Award will be conducted by panels comprised of Videogame Writers Caucus and/or Writers Guild members active in the videogame writing arena. Final judging will be handled by a panel of writers from the VWC and/or Writers Guild members active in videogame writing.

Recent WGA Videogame Writing Award winners include Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (2017), Written by Neil Druckmann, Josh Scherr, Additional Writing by Tom Bissell, Ryan James; Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016), Lead Narrative Designer John Stafford; Narrative Designer Cameron Suey; Lead Writer Rhianna Pratchett; Additional Writer Philip Gelatt; and The Last of Us: Left Behind (2015), Written by Neil Druckmann.

Further inquiries regarding the WGA’s Videogame Writing Award may be directed to Shila Tuna in the WGAW Awards Office at (323) 782-4712, email: Shila Tuna, or to Dana Weissman in the WGAE Awards Office at (212) 767-7835, email: Dana Weissman.

The Writers Guild Awards honor outstanding writing in film, television, new media, videogames, news, radio, promotional, and graphic animation categories. The 2018 Writers Guild Awards (70th Annual) will be presented at concurrent ceremonies on Sunday, February 11, 2018, in Los Angeles at the Beverly Hilton and in New York City at the Edison Ballroom. For more information about the 2018 Writers Guild Awards, please visit www.wga.org or www.wgaeast.org.

For media inquiries about the 2018 WGA Los Angeles show, please contact Gregg Mitchell in the WGAW Communications Department at: (323) 782-4651 or email: Gregg Mitchell.

For media inquiries about the 2018 WGA New York City show, please contact Jason Gordon in the WGAE Communications Department at (212) 767-7809 or email: Jason Gordon.

The Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) are labor unions representing writers in motion pictures, television, cable, digital media, and broadcast news. The Guilds negotiate and administer contracts that protect the creative and economic rights of their members; conduct programs, seminars, and events on issues of interest to writers; and present writers’ views to various bodies of government. For more information on the Writers Guild of America West, visit www.wga.org. For more information on the Writers Guild of America, East, visit www.wgaeast.org.