Draknek New Voices Puzzle Grant

The Draknek New Voices Puzzle Grant is a grant opportunity for game developers from traditionally underrepresented groups and backgrounds who are interested in designing and developing puzzle games.

Applications are currently closed, but sign up here to be notified about future opportunities:

2024/25 Selections

Fahim Daysal

Compress(space)
Demo

Compress(space) is a 2D + ||D puzzle game where you bend space to cheat your way through puzzles.

Stuti Verma

The Detective's Apprentice
itch.io / Trailer

The Detective's Apprentice is a "howdunnit" detective game inspired by games like Return of the Obra Dinn, Case of the Golden Idol and Ace Attorney. You play as Cleo, a young apprentice to Maya Lynch, a world-renowned detective. Together, you two solve all kinds of crimes, from robberies to murders. To solve each case, you must recreate the crime by entering every action taken by the culprit.

Pipapo Games

Map Map - A Game About Maps
Steam / Trailer

‘Map Map - A Game About Maps’ is a cozy puzzle exploration game with a unique cartography mechanic. You don't just follow the map, you make it yourself. Explore the world without distractions by actively engaging with the game world and not just following quest markers. Explore the island, find locations and pinpoint them as accurately as possible onto your map.

PawPaw Games

Kiko’s Apple Adventure
Steam / Trailer

Kiko’s Apple Adventure is a Sokoban game about a curious bear who loves tasty apples. In it, you’ll have to move the target point in order to puzzle your way through each handcrafted level. Explore islands, move the finish line, and outsmart your enemies.

Dead Teapot

Shape Sender Deluxe
Steam / Trailer

Solve physics puzzles with magnets, springs, portals, fans, and more while your new best friend Sendy helps you along the way! But maybe keep an eye on him, he’s been acting a little … strange, lately.

Petallix Games

Backtrace
Website

Backtrace is a narrative puzzle game about retro computers featuring strong female characters. The player logs into their personal computer, only to be thrust into a whirlwind of internet espionage and unexpected friendships. The puzzles are based on a 2D programming language offering ample challenge to 'byte' into. Players can engage with the game for its story, puzzles, or ideally, both!

2022 Selections

Jiheh Ritterling, Spicy Rice Cake Studio
@islandnamehere

ISLAND_NAME_HERE
Steam / Website / Trailer

Jiheh is a solo dev working on “ISLAND_NAME_HERE”, a puzzle adventure about a game designer making a tropical island.

Urooj Iqbal, Playdew
@playd3w

Lost Twins II
Steam / Website / Trailer

Urooj is part of the team of Pakistani devs working on “Lost Twins II”, an immersive puzzle-platformer with lush visuals and elegant problem solving.

Arka Tu, Queensguard Games
@queensguard_

Castle of Glas
Cartomancy Anthology / Website / Trailer

Arka’s team made plant-themed puzzle game “Castle of Glas” for the Cartomancy Anthology, and are planning to use this funding to develop a sequel.

Runyu Zhong, Icetoad Studio
@AiliAGame

AiliA
Demo / Website / Trailer

Runyu is part of a team of 3 creating “AiliA”, an emotional narrative puzzler focusing on themes of grief and acceptance.

Lenophie, Bunstack
@bunstackgames

Paquerette Down the Bunburrows
Steam

Bunstack are developing “Paquerette Down the Bunburrows”, a pathfinding game about capturing bunnies.

Youssef Tobah, Flip Alive Games
@FlipAliveGames

DokiToki: Time Slows Down When You're In Love
Steam / Website / Trailer

A US based team making the visual novel / puzzle game mashup “DokiToki: Time Slows Down When You're In Love”.

Breogán Hackett, Blindbug Interactive
@BlindbugInt

Catacomb Creeper: Re-Vined Edition
Indiepocalypse 27

An Irish studio making the plant-growing puzzle adventure “Catacomb Creeper: Re-Vined Edition”, available as part of Indiepocalypse 27.

Rowan Wood
@rowanqueue

Timeclone
itch.io / Website

Rowan is an accomplished solo dev, having previously released the abstract puzzler “yarne”. Their next project is a mind-bending puzzler called “Timeclone”.

Ryo Kurama, Notan
@NotaninArt

Cutting Edge
itch.io

Based in Japan, Notan is making “Cutting Edge” (working title), a puzzle game about digging holes.

Glen Henry, Spritewrench
@SpriteWrench

On the Perils of Parrots
Steam / Website

A one man micro-studio based in Kingston, Jamaica, making the narrative puzzle experience “On the Perils of Parrots”.

Samarth Hattangady, Chapliboy
@chapliboy

Konkan Coast Pirate Solutions
Steam / Trailer

A solo dev from India making “Konkan Coast Pirate Solutions”, a puzzle game about helping pirates accomplish their pirate goals.

Mohammed Al Najjar, RD interactive
@RobotDragonInt

Hackshot
Steam / Trailer

Mohammed is a solo dev based in the Middle East. His project “Hackshot” is a twisted puzzle take on artillery games.

About the grant

How to apply

Applications have now closed.

Application Deadline

The Application Deadline is 23:59 PST Monday 7th October 2024.

We expect to make decisions by 16th December 2024. If we have to extend this timeline, we will inform all applicants.

Who’s eligible?

These grants are intended to support creators who are under-invested-in within today’s game industry or who do not receive much support from the existing structures. If any of the following descriptions apply to you, you are eligible.

Refugee, displaced person, or living under apartheid
Not from North America, Europe or another western nation
Indigenous, First Nations, etc. peoples
Woman
Disabled, neurodiverse, or mental health issues
English is not your first language
Trans/non-binary/gender non-conforming
Person of Color
Jewish, Muslim, and non-Abrahamic faiths
LGBTQIA

This list is not exhaustive. If you feel like your identity and/or culture are not supported or are underrepresented in gaming, then you are eligible.

There are no geographical restrictions to applicants.

What are we looking for?

Our selection process focuses on puzzle games under active development, with a playable prototype, from early-career or under-the-radar developers who identify with an under-represented group within the games industry.

What is the grant offering?

The Draknek New Voices Puzzle Grant is offering 6 grants of $15,000 USD each. We are also offering opportunities for mentorship through 2025, as well as a supportive community of industry experts to provide advice and feedback.

What do we consider to be a puzzle game?

Any videogame which is primarily about thinking/logical reasoning — and not primarily challenging due to execution/timing elements — is likely to be a good fit for what we're looking for. Puzzle games cover a wide range of subgenres, e.g. Patrick’s Parabox, ElecHead, Myst, Return of the Obra Dinn, and Opus Magnum are five games with very different gameplay, which would all be considered relevant. However, while Tetris is a phenomenal game, it is not an example of what we're looking for due to its reliance on reaction speed. If in doubt, please apply.

Can I apply with a boardgame?

The intended end product you are working towards should be a digital videogame. Boardgames, ARGs, physical escape rooms, etc. are not eligible, as we don't believe we can provide appropriate support and mentorship to these projects. A paper prototype for a videogame is acceptable.

Can I apply if I've already received funding/support?

The Draknek New Voices Puzzle Grant aims to support developers who will benefit the most from the funding. If your game is already fully funded, or backed by a publisher, this may not be the right grant for you. However if you’ve already received a microgrant or incubator support, please feel free to apply. If in doubt, apply anyway and supply some more context.

Does Draknek & Friends have a stake in what I produce?

You own what you make with this grant. We seek no rights to the resulting games and there are no strings attached. You can release your game commercially or non-commercially. We do not care what platform you build your game for (PC, console, mobile, etc.), or what the revenue model is if the game is commercial.

Is this money intended as a game budget?

No. While $15k USD can go quite far in certain parts of the world, this is not intended to be a budget for a full game. This money is intended to help you in whatever way makes the most sense for you. If selected, we do not expect you to change the scope or ambition of anything you’re working on.

What can people spend the grant money on?

Anything — from development tools to rent, the grant money is intended to help people interested in creating puzzle games in whatever way makes sense for the individual.

Are there any expectations about what I accomplish over the course of 2025?

Throughout the grant you will have 1-1 meetings with your mentor and opportunities to share your progress with the community. However, there are no specific deadlines or milestones that grant recipients are required to meet, as each game project is unique. If your project changes direction during the year, that's completely acceptable too.

We want you to feel involved in the cohort and the community, and you’ll be invited to present your progress at the end of the year. The key is your satisfaction and growth, not rigid timelines or predefined goals.

What happens if I don't finish my game?

If you don't finish your game by the end of the grant period, it’s not a problem. We understand that creative projects can take unexpected turns. We don’t want you to feel pressured to continue with something that no longer inspires you or makes sense for your development.

I’m part of a team. Can we apply?

Yes. Please choose one individual to apply on behalf of a team. You should talk about the entire team on the application form and cover your respective roles.

Will my data be shared publicly?

No, your data will not be shared publicly. The information you submit will only be read by the selection committee. Furthermore, we will use your email address solely to contact you about your application. The only exception is that if you are selected as a winner, we may use your provided name, pronouns, location and game information as a part of the announcement, unless you specify otherwise. If in doubt, please let us know in your application.

Why are we offering this?

We love puzzle games, and see that the community of people who play and love great puzzle games is full of people from a wide range of backgrounds. However, the people making the most successful puzzle games and getting funding to make the next great puzzle games are noticeably less diverse – even less so than video games more broadly.

We hope that these grants can be a small part of the work of changing that and help more people from underrepresented backgrounds to thrive in this space, and to create experiences that no one else would have.

Is this connected to the Astra Fellowship?