Last week there was backlash against The ENnies for accepting AI content.
You couldn’t get an AI to win an award, but an AI could have been used to make or modify a game that won an award. The policy has been in place since 2023, which seems like a million years ago.
Now, beginning with the 2025-2026 submission cycle, no LLM or similar tech can be used to create or assist with creating any submission.
The new rules say;
Beginning with the 2025-2026 submission cycle, the ENNIE Awards will no longer accept any products containing generative AI or created with the assistance of Large Language Models or similar technologies for visual, written, or edited content. Creators wishing to submit products must ensure that no AI-generated elements are included in their works.
The rule prohibits ‘edited content’, I think, and therefore includes spelling and grammar checkers like Grammarly. In images, tools like Photoshop also use AI, but presumably, if the artist didn’t use those features, the game would still be acceptable.
The 2025 submission form is currently open.
