Archives

01
03
PREV
NEXT

2026 SELECTIONS REVEALED

SGF PLAY DAYS SHOWCASE

SCROLL DOWN TO LEARN MORE

GAME MAKER'S SKETCHBOOK

Game Maker’s Sketchbook, the annual celebration of artistry in interactive entertainment, powered by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS), iam8bit, and fortyseven communications, has revealed the official selections for its fifth annual showcase. Honoring the imagination, craftsmanship, visual storytelling and creativity in the beautiful interactive surfaces and game worlds that players love, this year’s collection invites fans and collectors alike to celebrate the enduring power of art in and around games. The works are now available to view through the Game Maker’s Sketchbook online gallery and will also be exhibited during Summer Game Fest: Play Days from Saturday, June 6 through Monday, June 8, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA.

Fans, collectors, and supporters can pre-order high-quality prints through the iam8bit store until June 25. Every purchase directly supports nonprofit initiatives led by the Day of the Devs and AIAS Foundation, celebrating the art of games while fostering a more inclusive and creatively vibrant future for games through scholarships, mentorships, educational programs, and opportunities that champion emerging voices in the industry. 

click here to view the collection

Monument Valley 3
Pragmata
Ambrosia Sky: Act One
Trailblazers: Into the March

AWARD CATEGORIES

CHARACTER ART

Explorations, 2D compositions and/or 3D modeling focusing on any elements that go into designing the visual elements of character. Illustrations often include components central to character action/interaction within a game – model sheets, expression, physical movement, wardrobe and styling, etc

ENVIRONMENT ART

All the visuals that encompass the world that characters inhabit, including 3D and 2D art that functions as the basis for constructing a physical game world, including landscapes, architecture, planets, vessels and other set pieces.

IMPACT

An iconic, singular image that captures the game’s visual language, character and/or narrative, including, but not limited to, key art or concept art.

ICONOGRAPHY

Graphic design and iconographic elements meant to engross the player in the identity of the game world, including but not limited to UI, HUDs, dialogue trees and boxes, inventory, primary brand logo or in-game fictional logos, custom typography, symbology and repeated visual elements intended to function as signifiers.

STORY BOARD

Illustrations, diagrams and/or drawn sequences used to visualize a cutscene, narrative, or gameplay scene; demonstrating the flow of animation and scene direction. This can apply to either a game or trailer.

CURIOSITIES

This is the category for anything that doesn’t quite qualify for the other more succinctly focused categories, including but not limited to, props, schematics, technical diagrams, and other trinkets not clearly defined as environment or character art.

FOUNDERS

PARTNER