{"rewrite":{"id":"r_2b97e3ccadf755c310dfd0ec","clusterId":"c_1aef64af844f26975db44bf4","slug":"cygames-opens-creative-contest-2026-for-students-with-seven-categories","model":"deepseek-v4-flash","headline":"Cygames Opens Creative Contest 2026 for Students With Seven Categories","summary":"Cygames announced on June 22 that it will hold the Cygames Creative Contest 2026, a student competition now in its seventh year. The contest, which has run annually since 2020, aims to nurture the next generation of creators. For this edition, the entry categories have been partially revamped to accept a broader range of works. The seven categories are Character Illustration, Background Illustration, 3DCG, Game, Video, Non-Genre, and High School Student. The Game category now includes both digital games for PC and smartphones as well as analog games such as board games and card games. The Non-Genre category covers works that do not fit elsewhere, including advertisements, costume designs, game proposals, UI, and manga. The Grand Prize winner will receive 1 million yen and an iPad Pro with accessories. Category Awards and Judge's Awards each offer 100,000 yen, and a School Award provides 50,000 yen. Entries will be accepted from September 1 to November 24, 2026. Eligibility is limited to students enrolled in graduate schools, universities, junior colleges, technical colleges, vocational schools, and high schools. Individuals and groups may apply, and multiple entries across different categories are permitted. Selection proceeds through three stages: Cygames Contest Management Selection, Cygames Designer Department Selection, and Final Selection.","whyItMatters":"By expanding eligibility to analog games and manga, Cygames is broadening the contest's scope beyond digital game development to capture a wider pool of creative talent from students.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eThe contest has grown in scale with each iteration and now boasts one of the largest numbers of entries in Asia, according to the press release. The Grand Prize winner receives an iPad Pro 13-inch Wi-Fi model 2TB with Nano-texture glass, an Apple Pencil Pro, and a Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro. Category Award winners receive an iPad Pro 11-inch Wi-Fi model 512GB with an Apple Pencil.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Character Illustration category covers all character illustrations, including humans, beastmen, creatures, and personifications, and seeks works that bring out the charm of characters whether standing pictures, stills, character settings, or realistic or deformed styles. The Background Illustration category accepts works set in any era or world view, from familiar street corners to fantastical forests or ruined future cities, and welcomes diverse expressions such as 2D, 3D, or vignette-style scenes. The 3DCG category covers all 3DCG works including characters, backgrounds, items, and VFX, and seeks works from modeling to texturing, lighting, and animation. The Video category covers all genres including live-action, animation, 3DCG, and PV/MV.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe High School Student category is not a separate entry category but an automatic consideration: works by high school students submitted in any other category are also judged in this category. Group applications by school or class are possible, and Cygames may provide feedback and advice on submitted works for such applications. Schools or classes that wish to apply must contact the contest email with the school name, representative\u0026#39;s name and phone number, and email address.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Cygames Creative Contest 2026 opens Sept 1 for students. Grand Prize: 1M yen + iPad Pro. New this year: analog games (board games, card games) and manga are eligible categories.","twitterPost":"Cygames' student contest adds analog games and manga to its 7 categories this year. Entries open Sept 1. Grand prize is 1 million yen plus an iPad Pro.","threadsPost":null,"newsletterBlurb":"Cygames announced the seventh annual Cygames Creative Contest 2026 for students, now accepting entries in seven categories including analog games and manga. The Grand Prize is 1 million yen and an iPad Pro. Entries open September 1.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"Denfaminicogamer\",\"url\":\"https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/news/2606222h\",\"title\":\"Cygames Announces \\\"Cygames Creative Contest 2026\\\" for Students, Seeking Entries in 7 Categories Including Illustration, Video, and Games\"},{\"source\":\"GameBusiness.jp\",\"url\":\"https://www.gamebusiness.jp/article/2026/06/22/27282.html\",\"title\":\"Cygames Holds 'Cygames Creative Contest 2026' for Students-In Its 7th Year, Now Includes Analog Games and Manga\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":10262,"outputTokens":1203,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1782132506,"createdAt":"2026-06-22T12:36:02.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-06-22T12:40:24.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-06-22T12:40:24.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_1aef64af844f26975db44bf4","canonicalTitle":"Cygames、学生を対象に「サイゲームス クリエイティブコンテスト2026」の開催を発表。イラストや映像、ゲームなど全7部門であらゆる作品を募集","representativeArticleId":"a_f2ba794f4975956bbeb3dcdd","sourceCount":3,"writtenSourceCount":2,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[],\"studios\":[\"Cygames\"],\"people\":[],\"type\":\"announcement\",\"domain\":\"industry\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-06-22T09:24:58.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-06-23T08:30:00.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-06-23T08:46:46.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"Denfaminicogamer","url":"https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/news/2606222h","title":"Cygames、学生を対象に「サイゲームス クリエイティブコンテスト2026」の開催を発表。イラストや映像、ゲームなど全7部門であらゆる作品を募集"},{"source":"MoguLive","url":"https://www.moguravr.com/cygames-creative-contest-2026/","title":"Cygamesのクリエイターコンテスト2026、9月から受付開始 VTuberやLive2D作品も対象に"},{"source":"GameBusiness.jp","url":"https://www.gamebusiness.jp/article/2026/06/22/27282.html","title":"Cygames、学生対象の「サイゲームス クリエイティブコンテスト2026」を開催—7回目の今年はアナログゲームやマンガも対象に"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":[],"studios":["Cygames"],"people":[],"type":"announcement","domain":"industry","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["Cygames Creative Contest 2026 is the seventh annual student competition, running since 2020.","The contest has seven categories: Character Illustration, Background Illustration, 3DCG, Game, Video, Non-Genre, and High School Student.","The Game category now accepts analog games like board games and card games in addition to digital games.","The Grand Prize winner receives 1 million yen, an iPad Pro 13-inch, Apple Pencil Pro, and Magic Keyboard.","Entries are accepted from September 1 to November 24, 2026, for students in graduate schools, universities, junior colleges, technical colleges, vocational schools, and high schools."]}