Power & Control:
Game Design Challenge FAQs

About the Contest

What is the 'Life.Love. Game Design Challenge'?

The Life.Love. Game Design Challenge is an annual game design contest focused on violence prevention. The contest is open to game designers and game developers around the world (entries have been received from six continents). Designers and developers are invited to create their own prosocial games intended to engage, educate, and empower game players. This contest is presented by the nonprofit charity Jennifer Ann's Group and the resulting games are published, localized, and maintained by Life Love Publishing.

Why is Jennifer Ann's Group doing this contest?

Violence is a public health issue and abusive dating relationships are a problem affecting people of all ages around the world. Young people are especially impacted by dating violence and games are an effective approach at engaging young people about serious and sensitive issues. Jennifer Ann's Group is a non-profit organization that has been working to prevent teen dating violence since 2006 in memory of Jennifer Ann Crecente.

Although traditional outreach programs about teen dating violence are available, many schools lack the funding to implement these programs and so Jennifer Ann's Group considered how to leverage technology to reach and help young people at no cost. Given the popularity of video games -- especially among young people -- Jennifer Ann's Group launched the first annual Life.Love. Game Design Challenge in 2008, challenging video game designers to create prosocial games intended to prevent dating violence. In 2021, for the 14th annual Life.Love. Game Design Challenge, the focus is on non-video games for the first time in the history of this annual game contest.

In the years since launching the contest it has become increasingly clear that games are fantastic tools for engaging players in uniquely compelling ways. Compared to traditional methods players more easily understand complex, nuanced issues; they become invested and engaged in the success of the game's outcome; and they can safely explore and experience otherwise dangerous situations in context.

Every year since 2008 Jennifer Ann's Group has presented an annual game design competition encouraging developers to create games about selected themes related to relationship abuse. Prosocial games help engage, educate, and empower young people around the world.

What else can you tell me about the games that have come from this program?

Here is some more info:

Entry Information

How do I get started?

Registration for this year's game design challenge ended on September 26, 2021. To be notified of future game design contests and other information about our use of prosocial games for violence prevention please sign up for our games newsletter.

Who is allowed to enter?

Anybody aged 13+ at the time of entry is eligible to enter (void where prohibited). Officers, employees, and immediate family members of Jennifer Ann's Group and Life Love Publishing are prohibited from entering the game design challenge.

Can I enter more than once?

Sorry, but no. Make sure and enter your best game because you only get one chance to enter each year!

What are the technical requirements?

Round One of the contest only requires submitting the text of your proposed game narrative. If you are selected as a Finalist you will receive all necessary information to proceed in Round Two, including any technical requirements for your final game entry. When considering the format for your game please note that Jennifer Ann's Group will need to have access to that format in order to evaluate your entry and, in the event it is a prize winner, publish or otherwise share, your game.

Our intention is to be as flexible and supportive of as many different formats as possible but we do need to be able to reliably judge the games and, in the event that it is a winning game, be able to: modify the game; make the game available through various channels; possibly translate the game into other languages; and also to provide support for game players. If you have any specific questions feel free to ask us.

What are the content requirements?

The Round One registration form will provide you with specific requirements regarding content. As with all of our game design contests no violent content is permitted in the game entries.

How long do I have to enter?

Registration for this year's game design challenge is now closed. Registration was from September 9, 2021 through September 26, 2021. The Finalists will be notified by October 3, 2021 and will then have until October 24, 2021 to submit their finished game.

Do you accept group entries?

Yes - please just identify a primary contact person when you Register on the Round One submission form.

Where can I learn more about the role and impact of power & control on dating and/or relationships?

Visit the Contest Website's Power & Control section for information and resources.

Judging and Selection Process

What criteria will be used for judging?

Round One of the contest will be judged based on the creativity of your proposed game pitch and the potential for that idea to be developed into a compelling game which will help discuss, demonstrate, or otherwise describe the role and impact of power & control on dating relationships, especially for adolescents.

Judging details and scoring rubric for Round Two will be distributed to all Finalists at the time that they are notified of their Finalist status.

• Power & Control Rules

Power & Control:
Game Design Challenge Rules

No purchase necessary to enter or win. Void where prohibited. Entry in this contest constitutes your acceptance of these official rules.

The 2021 Life.Love. Game Design Challenge (the "Contest") is designed to encourage participants ("Entrant(s)" or "You") to use their creativity to create their own game that discusses, demonstrates, or otherwise describes the role and impact played by power & control on dating relationships, especially on those in the approximate age range of 11 - 22 years of age (the "Target Age Group"). Life Love Publishing and / or its representatives will select Finalists ("Finalists") from those eligible entries submitted in Round One. Finalists will be eligible to participate in Round Two and will submit completed games. Judges will choose the winning entries from the Round Two eligible Finalist submissions and prizes will be awarded in accordance with these Official Rules (these "Rules").

1. BINDING AGREEMENT: In order to enter the Contest, you must agree to the Rules. Therefore, please read these Rules prior to entry to ensure you understand and agree. You agree that submission of an entry in the Contest constitutes agreement to these Rules and that you may not submit an entry to the Contest and are not eligible to receive the prizes described in these Rules unless you agree to these Rules. These Rules form a binding legal agreement between you, Jennifer Ann's Group, and Life Love Publishing with respect to the Contest.


2. ELIGIBILITY: To be eligible to enter the Contest, an Entrant must: (a) be 13 years of age (or older) at time of entry; and (b) have obtained a parent's or legal guardian's prior permission if under the age of majority ("Minors") in their jurisdiction. Minors who enter must have the written consent of a parent or legal guardian in order to be eligible to receive any prizes, as described in Section 8 of these Rules. Contest is void where prohibited by law. Employees, interns, contractors, and official office-holders of Jennifer Ann's Group, Life Love Publishing, and any affiliates, and their respective directors, officers, employees, advertising and promotion agencies, representatives, and agents ("Contest Entities") are ineligible to participate in this Contest.


3. SPONSOR: The Contest is sponsored by the Jennifer Ann Crecente Memorial Group, Inc. d/b/a Jennifer Ann's Group("Jennifer Ann's Group" or "Sponsor"), a Georgia non-profit corporation (501 c(3)) with principal place of business at 2554 Drew Valley Rd NE, Atlanta, GA, 30319, USA. (EIN: 20-4618499).


4. CONTEST PERIOD:
   
   Round One of the Contest begins on September 9, 2021 and ends on September 26, 2021 at 11:59pm Eastern Time (ET) Zone (GMT-4) ("Round One Contest Period").
   
   Round Two of the Contest begins on October 3, 2021 and ends on October 24, 2021 at 11:59pm Eastern Time (ET) Zone (GMT-4) ("Round Two Contest Period"). All dates are subject to change.


5. HOW TO ENTER: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. To enter the Contest, visit the Contest website located at https://jagga.me/unplugged/ ("Contest Site") during the Contest Period and follow the instructions that appear in the "Unplugged: Power & Control Game Challenge Process" section. You will be requested to complete an official entry form ("Entry Form") with all requested information, including your responses, or "game pitch", to the questions about your proposed power & control game ("Game Narrative") Entry Forms can only be submitted by Entrants. Those Entrants notified by Jennifer Ann's Group that they have been selected to proceed to Round Two of the Contest ("Finalists") shall participate in Round Two of the Contest by submitting their completed game entry ("Completed Game").
   
   LIMIT ONE (1) GAME NARRATIVE PER ENTRANT IN ROUND ONE. Subsequent entries will replace, and be treated as, the initial entry. Any submission not meeting the aforementioned criteria will be disqualified. Jennifer Ann's Group and Life Love Publishing accepts no responsibility for submissions lost, delayed, damaged, defaced, or mislaid, howsoever caused. All entries will be deemed made by the Entrant submitted at the time of entry.
   
   LIMIT ONE (1) COMPLETED GAME PER FINALIST IN ROUND TWO. Subsequent entries will replace, and be treated as, the initial entry. Any submission not meeting the aforementioned criteria will be disqualified. Jennifer Ann's Group and Life Love Publishing accepts no responsibility for submissions lost, delayed, damaged, defaced, or mislaid, howsoever caused. All entries will be deemed made by the Entrant submitted at the time of entry.


6. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS. The Game Narrative submissions for Round One and Completed Game submissions for Round Two must meet the following criteria ("Entry Requirements"):
   
   
   1. They must not contain any depictions of violence.
   
   
   2. They must not be derogatory, offensive, threatening, defamatory, disparaging, libellous or contain any content that is tortuous, slanderous, discriminatory in any way, or that promotes hatred or harm against any group or person, or otherwise does not comply with the theme and spirit of the Contest.
   
   
   3. They must be unique creations that have not been previously published and will remain unpublished until after the contest has ended.
   
   
   4. They must not contain content, material or any element that is unlawful, or otherwise in violation of, or contrary to, any applicable federal, state, or local laws and regulations including the laws or regulations in any jurisdiction where the entry is created.
   
   
   5. They must not contain any content, material, or element that displays any third party advertising, slogan, logo, trademark, or otherwise indicates a sponsorship or endorsement by a third party or commercial entity. For Round Two Finalists, text acknowledgements are acceptable in the Completed Game entries; additionally, Jennifer Ann's Group will supply a graphic image identifying Jennifer Ann's Group as the game's sponsor; the image will be placed at an appropriate location as part of the Finalist's Completed Game entry.
   
   
   6. They must only contain text, graphics, designs, and form factors that entrants have proper rights to use (e.g. works in the public domain; original creations by the entrant; third-party works with rights granted by rights owner).
   
   
   7. They cannot contain any content, element, or material that violates a third party's publicity, privacy, or intellectual property rights.
   • During the Contest Period, the Sponsor, its agents and/or the Judges will be evaluating the Entries to ensure they meet the Entry Requirements. The Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any Entrant who submits an entry that does not meet the Entry Requirements. Incomplete entries or entries not complying with these Rules are subject to disqualification.
7. ROUND ONE JUDGING: Each Game Narrative will be evaluated based on the following "Criteria":
   
   1. potential educational value of the proposed game to discuss, demonstrate, or otherwise describe the role and impact of power & control on dating relationships, especially on those in the Target Age Group
   2. potential entertainment or otherwise compelling value of the proposed game
   3. potential of the proposed game to increase awareness about the role and impact of power & control on dating relationships
   4. potential of the proposed game to encourage discourse about the role and impact of power & control on dating relationships
   5. potential of the proposed game to persuade game players that power & control does play a significant role in dating relationships and that this does have a significant impact on individuals, groups, or societies
   6. game elements of the proposed game
   7. adherence to the Game Narrative, Entry Requirements, and these Rules.
   ROUND TWO JUDGING: Each Completed Game will be evaluated and scored based on the following "Criteria":
   
   1. educational value of the game to discuss, demonstrate, or otherwise describe the role played by power & control on dating relationships and the impact this has, especially on those in the Target Age Group
   2. entertainment or otherwise compelling value of the game
   3. potential of the game to increase awareness about the role and impact of power & control on dating relationships
   4. potential of the game to encourage discourse about the role and impact of power & control on dating relationships
   5. potential of the game to persuade game players that power & control does play a significant role in dating relationships and that this does have a significant impact on individuals, groups, or societies
   6. game elements
   7. adherence to the Game, Entry Requirements, and these Rules.
   
   
8. Notifications:
   
   
   • Round One Finalists Finalists will be notified on or before October 3, 2021 by email.
   
   
   • Potential Winners Potential winners will be notified during December 2021 by email.
     (The notification date is still TBD)
   
   
   • Decisions of the judges are final and binding. In the event there are not enough eligible entries, not all prizes will be awarded. If a potential winner is unable for whatever reason to accept his or her prize, then Life Love Publishing reserves the right to award the prize to another entrant.
   
   
   • Notification of Potential Finalists / Winners: Becoming a Finalist / Winner is subject to validation and verification of eligibility and compliance with all the terms and conditions set forth in these Rules. If a potential Finalist is disqualified for any reason, a replacement Game Narrative Entry entrant might be chosen as a potential Finalist. If a potential Winner is disqualified for any reason, the Completed Game that received the next highest total score will be chosen as the potential winner. The potential finalist(s) / winner(s) will be selected and notified by email.
   
   
   • If a potential Finalist does not respond to the notification attempt within three (3) days from the first notification attempt, then such potential Finalist may be disqualified and an alternate potential Finalist might be selected from among all eligible Game Narrative entries received based on the judging Criteria described herein.
   
   
   • If a potential Winner does not respond to the notification attempt within three (3) days from the first notification attempt, then such potential winner may be disqualified and an alternate potential winner will be selected from among all eligible entries received based on the judging Criteria described herein.
   
   
   • Except where prohibited by law, each potential winner will be required to sign and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability and Publicity Release and provide any additional information that may be required by Sponsor. If required, potential winners must return all such required documents via fax (or as otherwise instructed) within forty-eight (48) hours following attempted notification or such potential winner will be deemed to have forfeited the prize and another potential winner may be selected based on the judging Criteria described herein.
   
   
   • In the event the potential winner is a minor, their parent or legal guardian must sign the documents and return them as described herein. All notification requirements, as well as other requirements within these Rules, will be strictly enforced. Determinations of Judges are final and binding. All winners, including any parent representatives, agree to keep the Completed Game strictly confidential between time of submission and the Completed Game's final launch by Life Love Publishing.
9. PRIZES:
   
   The 1st place winner will win $500 in addition to their $100 Finalist Prize. The Winner's Game will be displayed on Jennifer Ann's Group's game portal JAGga.me website and itch.io page for the remainder of 2021 at a minimum.
   
   All finalists will receive $100 upon submitting their completed game in accordance with these rules. Some finalists will also have their games published on the JAGga.me website and itch.io page.
   
   Further details regarding prize distribution will be provided to winners in the prize acceptance documents but will be approximately four (4) to six (6) weeks after Sponsor's receipt of prize acceptance documents from winners.


10. TAXES: Entrants are responsible for any federal, state, and local tax consequences and for compliance with all governmental reporting and payment requirements. Winning funds will be sent in U.S. Dollars via cashier's check through Postal Mail or via PayPal (at the option of the winners).


11. GENERAL CONDITIONS: At the time of submitting a Completed Game all Round Two Finalists will also electronically provide to Life Love Publishing all source files and components necessary to re-create the Completed Game ("Source Files"). Life Love Publishing and/or Jennifer Ann's Group may use these Source Files to publish the Completed Game to marketplaces; provide language translations; update content; develop derivative works; and / or to localize such game for other countries at Life Love Publishing and/or Jennifer Ann's Group's sole discretion. (Source files in this context would include, for example, PSD layers for Photoshop files so that text and/or images can be more easily modified.)


12. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS: All prize winners give Jennifer Ann's Group and Life Love Publishing the right to the Entrant's name, voice, picture, portrait, and likeness for advertising and promotion purposes without further compensation, where permitted by law. All prize winners also give their consent to Jennifer Ann's Group and Life Love Publishing and to those whom they may authorize, to photograph, film, videotape, and /or to use a photographic / digital reproduction of their entry with or without their name, to identify them by name, and/or to quote or record statements made by them, for any editorial, promotional, marketing, or other purpose broadly related to the mission of Jennifer Ann's Group ("the prevention of teen dating violence"). This consent does not extend to the purposes of endorsement of product or service advertising for any unrelated third parties. As a condition of receiving their prize, winning entrants must grant Jennifer Ann's Group and Life Love Publishing the non-exclusive, royalty-free, licensable, assignable rights to all: completed, object, and source files; necessary media files; and associated intellectual property rights of their entry for purposes of publishing, promotion, marketing, research, creation of derivative works, and internal use.


13. WARRANTY AND INDEMNITY: Entrants warrant that their entries are their own original work and, as such, they are the sole and exclusive owner and rights holder of the submitted Game Narrative / Completed Game and that they have the right to submit the Game Narrative / Completed Game to the Contest and to grant all required licenses. Each Entrant agrees not to submit any Game Narrative / Completed Game that: (a) infringes any third party proprietary rights, intellectual property rights, industrial property rights, personal or moral rights or any other rights, including without limitation, copyright, trademark, trade names, industrial designs, patent, trade secret, privacy, publicity or confidentiality obligations; or (b) otherwise violates applicable international, state, federal, or local law.
    
    To the maximum extent permitted by law, Entrant indemnifies and agrees to keep indemnified Sponsor and its agents and subsidiaries at all times from and against any liability, claims, demands, losses, damages, costs, and expenses resulting from any act, default, or omission of the Entrant and/or a breach of any warranty set forth herein. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Entrant agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Sponsor and its agents and subsidiaries from and against any and all claims, actions, suits, or proceedings, as well as any and all losses, liabilities, damages, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys fees) arising out of or accruing from: (i) any Game Narrative / Completed Game or other material uploaded or otherwise provided by Entrant that infringes any copyright, trademark, trade secret, trade dress, patent, or other intellectual property right of any person or defames any person or violates their rights of publicity or privacy; (ii) any misrepresentation made by Entrant in connection with the Contest; (iii) any non-compliance by Entrant with these Rules; (iv) claims brought by persons or entities other than the parties to these Rules arising from or related to Entrant's involvement with the Contest; (v) acceptance, possession, misuse, or use of any prize or participation in any Contest-related activity or participation in the Contest; (vi) any malfunction or other problem with the Contest Site in relation to the entry and participation in the Contest by Entrant; (vii) any error in the collection, processing, or retention of entry or voting information in relation to the entry and participation in the Contest by Entrant and in the voting process; or (viii) any typographical or other error in the printing, offering, or announcement of any prize or winners in relation to the entry and participation in the Contest by Entrant.


14. ELIMINATION: Any false information provided within the context of the Contest by Entrant concerning identity, mailing address, email address, ownership of right or non-compliance with these Rules or the like may result in the immediate elimination of the entrant from the Contest.


15. INTERNET AND DISCLAIMER: Jennifer Ann's Group and Life Love Publishing are not responsible for any malfunction of the entire Contest Site or any late, lost, damaged, misdirected, incomplete, illegible, undeliverable, or destroyed entries due to system errors, failed, incomplete or garbled computer or other telecommunication transmission malfunctions, hardware or software failures of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections, typographical, or system/human errors and failures, technical malfunction(s) of any telephone network or lines, cable connections, satellite transmissions, servers or providers, or computer equipment, traffic congestion on the Internet or at the Contest Site, or any combination thereof, including other telecommunication, cable, digital, or satellite malfunctions which may limit Entrant's/consumer's ability to participate/vote respectively. Jennifer Ann's Group is not responsible for the policies, actions, or inactions of others which might prevent Entrant from entering, participating, and/or claiming a prize in this Contest. Sponsor's failure to enforce any term of these Rules will not constitute a waiver of that or any other provision. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify Entrants who violate the rules or interfere with this Contest in any manner. If an Entrant is disqualified, Sponsor reserves the right to terminate that Entrant's eligibility to participate in the Contest.


16. RIGHT TO CANCEL, MODIFY, OR DISQUALIFY: If for any reason the Contest is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of the Contest, Jennifer Ann's Group reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend the Contest. Jennifer Ann's Group further reserves the right to disqualify any Entrant who tampers with the submission process or any other part of the Contest or Contest Site. Any attempt by an Entrant to deliberately damage any web site, including the Contest Site, or undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest is a violation of criminal and civil laws and should such an attempt be made, Jennifer Ann's Group and Life Love Publishing reserve the right to seek damages from any such Entrant to the fullest extent of the applicable law.

### End of Rules ###