RAINDANCE IMMERSIVE awards

For the seventh year in a row, Raindance is celebrating all independent XR creators, game developers, virtual world builders and performers with the festival’s Raindance Immersive Awards. The awards celebrate the creativity, ingenuity, and artistry expressed in immersive storytelling, game design and virtual world building over the last year. 

The 2022 selection comprises of 39 experiences, of which 32 compete across six award categories, as well as the “Spirit of Raindance Award” which recognises outstanding achievement for an independent project. The winners were announced on 25th and 26th November at two virtual award ceremonies hosted at the Raindance Embassy in VRChat in the presence of nominees and jurors from around the world.

BEST IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE

• WINNER 🏆 Treasure Heist - Domains of The Gods

• From the Main Square

• Midnight Story

• Once a Glacier

• OXYMORE by Jean-Michel Jarre

• Samul

• Unframed: Hand Puppets, Paul Klee

BEST IMMERSIVE GAME

• WINNER 🏆 Wanderer

• HONOURABLE MENTION ✨ Kayak VR: Mirage

• HONOURABLE MENTION ✨ The Last Clockwinder

• Call of the Sea VR - Special Preview

• Dyschronia: Chronos Alternate

• Jupiter & Mars

• Townscaper VR

BEST IMMERSIVE WORLD

• WINNER 🏆 Organism

• HONOURABLE MENTION ✨ Treasure Heist - Domains of The Gods

• Exposure

• Fate of the Irrbloss

• Lost Valley Lake Retreat

• Namuanki

• Uncanny Alley

BEST IMMERSIVE PERFORMANCE

• WINNER 🏆 Gumball Dreams

• HONOURABLE MENTION ✨ OXYMORE by Jean-Michel Jarre

• Off-Rail

• Parallel People

• Refulgent 

• Skits & Giggles

• Typeman

BEST IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE FOR SOCIAL IMPACT

• WINNER 🏆 Munich 72

• Bloodbath

• Jupiter & Mars

• Kindred

• Komez Alef O: The Pain That Lies Within These Letters

• Once a Glacier

• Stepan & Friends

DISCOVERY AWARD: BEST DEBUT

• WINNER 🏆 Munich 72

• HONOURABLE MENTION ✨ Off-Rail

• Bloodbath

• Kindred

• Midnight Story

• Once a Glacier

• The Royal Chamber: Be Not Afraid

SPIRIT OF RAINDANCE AWARD

The award recognises outstanding achievement for an independent XR production, and a pioneering ‘punk spirit’.

• WINNER 🏆 Bloodbath

• WINNER 🏆 Uncanny Alley

A special thank you to our Jurors:

Allison Crank, Andy Fidel, Carol Silverman, Jason Moore, Jen Davies-Wilson, Kent Bye, Lakuza, Raphaël Penasa, Rickity, Sngmoo Lee, Thorsten S. Wiedemann, Vowgan and Zimtok5.