What is the Diana Jones Emerging Designer Program?
It’s a program of the Diana Jones Award for Excellence in Gaming that seeks to highlight rising and impactful talent in the analog tabletop/hobby games industry. It amplifies the voices of up-and-coming designers with a focus on creators from marginalized communities.
It’s our goal to create a program that provides both access and support to those designers who have historically been excluded from the larger industry conversations. While we recognize this program is only a first step in that process, our organization is committed to pushing forward, learning from mistakes, and improving the industry we love.
We’re excited for the opportunity to highlight creators whose breakout designs push the industry forward toward better and more inclusive storytelling while enriching gaming as a whole.
How long has the program existed?
The inaugural year of the Diana Jones Emerging Designer Program was 2021.
How many winners are there?
There may be multiple winners in a particular year, depending on the committee’s resources and the submission pool.
What benefits does a winner receive?
Each winner will receive an expenses-paid trip to Gen Con including free badge, hotel room, travel reimbursement, food stipend, and Gen Con TV coverage, plus a package of useful game design tools and other fabulous prizes that change from year to year. The chosen designer(s) and their work will be showcased during the annual Diana Jones Award event held at the convention.
What’s this “Hobby Games eLibrary?”
The Hobby Games eLibrary is a digital collection of books donated by the publishers to the Emerging Designer Program winners. It’s subject to change, but in the past has included:
40 Years of Gen Con by Robin D. Laws, published by Atlas Games
Beating the Story: How to Map, Understand, and Elevate Any Narrative by Robin D. Laws, published by Gameplaywright
The Bones: Us and Our Dice, published by Gameplaywright
Complete Kobold Guide to Game Design 2nd Ed, published by Kobold Press
Designers & Dragons ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, ’00s, and ’10s (advance copy) by Shannon Appelcline, published by Evil Hat Productions
Family Games 100 Best, published by Green Ronin Publishing
Hamlet’s Hit Points by Robin D. Laws, published by Gameplaywright
Hobby Games 100 Best, published by Green Ronin Publishing
Kobold Guide to Board Game Design, published by Kobold Press
Meeples Together: How and Why Cooperative Board Games Work by Christopher Allen & Shannon Appelcline, published by Gameplaywright
The Privilege of Play: A History of Hobby Games, Race, and Geek Culture by Aaron Trammell, published by NYU Press
Things We Think About Games by Will Hindmarch & Jeff Tidball, published by Gameplaywright
The White Box Essays by Jeremy Holcomb, published by Gameplaywright
What is the process of selection?
SUBMISSIONS: Generally in February, submissions are opened to designers and the general public via an online form. Submissions close 30-45 days later, and all submissions are reviewed by the coordinator(s). Designers who have not self-submitted are contacted and invited to opt into consideration for the program.
FINALIST SELECTION: The submission information for all participating designers is sent to the Emerging Designer Program selection committee, whose members are chosen by the program’s coordinator for their expertise, diverse experiences, and commitment. Four to eight finalists are chosen from the submission pool by that group’s consensus.
WINNER SELECTION: The finalists’ names and info are then sent to the entire Diana Jones Award committee for discussion and final voting.
ANNOUNCEMENT: The winner(s) and finalists are announced (with their permission) at least 60 days prior to Gen Con to allow time for international travel arrangements. The winner(s) and any attending finalists are featured at the Diana Jones Award ceremony at the convention.
What’s the preferred terminology?
To avoid confusion with the annual Diana Jones Award Winner, please refer to such a designer as “a Diana Jones Emerging Designer” or “a winner in the 20XX Diana Jones Emerging Designer Program” or “a Diana Jones Emerging Designer Program Winner.”
Where can I find logos?
Our media images pack is right here.
How do I contact you?
Please reach out to the program’s coordinators at edp@dianajonesaward.org. You can contact the judging committee by emailing committee@dianajonesaward.org. Committee chair Matt Forbeck is at matt@forbeck.com
Who sponsors the program?
The program’s primary sponsors for 2023 are Gen Con and Bundle of Holding. Additional contributions are made by a variety of professionals and companies each year and are listed in that year’s announcement.
