Kristal Piksel is Being Restructured

RESTRUCTURING PLAN

Kristal Piksel has been the name of a tradition for twelve years — one dedicated to showcasing and rewarding the brightest stars of Turkey’s game development scene. Built on the dedication and volunteer spirit of many in our industry, Kristal Piksel is now setting sail toward a new mission: increasing recognition and excitement not only among industry professionals but also across the broader gaming community.

With this publicly shared planning document, we aim to collect feedback from our industry stakeholders and, in doing so, draw on your ideas and capacities as we reimagine Kristal Piksel. We know the vision outlined here will not be fully implemented in the very next edition, but we believe the upcoming Kristal Piksel will already make a significant impact.

This text is open to all our stakeholders with the link, but it is not written for public release. It is intended for industry professionals only. You are welcome to share it privately with whomever you like or within game development communities. However, as this is still a work in progress, we ask that it not be shared publicly and especially not posted on social media.

You can send your comments directly to us or to gft@setimedia.com. This address belongs to the team working on the Games From Turkiye program under TOGED, and it is always open to any questions or feedback related to the program.

For regular updates on Kristal Piksel and Games From Turkiye, you can subscribe to our newsletter at https://gamesfromturkiye.substack.com/ and follow us on social media at https://twitter.com/togedtr.

Our New Mission

In the past, Kristal Piksel has honored games that pushed boundaries and advanced the industry with original ideas. Now, we aim to bring these successes to an even larger stage. Kristal Piksel will no longer simply reward outstanding games — it will also serve as a bridge to help them gain the recognition they deserve both in Turkey and abroad.

As part of this new mission, Kristal Piksel will form the backbone of our new “Games from Turkiye” program, designed to promote our country’s game development ecosystem.

How Kristal Piksel Will Change

The new Kristal Piksel will feature two categories: “Kristal Piksel Nominees” and “Kristal Piksel Selection.” Nominees will be those titles that meet all competition criteria and are judged the best in their categories. The Selection will highlight games that may not fully meet the criteria — perhaps they were released outside the eligibility period, are still in Alpha/Beta, or don’t align neatly with award categories — but nonetheless have distinctive qualities worth showcasing.

In other words, the process for selecting nominees remains unchanged. What’s new is that games we previously had to decline for technical reasons will now have a place in the Selection. While Selection titles will not receive awards, they will still benefit from all the promotional opportunities offered by Kristal Piksel and Games From Turkiye.

A New Ceremony Format, Digital First

In today’s world, digital broadcasts are a defining factor in an event’s success. Kristal Piksel will now evolve into a digital-first experience that reflects the heartbeat of Turkey’s gaming ecosystem. Live streams, partnerships with game media, and interactive content will make it a modern showcase for Turkish-made games — and an event that players look forward to all year.

The ceremony will be short and dynamic, aiming for a one-hour runtime. Academic collaborations and side events will be scheduled on different days, streamed online whenever possible. Popular streamers will host the awards to create a show-like atmosphere, and live broadcasts on Twitch and YouTube will draw in a wider audience. Venues will be chosen with production needs in mind, with the goal of gradually moving toward an exciting, TGA-like show format.

Pre- and Post-Ceremony Programming

Through media and streamer partnerships, Kristal Piksel will expand into a weeks-long festival of special productions, blog posts, podcasts, and live discussions. Nominees and upcoming games will be highlighted throughout this period. A strong PR push will secure national media coverage, bringing the event to the attention of larger audiences than ever before.

A Broader Audience

Kristal Piksel’s renewed mission is to connect the diversity and creativity of Turkish game development with players across all platforms and genres in Turkey. The aim is not to increase local market revenue but to integrate passionate young players into the industry. These young talents are the foundation on which we build communities, develop skills, and shape public perception.

Over time, Kristal Piksel will work more closely with game development communities and university clubs, becoming a year-round festival for young talent and game enthusiasts. The ceremony itself will be streamlined to focus solely on the games and their creators, with speeches reserved for winners and Selection participants.

Academic Partnerships and Expanded Events

While maintaining strong academic ties, we will move the ceremony out of the academic setting and instead create a parallel program of workshops, panels, symposiums, game jams, and exhibitions hosted within academia. This expanded format will turn Kristal Piksel into a multi-day game development festival, eventually stretching to a full week in the future.

Participation as the Real Prize

In the past, Kristal Piksel winners received modest cash prizes. We are moving away from that model entirely. Instead, all nominees and Selection games will receive significant promotional support, valued at no less than €5,000 each, made possible through our communication sponsor and the support of setimedia and WE’24 Agency.

This includes:

• Paid editorial coverage in Turkey’s top five gaming media outlets.
• International PR support, including press kits, global press releases, and review code distribution.
• Inclusion in the Games From Turkiye program, with year-round promotion, event showcases, media features, and access to investor/publisher networking opportunities.

Strengthening Ties with Turkish Game Media

Our national gaming press has supported both developers and Kristal Piksel for years, often without adequate reciprocation from the industry. Going forward, Kristal Piksel will allocate part of its budget to share sponsorship value with media partners, aiming for a more balanced and sustainable relationship.

Games From Turkiye Program

Kristal Piksel will play a key role in the Games From Turkiye program, which represents Turkish-made games in both national and international arenas. While still in its early stages, the program will take shape alongside Kristal Piksel’s transformation, further boosting the global visibility of our games.