Everything Has a Price Contest

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The judge Darrek says:

I absolutely love games that create player interaction around purchases and value. There’s something special about completing your perfect engine because you were willing to outbid everyone else at the table… or holding onto a commodity, waiting for just the right moment to sell for a massive windfall. Maybe you’re controlling turn order through bidding, cutting deals, or even taking bribes from other players!

For this contest, I want to see games where the value of things is not fixed, but instead influenced by player decisions or interactions.

This can be achieved in many ways, including auctions, shifting markets, trading, negotiation, bribery, or something entirely new or different. The important part is that players play an active role in determining what things are worth during the game.

There should be meaningful and interesting decisions around how players acquire what they need to succeed—whether that’s paying more than others, manipulating the market, or striking the right deal at the right time.

Games with static or fixed pricing should be avoided or kept to a minimum. Instead, focus on creating systems where value changes over the course of play based on player interaction and/or the game state.Surprise me with how players can influence value in your game!

Examples of popular games that fit this criteria: Cyclades, RA, No Thanks, High Society, QE, Power Grid, Raccoon Tycoon, Stockpile, Zoo Vadis, Monopoly, Catan

About the Judge:

Darrek Olson has been designing games since childhood in one form or another and loves playing tabletop games of all kinds, but really enjoys the ones where one player’s decision has the potential to make the rest of the table have a huge reaction! Darrek has one published game: Lumberjacks with Rocket Launchers. He also has numerous successful Game Crafter contest entries: Pyramid Peril, Auriferous, Frostbite, Salty Chef, Wagons West, and Busy Buses.

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• Your game must include at least one element of player driven value
• Any player count is allowed
• Any theme is allowed.
• Any components may be used.
• The total cost of your game must be $99.99 or less.
• The game must have a printed rulebook.
• A PDF of your game rules must be downloadable for free from your game's shop page.
• Though not explicitly required, a 2-minute overview video is highly encouraged.
• All artwork must be your own, commissioned by you, licensed to you, or in the public domain. Be sure to attribute your images when required.
• The game must be publish-ready (as it relates to our shop, not as it relates to being finished). This means it has a logo, backdrop, shop ad, action shots, description, and cool factors. It must also have all images proofed. You do not need to purchase a copy for the game to be publish ready.
• This must be a new game created for this contest. It cannot have existed on TGC prior to the start of the contest. If your game was created on TGC before the contest, it will not be eligible to enter.
• All entries must be submitted through TGC's game editor (by clicking on the "Contests" button) no later than July 27, 2026 at 11.59pm US Central Time.
• Games and their shop page should not be changed after the contest deadline, until the finalists have been announced.
• Contestants may submit multiple entries to this contest. Each entry will be judged separately.

Notes from the Judge:

• Please indicate on your shop page the way(s) your game implements the contest goal of “player driven value”. Creative and unexpected interpretations of this concept are encouraged!!!
• This contest is about having players drive value in the game. Systems where values change automatically (such as increasing costs each round) without meaningful player influence do not meet that requirement.
• Your game can be small or large, simple or complex. Just be sure there’s a reason for the complexity.
• Lean into “the weird”! This is not a requirement, but bizarre and weird themes definitely can catch the judge's eye.
• AI art is allowed: creating a polished game is difficult enough in the timeframe and not everyone is an artist. I don’t want that to get in the way of submitting a design.

You retain all rights to your game, and are welcome to sell it in The Game Crafter shop during and after the contest, regardless of the outcome of the contest. Your game does not have to be available for sale to enter the contest.

The community voting process will be used to determine 20 semi-finalists.

Finalists will be selected from all entries, not only semi-finalists.

The winner will receive the following:


• $250 of shop credit on thegamecrafter.com.
• Automatic Showcase status for their game on thegamecrafter.com.
• The possibility of judging a future contest.
• Induction into The Game Crafter Hall of Fame.
• Special prizes from the Judge (See below)

Semi-finalists, finalists, and the winner will all receive accolades for their achievements.

Judge's Prize

• First place will receive a physical trophy shipped to them by the judge.

This is what the judge will consider when selecting finalists.

• Player Driven Value - How meaningfully can players influence what things are worth?
• Decision Quality - Do players face impactful and interesting decisions, especially around value and timing?
• Player Interaction - Do players meaningfully affect or react to each other’s decisions?
• Creativity - Does this design bring something that feels fresh and novel?
• Rules Clarity - Does the rulebook clearly teach the game and handle important edge cases? Do the players know from the rulebook how they can influence value?
• Fun - Does this game appear to be fun to play?

These are what the judge will consider when selecting the winner.

• Player Driven Value - How meaningfully can players influence what things are worth?
• Decision Quality - Do players face impactful and interesting decisions, especially around value and timing?
• Player Interaction - Do players meaningfully affect or react to each other’s decisions?
• Creativity - Does this design bring something that feels fresh and novel?
• Rules Clarity - Does the rulebook clearly teach the game and handle important edge cases? Do the players know from the rulebook how they can influence value?
• Fun - How fun is this game to play?