ESMA 2025 VIDEO GAMES GRAND PRIX: Two intense days to celebrate the creativity and talent of our students

Three campuses, one goal: defending your game

For this year’s ESMA Video Games Grand Prix, students from the three campuses offering the course (Rennes, Toulouse and Montpellier) converged on Montpellier for two high-stakes days. These future industry professionals presented their final year game, the fruit of several months of intense teamwork.

Divided into teams of 8 to 12 people, the students were tasked with designing a complete game: artistic direction, gameplay, storytelling, technical optimisation – everything had been thought through and prototyped with rigour. The aim of these two days was to defend their project in front of a panel of recognised professionals, and to celebrate together the end of a demanding training cycle.

A jury of excellence and a committed sponsor

ESMA was delighted to welcome 14 industry professionals representing leading French studiosto oversee this first edition of the competition. Game designers, producers, art directors, level designers… they were all on hand to assess the student productions.

The chair of the 2025 jury, Pauline Dupuy, producer at DON’T NOD, brought her expert and sympathetic perspective to the event. She praised the commitment and maturity of the teams, who were able to come up with rich worlds, inventive mechanics and games that were already very close to a professional version.

Wednesday: playtests and immersion in the projects

Wednesday 18 June was entirely devoted to playtesting. Each game was presented in its playable version to the members of the jury, who were able to talk freely with the teams, discover the worlds, test the mechanics and let themselves be carried away by the stories.

a total of9 games were presented:

• 4 games by students from Rennes
• 3 games by students from Toulouse
• 2 games by students from Montpellier

Thursday: speeches and awards ceremony

Thursday, June 19 was presentation day! Each team took to the stage to present and defend their project in front of the jury, explaining their approach, their technical, artistic, and creative choices, as well as the challenges they faced. The afternoon ended with the arrival of families on campus to attend the awards ceremony at 6:00 p.m.

It was a warm and moving moment to celebrate together the efforts, successes, and ambitions of this young generation.

The 9 games presented

Rennes Campus

• DERAYAH: Explore an ancient petrified city built on the back of a giant spider crab. A mysterious world to decipher, between environmental narration and enigmas.
• UNCLOCK: Build a tower combining procedural and fixed levels. Each level disintegrates as you progress, accentuating the impression of verticality and tension.
• MAPS & CARDS: Play as a mercenary commander who summons his troops from a deck of cards to advance through a hostile world.
• TINY KINESIS: Become a tiny fairy with telekinetic powers in an amusement park overrun by monsters. Cartoon atmosphere, frenetic combat and enchanting art direction!

Toulouse Campus

• MUSE: Play as Elise, a young sculptor, who returns to her childhood village to find new inspiration. Exploration, narrative choices and emotions are at the heart of this introspective experience.
• SUNDER: Discover an alien planet, where two brothers compete to become leaders of their people. In a world where life and death are altered by a deity, they must prove their faith, cunning and strength.
• VOID FISHER: Explore space and capture endangered creatures. Follow Solan, an idealistic astro-fisherman, on the trail of a legendary creature, the Solar Eel. A contemplative and ecological game.

Montpellier Campus

• NOVA: After the moon has fallen, play as Nova in a ruined astronomical city. Use lunar powers to progress, unravel the secrets of the place and try to send the star back into space.
• STACKHEAD: Stack machines on your head to become a crazy tower of weapons. In a depressing theme park, fight against authority and become the new mascot!

STACKHEAD marks a first for ESMA: it’s the very first game developed specifically for Nintendo Switch!

The ESMA 2025 Video Games Grand Prix winners

At the end of the presentations, the jury awarded four prizes for the excellence and originality of the productions:

Best Technical Achievement: STACKHEAD

Best Graphic Design Award: NOVA

Best Gameplay Award: TINY KINESIS

ESMA GRAND PRIX 2025: MUSE

A promising generation

ESMA would like to congratulate all the students on their hard work. Designing a complete video game is a complex challenge, combining creativity, rigour, team spirit and endurance. Each project captured the attention of the jury, and each deserves to be praised for its uniqueness, artistic direction or gameplay innovations.

We wish all our students every success for the rest of their careers. One thing is certain: the future of video games can count on them.