Game Stings
Submissions for Animation Dingle 2027 will open Autumn 2026
A Game Jam – Dingle style! Each year we set a theme, challenging participants to create a game inspired by our infamous mascot, An Phiast. Finished games are shared online and displayed for all to play at our Careers and Recruitment Fair during the festival.
Do you have what it takes? Read on for more information.
Our 2026 Game Sting theme was ‘An Phiast’s Untold Story’. The winning game was ‘A Silent Hero’ by Elisabeth Sykorova.
All selected games are available on itch.io.
Important Info:
- Pitch Submissions open on September 16th 2026. This is for a pitch only, not a finished game.
- Pitch Deadline: October 23rd 2026. No submissions will be accepted after this time.
- Successful applicants will be notified November 6th, 2027.
- Final Stings and Games must be completed by February 19th, 2027.
- Only students may apply.
- Submissions must be original works.
- Your initial submission for the October 23rd deadline is a pitch only, not a finished animation or game.
- All Sting and Game Sting pitches entered will be adjudicated by our judges.
- Only selected stings and games will continue in the competition and be displayed at Animation Dingle 2027.
- AI Tools: If AI tools will be utilised in the creation of the pitches, or the final stings and games, this must be indicated explicitly, within the pitch, and in the final submission.
For the Pitch, please include:
- Brief introduction to the game, including core mechanics, world design, interface, objectives and narrative(if required)
- Visuals and concept art
- A link to a prototype build or a demo video
Your pitch and final entry will be viewed and considered under the following headings:
Direction
Concept/Idea
Understanding the Brief/Theme
Presentation of Proposal
Story
Visual
Overall Appeal
Technical Specifics
- Final game stings must be uploaded to itch.io with clear instructions and be playable for free.
- Any game engine can be used, including Unity, Godot, Pico-8 or Unreal, or developed without a specific engine. WebGL is recommended for playable 3D browser games.
- If your project has been selected, and requires a standalone build, for either PC, Mobile platforms or VR, make sure the build is accessible, light to download, and set to work at multiple resolutions, including the download file on your itch.io page.
- Approval from Animation Dingle is required if your game must be built to an executable. It is not recommended as the game will only be playable on PC, or other dedicated platform, and it could hamper access to judges evaluation.
- All approved submissions to the festival will be collated and appear on a Dingle Animation curated Itch.io page, where they will be available to the wider public.
- There is no time limit for the completed game’s duration.
Please Note:
Credits: Please include the following logos in either your opening/closing credits:
Your College/University
Animation Dingle
Jam Media
Please click here for Animation Dingle and Jam Media logos.
SUBMISSIONS for our 2026 FESTIVAL are NOW CLOSED!
Our theme for 2026 Stings is: An Phiast’s Untold Story
Each year we set our theme for STINGS and GAME STINGS around our infamous mascot, An Phiast.
Our STINGS submissions are always highly competitive and each year we are delighted with the creativity that shines through. This year is no exception, we are looking forward to seeing just how imaginative you can be…
Over the years, we have seen a huge variety of takes on the character of An Phiast. We’ve seen him fuse with new monsters, discover his true passion and even get a job. Which begs the question for this year, what is An Phiast’s Untold Story?
This is an opportunity to show yet another side to our elusive green mascot. Does he have a secret? a hidden past? an alternative history?
YOU choose!
- Theme: An Phiast’s Untold Story
- Submissions must be original works; we are looking for original and unique ideas.
- Your initial submission for the October 25th deadline is a pitch only, not a finished animation or game.
- All Sting and Game Sting pitches entered will be adjudicated by our judges.
- Only selected stings and games will go into production.
- AI Tools: If AI tools will be utilised in the creation of the pitches, or the final stings and games, this must be indicated explicitly, within the pitch, and in the final submission.
Your pitch and final entry will be viewed and considered under the following headings:
- Direction
- Concept/Idea
- Understanding the Brief/Theme
- Presentation of Proposal
- Story
- Visual
- Overall Appeal
Deadlines
- Pitch Submissions for both Stings and Games open on September 15th 2025
- Pitch Deadline: October 25th 2025. No submissions will be accepted after this time.
- Successful applicants will be notified November 7th, 2025.
- Final Stings and Games must be completed by February 20th, 2026.
- Only students may apply.
ANIMATION STING
Final Animation Stings are expected to be no longer than 40 seconds and no shorter than 20 seconds, including opening and closing credits.
- For the Pitch: Pitches can include a Pitch Document/Deck, storyboards, animatics, concept art and more.
- Final stings will be screened for all to see at Animation Dingle 2026.
- To enter, please fill in the entry form HERE.
GAME STING
How can the theme of an “untold story” be woven into the game’s narrative or mechanics?
Time for you to show us what you can do with this concept as a GAME.
- For the Pitch: Pitches should include a brief introduction to the game, including core mechanics, world design, interface, objectives and narrative(if required), Visuals and concept art, a link to a prototype build or a demo video
- Final game stings must be uploaded to itch.io with clear instructions and ideally be playable for free on web browsers.
- Any game engine can be used, including Unity, Godot, Pico-8 or Unreal, or developed without a specific engine. WebGL is recommended for playable 3D browser games.
- If your project has been selected, and requires a standalone build, for either PC, Mobile platforms or VR, make sure the build is accessible, light to download, and set to work at multiple resolutions, including the download file on your itch.io page.
- If your game pitch has been selected and requires to be built to an executable, you will need to get approval for final submission, as this will only be playable on PC, or other dedicated platform, this is not recommended, as it could hamper access to judges evaluation.
- All approved submissions to the festival will be collated and appear on a Dingle Animation curated Itch.io page, where they will be available to the greater public.
- There is no time limit for the completed game’s duration.
- To enter, please fill in the entry form HERE.
Please Note:
- Credits: Please include the following logos in either your opening/closing credits:
- Your College/University
- Animation Dingle
- Jam Media
- Please click here for Animation Dingle and Jam Media logos.
Request high res logos for Animation Dingle and Jam Media from maurice@animationdingle.com
When Selected:
- Selected Stings and Game Stings will be notified and the project can begin by 7th November 2025.
- Selected finished Stings must be delivered to the festival by 20th February 2025.
- The principal student from each selected Sting will be entitled to one complimentary festival pass, giving access to all festival screenings and events.
Awards:
- The Best Sting Award and The Best Game Sting Award will be announced at our awards ceremony live in Dingle on Friday March 20th 2026.
Submit your Sting Pitch by sharing your submission with maurice@animationdingle.com on google drive, clearly label your folder.
Your entry must include:
- Clearly labelled google folder with the title of your Sting or Game Sting and principal student contact name
- Written idea/synopsis – this may include your storyboard, character design, game design, etc.
- An Image to represent your Sting, concept art
- Animatics or demo video
- Credits; these must include the name of the principal contact for the project; the names of all other students involved in the project and their roles
- Principal student contact details, including email and phone number
Cost to enter: FREE
An Phiast’s story can be seen below.
To enter, please fill in the relevant form:
Please contact amy@animationdingle.com if you have any questions.
The Story of An Phiast
Just outside the town of Dingle, in Moorestown parish, lies a small lake called Loch Corraillí. The depths of this lake are home to our mischievous monster, An Phiast. Legend has it, An Phiast, a magical monster, emerged from the lake every seven years on May Day to create mayhem. The monster devoured the cattle and sheep of local farmers. No one could stop An Phiast. St. Cuan heard about the monster in Dingle and the havoc that was caused. So on May Day, before sunrise, St. Cuan and a crowd of locals gathered at the lake’s edge. St. Cuan came armed with a large three-legged black pot, and the crowd waited and waited for the monster to appear.
As they watched, a ripple crossed the water, green scales sliced through the surface, followed by the cheeky monster’s head.
“May you have bad health Cuan,” said An Phiast and opened his enormous mouth to swallow St. Cuan.
“The same curse on you,” said St. Cuan, throwing the pot on top of the monster’s head.
“How long will this pot be on my head?” the monster roared.
“Forever is a long time,” the monster said sadly, “If I didn’t have the pot on my head, I would eat you and half the world with you”.
“You won’t eat anything else now, there is no fear of that, you will not cause any more trouble or damage here again,” said St. Cuan.
St. Cuan is buried in the townland of Moorestown parish and An Phiast lurks in Loch Corraillí with the pot on its head. Locals say you may still see the monster and, if you listen, you might hear its cries echoing through the pot.
Animation Dingle feels An Phiast has suffered enough, and are happy to welcome the monster to our festivities each year. Keep an eye out for An Phiast and let the monster join in the fun!
