Longest Playtime Challenge: $20,000 in OpenAI Codex 5.6 Credits

AI can dramatically accelerate game development—but it can't automatically make a game fun.

The Longest Playtime Challenge rewards the developers who prove they can create engaging gameplay that players actually want to spend time with. Whether your submission is a polished release or an early prototype, what matters most is your ability to build compelling mechanics, satisfying progression, and a gameplay loop that keeps players saying, "just one more minute."

Throughout the AI Game Festival, we'll track total player playtime across every submitted game. At the end of the festival, the five games with the highest cumulative playtime will receive OpenAI Codex credits to continue building their projects.

PlacePrize

• 🥇 1st $ 5,000 in OpenAI Codex Credits
• 🥈 2nd $4,500 in OpenAI Codex Credits
• 🥉 3rd $4,000 in OpenAI Codex Credits
• 4th $3,500 in OpenAI Codex Credits
• 5th$3,000 in OpenAI Codex Credits

Total Prize Pool: $20,000 in OpenAI Codex Credits

This award celebrates what ultimately matters most in game development: player engagement.

Beautiful graphics, sophisticated AI, and cutting-edge technology are valuable—but players return because a game is genuinely enjoyable. Even a short demo can achieve exceptional playtime if it delivers a compelling gameplay loop, meaningful progression, or memorable moments.

Build something players can't stop playing, and you'll earn both recognition and the resources to keep building.

Submit Your Game Here

To be eligible for the Longest Playtime Challenge, developers must:

• Upload a playable build to the AI Game Festival before the submission deadline.
• The submitted build may be a full game, demo, prototype, playtest, or vertical slice.
• The game must remain publicly playable throughout the festival unless otherwise approved by festival organizers.
• Games must receive a minimum number of unique players to qualify for the award (minimum threshold to be announced).

Winners are determined using median player playtime.

For each eligible game, the festival will calculate the median playtime per player across all eligible play sessions. Games are then ranked from highest to lowest median playtime, with the top five games receiving the OpenAI Codex credit awards.

Using median playtime rewards games that consistently keep players engaged rather than those with only a few unusually long sessions. The goal is to recognize developers who build compelling gameplay loops that players genuinely want to continue playing, whether the submission is a complete game or an early demo.

Submit Your Game Here