| Category | App Winner | Game Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Delight and Fun | grug | Is This Seat Taken? |
| Inclusivity | Guitar Wiz | Pine Hearts |
| Innovation | NBA: Live Games & Scores | Blue Prince |
| Interaction | Moonlitt: Moon Phase Tracker | Sago Mini Jinja’s Garden |
| Social Impact | Primary: News in Depth | Consume Me |
| Visuals and Graphics | Tide Guide: Charts & Tables | Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition |
Announcing the winners, Susan Prescott, Vice President of Worldwide Developer Relations at Apple, said, “Whether delivering intuitive features or exciting gameplay, these apps and games represent the very best of what our platform makes possible”.
Delight and Fun Winners
In the Delight and Fun category, Apple recognised grug, developed by Ocho from the Netherlands, as the winning app. It is an affirmation app that delivers daily wisdom through playful Neolithic-style prompts designed to encourage reflection and mindfulness.
The winning game in this category was Is This Seat Taken? from Spain-based Poti Poti Studio. The puzzle game challenges players to solve logic-based seating arrangements in public transit-inspired scenarios.
Inclusivity
The Inclusivity category recognised apps and games that provide accessible experiences for users with diverse abilities and backgrounds. The winning app was Guitar Wiz, developed by India’s Bijoy Thangaraj. It is claimed to be an all-in-one toolkit for guitar players and incorporates accessibility features such as Dynamic Type, Increased Contrast, and Differentiate Without Colour.
The winning game was Pine Hearts from Hyper Luminal Games Limited in the UK. The title includes enhanced text legibility, customisable controls, and accessibility-focused motion and sensory settings.
Innovation
Apple recognised NBA: Live Games & Scores by NBA Media Ventures as the Innovation category winner. It is designed for the Apple Vision Pro and allows users to watch multiple live games simultaneously, view floating statistics, and explore real-time gameplay through a 3D court interface.
In the games category, Blue Prince by US-based game developer Dogubomb was awarded for its unique blend of exploration, environmental storytelling, and puzzle-solving mechanics.
Interaction
Italian developer Flipping Hues Srls won the award with Moonlitt: Moon Phase Tracker in the Interaction category. Apple said that the app features an elegant interface for tracking lunar events, photography planning, and celestial observations.
The game winner was Sago Mini Jinja’s Garden by Canada’s Sago Mini. Available on Apple Arcade, the title uses simple swipe-based controls that allow children to focus on exploration rather than learning complex mechanics.
The Innovation category, notably, honours apps and games with intuitive controls and interfaces.
Social Impact
The Social Impact award for apps was given to Primary: News in Depth, developed by Wood Metal Rocks LLC. It is another app built for Apple Vision Pro and utilises spatial computing to present news content in an immersive and organised format.
On the games front, Consume Me, created by Jenny Jiao Hsia and AP Thomson, was recognised. Apple described it as a deeply personal and emotionally resonant experience that addresses sensitive themes through thoughtful gameplay.
Visuals and Graphics
In the Visuals and Graphics category, Tide Guide: Charts & Tables by Condor Digital won the app award. Available on the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac, this app delivers tide and marine weather conditions from data providers worldwide. Apple highlighted its detailed weather visualisations, custom animations, and aquatic-inspired design language.
CD Projekt Red’s famous first-person action role-playing game Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition was also awarded in this category. In the blog post, Apple praised the Keanu Reeves-starring title for taking full advantage of Apple silicon and advanced Metal technologies, ultimately delivering richly detailed environments, character models, and visual effects on Mac.
Apple also recognised 24 additional finalists across the six categories, with winners selected from a total pool of 36 shortlisted apps and games from developers around the world.
