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The Photo Mode Awards is open worldwide to virtual photographers aged 18 and above. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned professional, we welcome photographers of all skill levels and experiences. We encourage diversity and creativity in every submission. Each participant must submit their own original photos. Best of all, entry is completely free!
Please refer to our T&Cs and Privacy Policy for full details.
Note: Judges and members of The Photo Mode Awards are not eligible to participate.
The 2025 entries are open from 10th June and close on 28th June 23:59 AEST (That’s 7:59 AM (PDT) / 4:59 PM (CEST)). Entries post the deadline will not be accepted.
The 2025 Photo Mode Awards categories are:
Photo captured in Hitman World of Assassination
Photo captured in Cyberpunk 2077
Action: Captures will contain a high intensity scene with dynamic moments, showcasing movement, energy, and vitality in various contexts, from sports to a fight scene.
Photo captured in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Close Up: The Close Up category focuses on capturing detailed and intimate shots of a subject. This type of photography allows for a deeper exploration of texture, and fine details.
Photo captured in Days Gone
Indie: This category focuses on the unique and visually stunning worlds crafted by independent game developers
Photo captured in Jurassic World Evolution 2
Nature: Nature photography is focused on elements of the outdoors. Specific subjects may include landscapes, wildlife, flora, and other elements of the environment.
Photo captured in Ghost of Tsushima
More details about the categories can be found at www.photomodeawards.com.
Each participant is allowed to submit a maximum of one (1) photo per category. Each participant will submit their photos via the Photo Mode Awards website.
We acknowledge the difficulty of selecting a single photo to represent your entry, and we encourage participants to carefully consider their choice before submission. Take the time to review and finalize your decision, ensuring that the submitted photo truly reflects your creativity and meets the criteria of the competition.
Yes, you are permitted to use photo editing software such as Lightroom, Photoshop, and similar programs to enhance your photos. This includes (not limited to):
You are NOT ALLOWED – Don’t risk it 🙂
The competition aims to highlight the creativity of participants within the confines of the game environment. By requiring the use of an official photo mode for cinematic shots, the competition ensures a level playing field across both PC and Console captures, while maintaining adherence to the competition guidelines.
Yes, 25MB. You will encounter an error if the file exceeds this limit.
Each category will have one winner and one runner-up — twelve (12) recipients in total — who will receive a bundle featuring some of the best video game titles and rare, unique merchandise from the developers and publishers supporting the Photo Mode Awards.
Refer to our T&Cs page for more details about the prizes.
The PMA team will shortlist photos in each category to progress to the next round. This year, a minimum of 16 finalists will be selected per category, increasing the opportunities for individuals to be recognized for their outstanding work.
Selections will be based on the photo’s merit, adherence to the theme, and compliance with the rules.
As the evaluation focuses purely on the photos themselves, rather than the individuals who submitted them, participants may have multiple entries that advance to the next round of the Awards. However, an individual cannot win multiple categories or prizes, so if they receive the highest votes in more than one, the prize will be awarded to the next most-voted photographer.
The Photo Mode Awards will be judged by a panel of leading gaming industry experts. Each finalist will be evaluated based on creativity, composition, and adherence to the theme. The judging process is designed to be fair and impartial. Each Judge will not have access to each other’s selection and it will be fully centralised via The Photo Mode Awards.
There will be one (1) Winner and one (1) Runner Up per category.
All finalists, winners, and runners-up will be revealed exclusively during the official Photo Mode Awards Show.
Stay tuned to our website and social channels for the show announcement and details on when and where to watch.
The Winner and Runner Up of each category will be announced by August 3rd 2025.
The People’s Choice Awards is a community-driven voting event designed to honour game developers behind the photo modes, and the prestigious Creator of the Year award. The People’s Choice Awards will kick off once the registration for the Photo Mode Awards closes.
The public voting will open for the following categories:
This category celebrates the most exceptional photo mode experience within action games. It honours titles that not only bring thrilling gameplay but also provide players with robust tools to creatively capture dynamic moments, breathtaking combat, and immersive worlds.
2025 Action Game Photo Mode Winner
This category celebrates the most remarkable photo mode experiences in the adventure genre. Focused exclusively on games that offer players the chance to explore immersive worlds and capture their journeys with photo mode, it highlights titles where visual storytelling and artistic expression thrive. 
2025 Adventure Game Photo Mode Winner
This category celebrates RPG games that provide outstanding photo mode features, enabling players to creatively capture and showcase their adventures. This award focuses on role-playing games where photo mode enhances the storytelling, character development, and immersive worlds that define the genre. 
2025 RPG Game Photo Mode Winner
This category at the Photo Mode Awards celebrates outstanding independent games that offer players the tools to unleash their creativity through an in-game photo mode. This award honours the artistry and innovation of indie developers who have included this feature, allowing players to capture and share the beauty of their unique worlds. It’s a testament to the growing influence of photo modes in indie titles, where small teams deliver big visual experiences. 
2025 Indie Game Photo Mode Winner
This category celebrates the finest photo modes in simulation games, highlighting those that offer players a chance to creatively capture stunning moments. From detailed landscapes and lifelike vehicles in racing games to immersive worlds in other simulation genres, this award recognises the tools that empower players to showcase the artistry and realism within these experiences. 
2025 Simulation Game Photo Mode Winner
Nominees in this category are recognized for their ability to elevate virtual photography through both their personal artistry and the broader impact they’ve made on the community.
2025 Creator of the Year Winner
The photo modes part of the 2025 People’s Choice Awards are for any games with a photo mode that have launched or been updated between June 2024 until May 2025 (DLCs & PC/Console Ports included). Previous winners are allowed to participate as long as they meet the criteria above.
If you want to make sure we got your game covered, reach out to us via the contact form.
The minimum requirements to qualify a game in any of our photo mode categories are:
Note: Excludes games that mimic a camera via in-game devices such as but not limited to mobile device and/or character model viewer.
The PMAs will open the nominations for Creator of the Year at the start of the Award process.
You will be able to:
There are no restrictions on the number of nominations you can submit. We encourage you to recognize as many amazing individuals as you’d like.
All submissions will be carefully evaluated by The PMAs team, regardless of the number of nominations received. The Top 9 Creators will be shortlisted based on the rationale provided for the nomination, content, and/or their contributions to the virtual photography community.
Note: Individuals who are part of the Awards Judging Panel & Organisers are excluded from this Award. Furthermore, winners of the Creator of the Year category are not eligible to participate in the following consecutive year.
The Creator of the Year Winner will take incredible prizes.
Refer to our T&Cs page for more details about the prizes.
The People’s Choice Winner for each category will be announced between July 29th and August 3rd 2025.
People’s Curator is a monthly, community-driven pathway into the Photo Mode Awards. Each month focuses on two (2) official PMAs categories. Submissions are curated by the PMAs team, followed by a 24-hour community vote. Category winners advance directly to PMAs judging.
Community voting opens for 24 hours only. Once voting closes, results are final. Voting times and dates will be announced alongside the shortlisted entries.
Yes. All People’s Curator submissions must follow the same rules and eligibility requirements as the Photo Mode Awards. If an entry does not comply with PMAs rules, it may be removed or disqualified at any stage. Full PMAs rules are available on our website.
Submissions open once per month, for two categories at a time. Exact dates will be published on the official Photo Mode Awards social media channels.
No. Photos that have previously reached the finalist stage in any PMAs competition are not eligible for People’s Curator.
Submissions close a few days before the end of each month to allow time for curation. Exact closing dates will be announced on official Photo Mode Awards social media channels.
All submissions are curated by the PMAs team. Based on quality, creativity, and relevance to the category, nine (9) photos are shortlisted for community voting.
Winners are announced on the official Photo Mode Awards social media channels. If you win a People’s Curator category, your entry is already considered a finalist for that category and progresses directly to judging. You are not permitted to submit another entry for the same category during the PMAs.
Winning a People’s Curator category only restricts entry to that specific category. You may still submit work to other PMAs categories, provided you meet all eligibility rules.
No. Advancing through People’s Curator does not guarantee an award. Final decisions are made by the PMAs judging panel.
No. Each creator can only win one People’s Curator category. Once a creator wins, they are no longer eligible to win additional categories during the same cycle.
Entrants retain copyright of their images. The entrant provides The Photo Mode Awards a limited-use authorization to publish and distribute their photographs for the sole purpose of promoting the Photo Mode Awards. Images may be used by The Photo Mode Awards or in any promotion.
The PMAs supports any games (old or new) which contain a photo mode capability provided:
An official photo mode is a feature within the game that allows players to capture and edit in-game screenshots without the need of mods. Photo modes can be accessed through shortcuts or directly from the game’s menu.
Cyberpunk 2077 Photo Mode
Check the game’s official website, user manual, or in-game settings to determine if an official photo mode is available. If uncertain, reach out to the game’s support website for clarification.
An indie game, short for “independent video game,” is typically developed by individuals or small teams without significant financial or technical support from a large game publisher. Here are some examples of Indie titles (📷 = includes photo mode):
Fantasy-themed submissions should still align with the chosen categories, but they can include elements that are imaginative, surreal, or fictional.
While it may be challenging to monitor every submission in real-time, the competition organizers may conduct random checks or rely on community reporting to identify potential violations.
Starts June 1st, 2026
@PhotoModeAwards
