Terms & Conditions

By entering or participating in the Photo Mode Awards competition (“Competition”), you accept and agree to be legally bound by these Terms & Conditions. Entries must comply with these Terms to be valid.

The “Promoter” is The Photo Mode Awards. “Entrants” include Eligible Entrants, Winners and any other individuals who enter and participate. All references to times and dates are in AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time).

The Competition is open worldwide to individuals aged 18 and above, except:

• Members of The Photo Mode Awards team
• Members of the judging panel

To claim a prize, winners must follow The Photo Mode Awards’ social accounts and provide a valid mailing address.

The Competition opens on Monday, 1st June 2026 at 7:01 am and closes on Friday, 27th June 2026 at 11:59 pm. Entry is free.

To participate, eligible entrants must:

• Submit photos created using an official in-game Photo Mode or free camera mod. Cinematic captures are not allowed unless captured through an official Photo Mode.
• Submit via the Photo Mode Awards website unless an alternate method is specified.
• Submit one entry per category. An entrant may be a finalist in multiple categories but can only win one prize.
• Submit files in JPEG or PNG format, maximum 25MB per file.
• Be the original creator and hold all rights to the submitted photo.
• Not include watermarks or branding — such entries will be disqualified.

Entries must not contain: pornography or sexually explicit imagery; abusive, offensive, or hateful content; harassing or defamatory content; content compromising privacy or safety; content demeaning any group; or spam and commercial activities.

There will be twelve (12) winners in total: 6 Category Winners and 6 Category Runners-up.

Images created by AI image-generation programs (e.g. MidJourney, DALL-E, Stable Diffusion) may not be entered. Images edited using Generative AI or heavy manipulation that adds pixels not present in the original capture are also prohibited.

Permitted editing:

• Exposure, contrast, colour correction, sharpening, cropping
• Depth of field and motion blur adjustments
• Post-processing in Lightroom, Photoshop, or similar tools
• In-game filters and ReShade
• AI upscaling solely to increase resolution or clarity
• Minor removal of small imperfections (at the organisers’ discretion)

Not permitted: Adding elements not in the original scene, heavy compositing, AI image generation, or any alteration that fundamentally changes the original capture. The Photo Mode Awards reserves the right to request original files for verification.

• People — Capturing personality, expressions, and emotions of individuals or groups
• Architecture — Buildings, structures, and urban or fantasy environments
• Action — High-intensity scenes with dynamic movement and energy
• Close Up — Detailed and intimate shots exploring texture and fine detail
• Indie — Unique worlds crafted by independent game developers
• Nature — Landscapes, wildlife, flora, and other environmental elements

Entrants retain copyright of their images. By entering, the entrant provides The Photo Mode Awards a limited, non-exclusive, royalty-free authorisation to publish and distribute their photographs solely for the purpose of promoting The Photo Mode Awards. Images will be credited with the photographer’s name or handle.

The Photo Mode Awards may include public voting awards such as the People’s Choice Award. By entering, entrants agree that their images may be displayed publicly for voting purposes.

Any attempt to manipulate voting — including bots, fake accounts, or coordinated manipulation — may result in disqualification. The organisers’ decision regarding voting results is final.

People’s Curator is a monthly community-driven pathway into the Photo Mode Awards. Each month, The Photo Mode Awards team focuses on two official PMA categories, curates submissions, and the community votes in a 24-hour window.

The winning photographer from each monthly People’s Curator category advances directly to PMAs judging as a confirmed finalist for that category. They may not submit a second entry for the same category in the main competition window, but may enter all other categories.

Winning People’s Curator does not guarantee a PMA award — the final decision rests with the judging panel. Photos that have already reached the finalist stage in any previous PMAs competition are not eligible for People’s Curator. All People’s Curator submissions must comply with full PMA eligibility and submission rules.

Entries will be shortlisted by The Photo Mode Awards team. A panel of leading virtual photography and gaming industry experts will judge the shortlisted entries and vote on their selections in each category. The decisions of the judges are final — no correspondence or appeals will be considered.

Any entrant who engages in harassment or abusive behaviour towards organisers, judges, sponsors, or other participants may be disqualified and prohibited from entering future competitions.

Winners and Runners-Up will be announced on www.photomodeawards.com following the close of judging. The announcement date will be communicated via the Photo Mode Awards’ social channels.

Prize winners will be contacted via the contact details or social media accounts provided during entry. If a winner does not respond within a reasonable timeframe, the Promoter reserves the right to offer the prize to the next eligible entrant.

Each Category Winner (6 total) and each Category Runner-Up (6 total) will receive a prize package. The Creator of the Year winner will additionally receive a featured article in the Photo Mode Awards annual eMagazine.

1st Place (Category Winners)

• 1x Assetto Corsa Evo PC Key
• 1x Wuchang: Fallen Feathers PC Key
• 1x The Alters PC Key
• 1x Indika PC Key
• 1x Frostpunk 2 PC Key
• 1x Alan Wake 2 PC Key
• 1x Fallout 76 Nuka Cola Power Armour Pop! Vinyl
• 1x Fallout S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Edition 3 Pin Set
• 1x Starfield Caps
• 1x Assassin’s Creed Shadows Steel Book (No Game)
• 1x Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Claws of Awaji Gaming Mat – Official Ubisoft Gear Shop
• 1x Alan Wake 2 Limited Edition X4LP Boxset
• 1x The Art and Making of CONTROL Art Book

2nd Place (Category Runners-Up)

• 1x Blades of Fire PC Key
• 1x Assetto Corsa Rally PC Key
• 1x Hitman World of Assassination PC Key
• 1x Starfield PC Key
• 1x The Alters PC Key
• 1x Indika PC Key
• 1x Control Ultimate Edition PC Key

Creator of the Year

• 1x Assetto Corsa Evo PC Key
• 1x Blades of Fire PC Key
• 1x Death Stranding Director’s Cut PC Key
• 1x Crime Boss PC Key
• 1x The Elder Scrolls Online (PC Steam)
• 1x Undisputed PC Key
• 1x Starfield PC Key
• 1x Assassin’s Creed Shadows Collector’s Edition
• Featured article in the Photo Mode Awards annual eMagazine

Prizes are subject to availability, not transferable or exchangeable, and cannot be taken as cash. The Promoter takes no responsibility for prizes damaged or lost in transit. Shipping or digital prize delivery to certain countries may be subject to logistical or regional restrictions — alternatives will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Any applicable customs duties, import taxes, or other charges levied by the recipient’s country are the sole responsibility of the winner. The Promoter accepts no liability for any such charges.

The entrant indemnifies The Photo Mode Awards, supporting brands, judges, and the team against any claim arising from the competition or publication of images.

The Photo Mode Awards reserves the right to disqualify any entry in breach of these Terms. The information in these Terms supersedes information in other parts of this website. Any entry found to breach these Terms will be disqualified and all prizes must be returned. These Terms may be updated from time to time — material changes will be posted on this page.