31st annual interactive fiction competition opens

Rob Beschizza 12:04 pm Wed Sep 3, 2025

Playtesting an entry. Photo: Rob Beschizza

Playtesting an entry. Photo: Rob Beschizza

It's been about 50 years since Will Crowther began work on Adventure, and the genre's come a long way since. The 31st annual Interactive Fiction competition is underway, with finalists ready to be judged. Anyone can be a judge: "just play and rate at least five games by October 15."

Have a look at our guide to IF formats for some additional information on the various download-flavors you'll find below. And for a more compact list of this year's entries, see the voting ballot.

Please note that some entries, when played online through this website, collect anonymous transcripts of player input for the benefit of those entries' authors. You can opt out of this by downloading and playing these entries offline. Read this note for more information.

There are many entries to pick from, ranging from a Kafka adaptation to a "hallucinogenic autobiography," from an alternate history set in China to a satirical "burger meme test." Something for everyone!

Previously:
• How Twine revived interactive fiction
• Brief history of text games
• Interactive fiction archive
• The EXAMINE'd Life: Keeping Interactive Fiction Alive

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