Since 2021, the VGDC has given out awards to students for multiple different categories. The award ceremony is typically on VGDC Field Day, at the end of the spring semester. Games produced within that entire school year and the previous summer are all eligible!

Game of the Year is split into two categories: Game Jam and Non Game Jam. To be eligible for the Game Jam category, the game must have been worked on within a single game jam lasting less than a month. This can be any game jam (VGDC, Collegiate, or any non club affiliated jam like Ludum Dare, GMTK, etc.). You are allowed to have fixed bugs after the jam, but you may not add any new features to still be eligible for this category (you can still submit a version without any added features though). The Non Game Jam category is for any longer term projects. This can be personal projects, class projects (CSC 281, Advanced Games Projects, Computer Graphics, etc.), or jam games that were worked on further after the jam ended.