Everything about Sense of Wonder Night 2025

Sense of Wonder Night once again took the spotlight at Tokyo Game Show 2025, featuring groundbreaking indie games that blend creativity with unconventional design. This guide covers everything about the event, including its schedule and the games that were presented.

What is SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT?

An Indie Game Awards Show

Sense of Wonder Night (SOWN) is an acclaimed competition focused on discovering game concepts that evoke a profound "Sense of Wonder"—the transformative feeling you get when encountering a truly new idea. Now in its 18th edition, the event selects a handful of finalists from hundreds of submissions to showcase on a global stage.

The mission of SOWN is to continuously foster innovation in game design, bring attention to pioneering ideas, and contribute to the overall growth of the gaming industry.

Participation has grown significantly, with this year's entries reaching 1,365, alongside an additional 174 submissions from the Indie Game Area.

For further details, be sure to check out the official SOWN website.

Platinum Sponsors

Sony

Sony Group Corporation is a global leader in multimedia, famous for electronics like televisions and audio equipment. In gaming, Sony is the powerhouse behind the PlayStation brand, with the PlayStation 5 as its latest console. Its subsidiary, Sony Interactive Entertainment, oversees major studios like Team Asobi (Astro Bot) and Insomniac Games (Marvel's Spider-Man), publishing hit titles worldwide.

Nintendo

Nintendo is a legendary Japanese company known for creating beloved franchises such as Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda. It continually redefines gaming with innovative hardware, recently launching the Nintendo Switch 2. Notably, several SOWN finalists, including Time Flies and "and Roger," are also available on the Nintendo Switch platform.

Kodansha

Kodansha stands as one of Japan's premier publishing houses, renowned for its extensive catalog of manga, magazines, and books. Through Kodansha Ltd., the company also engages in game publishing, with titles like Bokura and the SOWN 2025 finalist "and Roger" among its notable releases.

Other Sponsors

SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT 2025 extends its sincere gratitude to all supporting sponsors across the Gold, Silver, and Bronze categories, as well as the equipment partners who helped make the event possible.

The full list of sponsors includes:

GOLD
　⚫︎　Happinet
　⚫︎　Playism
　⚫︎　Hobby Japan

SILVER
　⚫︎　indie game incubator
　⚫︎　NexTone
　⚫︎　World Map

BRONZE
　⚫︎　CRIWARE
　⚫︎　Amakusa-shi

EQUIPMENT SPONSORS
　⚫︎　BENQ
　⚫︎　ASK Corporation
　⚫︎　AURYN Corporation
　⚫︎　ZOTAC

SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT 2025 Awards

Finalists

Breaking Existing Rules

Adventures in Other Worlds

What is Sense of Wonder Night?

Sense of Wonder Night, commonly called SOWN, is a longstanding event dedicated to uncovering game ideas that deliver genuine innovation—the kind that leaves players amazed and thinking, "This changes everything." Celebrating its 18th anniversary, SOWN spotlights experimental and imaginative projects that challenge norms and drive the industry forward.

To honor outstanding contributions, SOWN presents several awards each year. The Audience Award Grand Prix (USD 3,000) and Semi-Grand Prix (USD 500) celebrate the crowd's top picks. Additionally, individual prizes of USD 500 are awarded for Best Technological Game, Best Arts, Best Experimental Game, Best Game Design, and Best Presentation.