Key Takeaways
- VFS becomes the first school ever to earn three nominations in a single year for Best Student Game at The Unity Awards.
- Incorporeal, The Silence After, and Train Wreck highlight the exceptional skill of VFS Game Design & Programming students.
- With 11 nominations and 4 wins to date, VFS continues to set the global standard in game education and innovation.
The (long-awaited) nominations for The 17th Unity Awards are out, and Vancouver Film School’s talented Game Design and Programming for Games, Web & Mobile have set a new record. For the first time in Unity Awards history, three games from the same school have secured nominations for Best Student Game.
Incorporeal, The Silence After, and Train Wreck – all VFS student-made games – have been nominated for the highest student honour in the game industry, showcasing both the undeniable talent of these alumni and the calibre of VFS’s hands-on game design training. “This is a monumental success for our students and our school,” comments Christopher Mitchell, Head of Game Design and Programming at VFS. “Time and time again, our students’ hard work pays off, and this success will undoubtedly open doors for them in the game industry.”
All of these games are available to play (for free!) via the VFS Arcade.
ABOUT THE VFS-NOMINATED GAMES
Incorporeal
Available now on Steam and recent winner of Best Indie Game at GCMX, Incorporeal is a 3D isometric split-body melee combat action game. As an adventurer trapped in the depths of a haunted catacomb, players find a magical lantern that allows them to split their body and soul at will. You’ll use newfound powers to defeat enemies as a spirit and overcome the devious traps of the catacomb, in order to escape and earn your freedom.
Team: Diana Laura Hernández (Project Manager, Systems & UI Programmer), Arthur Ozório (Gameplay & AI Programmer), Chia Yen (Leo) Chang (Character & 2D Artist), Eduardo Loya Montes de Oca (Level Designer & Audio Coordinator), Nikita Dubinchuk (Environmental Artist & Level Designer), and Sobin Lee (Systems Programmer & Cinematics Programmer).
The Silence After
A first-person atmospheric horror game, The Silence After has players taking the role of a blind sole survivor following a distress signal through an apocalyptic reality. You’ll interact with the environment and use a synesthetic ability to perceive sound as colour to progress and avoid death.
Team: Dominic Hayes (Character Artist & Environment Artist), Henry Broestl (Level Designer & Sound Design), Iván Plouganou (Project Manager & UI/UX Design), Jasper Chao (Technical Designer & Systems Design), Jordan Bzdel (Sound Designer & Project Manager), and Pasha Stierle (AI Programmer & Tech Artist).
Train Wreck
A 3D top-down isometric, local co-op, base defense game, Train Wreck has players taking the role of train operators delivering cargo across multiple stations, while fending off relentless train robbers. Maintain fuel levels, defend your train from bandits, repair damages, and achieve victory by successfully delivering cargo to all stations.
The game was developed by Mark Rivera (Level Designer, Systems Designer, & Project Manager), Vishnu Sureshkumar (Programmer & VFX Artist), Juan Andres Valderrama Serrato (Programmer), Ria Solano Serrano (Programmer & Technical Artist), Isabel Cheng (VFX, UI, & Character Artist), and TJ Kim (Environment Artist & Animator).
VFS’S HISTORY OF SUCCESS AT THE UNITY AWARDS
This isn’t the first time VFS students have been nominated at The Unity Awards. In 2012, students received their first-ever nomination for Pulse, a milestone that marked VFS’s arrival on the global stage of game development. Since then, we’ve amassed 11 total nominations and 4 wins – for Afloat, The Cluckening, and Meowmentum Mori – solidifying VFS’s reputation as a consistent leader in student game creation.
Each nomination reflects not only the innovation and artistry of our students but also the strength of VFS’s collaborative, industry-driven approach to game design training. With 2025 potentially marking our fifth Unity Award win, VFS continues to prove that our graduates are shaping the future of interactive entertainment worldwide.
Watch the official trailers for each of these Unity Award-nominated games:
ABOUT THE UNITY AWARDS
The Unity Awards are an annual celebration of the game industry’s most creative and technically proficient projects built within the Unity engine. First launched in 2008, the ceremony has evolved into a global benchmark for innovation, bringing together students, indie developers, and major studios alike through categories spanning games, asset-tools, social impact, and community contributions. For students in particular, the ‘Best Student Project’ category offers a spotlight on emerging talent, giving new creators a chance to shine alongside seasoned professionals. Ultimately, the Unity Awards are a platform where bold ideas, craftsmanship, and the next generation of game-makers gain recognition on a world stage.
READY TO BUILD AWARD-WINNING GAMES?
Recognized as the #1 Game Design School in Canada by The Princeton Review, Vancouver Film School’s Game Design program gets you fully trained as a developer in 1 short year. Alongside your cohort, you’ll create a retail-quality game for your career portfolio that you’ll debut to the industry through an exclusive Pitch + Play event, a chance to get face time with studios and recruiters before you’ve graduated.
To get started, book an appointment with a VFS Advisor to learn more about the program, start dates, and portfolio requirements.