This year’s awards highlighted 12 winners worldwide, chosen from a competitive shortlist of 36 finalists. The tech giant honored one app and one game in each of six categories: Delight and Fun, Inclusivity, Innovation, Interaction, Social Impact, and Visuals and Graphics.
The winners will be acknowledged during WWDC 2026.
Apple states that the winning projects illustrate how developers continue to advance the field while crafting meaningful experiences for users. During the announcement, Susan Prescott, Apple’s Vice President of Worldwide Developer Relations, noted that the award recipients exemplify the pinnacle of what Apple’s platforms can achieve.
Delight and Fun
In the Delight and Fun category, Apple honored products that provide memorable and joyful experiences. The winning app was grug, developed by Ocho from the Netherlands.
“The affirmation app offers a delightful method for reading daily neolithic grunts. With a simple concept, each prompt is carefully crafted to give users a small yet significant moment for reflection,” the company shared in its blog post.
The gaming award in this category was given to Is This Seat Taken?, a puzzle game by Spain’s Poti Poti Studio. This title invites players to solve challenging logic puzzles while navigating humorous public transport situations.
Inclusivity
Apple’s Inclusivity category honors apps and games developed to cater to users of various backgrounds, abilities, and languages.
Innovation
For Innovation, Apple celebrated products that utilize “technologies that distinguish them in their genre.” The winning app was NBA: Live Games & Scores for Apple Vision Pro.
Created by NBA Media Ventures, the app provides immersive sports viewing experiences, allowing users to watch multiple live games at once, access real-time statistics, and observe player movements on a 3D court in tabletop mode. The game, Blue Prince, developed by US studio Dogubomb, was recognized for its innovative mix of exploration, puzzle-solving, and storytelling.
Interaction
The Interaction category recognizes products with user-friendly interfaces and smooth navigation. Italian developer Flipping Hues Srls took home the app award with Moonlitt: Moon Phase Tracker, which assists users in monitoring lunar events and celestial phenomena via a sleek interface.
The gaming award was given to Sago Mini Jinja’s Garden, an Apple Arcade title by Canada’s Sago Mini. Tailored for younger audiences, the game features intuitive controls that allow children to concentrate on exploration and creativity.
Social Impact
Apps and games addressing significant issues and fostering positive change were acknowledged in the Social Impact category.
The winning app, Primary: News in Depth, provides an immersive news-reading experience on Apple Vision Pro, promoting thoughtful engagement with current events through a spatial interface.
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The game Consume Me, crafted by Jenny Jiao Hsia and AP Thomson, was recognized for its sensitive and emotionally impactful theme. “Offering a deeply personal and autobiographical experience, Consume Me skillfully balances gameplay with profound care. Its clever mechanics enable users to connect thoughtfully with feelings that words may not always express.”
Visuals and Graphics
The final category celebrated “stunning visuals, skillfully designed interfaces, and exceptional animations with a cohesive theme.”
The app award went to Tide Guide: Charts & Tables, developed by Condor Digital. This tide-tracking application delivers hour-by-hour forecasts and a clear presentation of weather data. In contrast, Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition from Poland’s CD Projekt S.A. received the gaming award for its “intricate interiors, character art, and vehicle designs.”
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