As per tradition, one week before WWDC, Apple is revealing the winners of its annual Design Awards. There are some great apps and games on the list.
Each year, the Apple Design Awards honor App Store developers who have created outstanding apps and games. Winners are selected from a list of 36 global finalists across six categories.
"This year's Apple Design Award winners are a remarkable reflection of how developers are creating exceptional experiences," said Susan Prescott, Apple's vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations.
"Whether delivering intuitive features or exciting gameplay, these apps and games represent the very best of what our platform makes possible. We are incredibly proud to celebrate these developers and are grateful for their commitment to enriching the lives of people everywhere."
These are the same categories we saw in the 2025 awards. Yet again, we did not see the return of the "Spatial Computing" category which was introduced for a single year in 2024.
Below is the list of categories, winners, and runners-up.
Delight and Fun
This category awards creators who provide memorable, engaging experiences.
- Best app: grug (Ocho)
- Best game: Is This Seat Taken? (Poti Poti Studio)
- Blippo+ (Panic, Inc)
- Metaballs (Apposite)
- BALL x PIT (Kenny Sun Studios)
- PowerWash Simulator (FuturLab Limited)
Inclusivity
Inclusive award winners show exceptional ability to provide great experiences for all "by reflecting a variety of backgrounds, abilities, and languages."
- Best app: Guitar Wiz (Bijoy Thangaraj)
- Best game: Pine Hearts (Hyper Luminal Games Limited)
- Hearing Buddy (Lilly Seay)
- Structured (unorderly GmbH)
- Sago Mini Jinja's Garden (Sago Mini)
- Sid Meier's Civilization VII (Firaxis Games)
Innovation
Apps that win Apple's Innovation in design award are those that utilize Apple technology to create state-of-the-art experiences.
- Best app: NBA: Live Games & Scores (NBA Media Ventures, LLC)
- Best game: Blue Prince (Dogubomb)
- D-Day: The Camera Soldier (Targo)
- Detail: AI Video Editor (Detail Technologies B.V)
- Pickle Pro (Resolution Games AB)
- TR-49 (inkle)
Interaction
Apple has used its Innovation award to praise developers who prioritize design and user experience, focusing on intuitive interfaces and effortless controls.
- Best app: Moonlitt: Moon Phase Tracker (Flipping Hues Srls)
- Best game: Sago Mini Jinja's Garden (Sago Mini)
- The Outsiders: Athlete Tracker (Gentler Stories LLC)
- Tide Guide: Charts & Tables (Condor Digital)
- Grand Mountain Adventure 2 (Toppluva AB)
- TR-49 (inkle)
Social Impact
The Social Impact award goes to winners who "improve lives in a meaningful way and shine a light on crucial issues."
- Best app: Primary: News in Depth (Wood Metal Rocks LLC)
- Best game: Consume Me (Jenny Jiao Hsia and AP Thomson)
- Katha Room (Parjanya Creative Solutions)
- Harvee (Peak Labs Ltd)
- despelote (Julin Cordero and Sebastin Valbuena)
- Spilled! (Lente Cuenen)
Visuals and Graphics
Last but not least, this award shines a light on visual components, such as interfaces, imagery, animation, and themes.
- Best app: Tide Guide: Charts & Tables (Condor Digital)
- Best game: Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition (CD Projekt S.A)
- Caradise (PSQV AB)
- (Not Boring) Camera (Not Boring Software LLC)
- Arknights: Endfield
- SILT (Spiral Circus)








