Winners of the 2025 Apple Design Awards Announced, Featuring Balatro, Neva, and Dredge

The winners of the prestigious Apple Design Awards have been unveiled by Apple, recognizing 12 outstanding applications and games that have raised the bar in terms of design excellence. This year's awardees, comprising one app and one game across six distinct categories, were chosen for their exceptional innovation, ingenuity, and technical accomplishments. The list of winners includes: Delight and Fun Award: CapWords app by HappyPlan Tech and Balatro game by LocalThunk. Innovation Award: Play app by Rabbit 3 Times and PBJ - The Musical game by Philipp Stollenmayer. Interaction Award: Taobao app by Zhejiang Taobao Network and Dredge game by Black Salt. Inclusivity Award: Speechify app by Speechify and Art of Fauna game by Klemens Strasser. Social Impact Award: Watch Duty app by Sherwood Forestry Service and Neva game by Devolver Digital. Visuals and Graphic Award: Feather: Draw in 3D app by Sketchsoft and Infinity Nikki game by Infold Games. According to Susan Prescott, Apple's Vice President of Worldwide Developer Relations, "Developers continue to push the envelope, creating applications and games that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also profoundly impactful. We are thrilled to honor this remarkable group of winners and finalists at WWDC, highlighting the innovation and artistry they bring to each experience." In related news, Apple updated its business terms in the EU to permit developers to link to external payment systems in August. However, this move was deemed insufficient by the European Commission, which recently ruled that Apple had breached its anti-steering obligations under the DMA, resulting in a fine of $568.6 million (€500m). Apple has less than 30 days to update the App Store, enabling developers to link to external shops and payment methods.