The 2025 Apple Design Awards have recognized Balatro, Neva, and Dredge as winners

Apple has recently revealed the finalists for its prestigious Apple Design Awards.

Recognizing 12 "standout apps and games," Apple aims to highlight those that establish a strong precedent in design. This year's selection, featuring one app and one game from six different categories, acknowledges "excellence in innovation, ingenuity, and technical achievement."

The winners are as follows:

Delight and Fun Award

App: CapWords by HappyPlan Tech
Game: Balatro by LocalThunk

Innovation Award

App: Play by Rabbit 3 Times
Game: PBJ - The Musical by Philipp Stollenmayer

Interaction Award

App: Taobao by Zhejiang Taobao Network
Game: Dredge by Black Salt

Inclusivity Award

App: Speechify by Speechify
Game: Art of Fauna by Klemens Strasser

Social Impact Award

App: Watch Duty by Sherwood Forestry Service
Game: Neva by Devolver Digital

Visuals and Graphic Award

App: Feather: Draw in 3D by Sketchsoft
Game: Infinity Nikki by Infold Games

"Developers continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible, creating apps and games that are not only beautifully designed but also deeply impactful,” remarked Susan Prescott, the VP of worldwide developer relations at Apple. "We’re excited to celebrate this incredible group of winners and finalists at WWDC and spotlight the innovation and craftsmanship they bring to each experience."

In related news, Apple altered its business terms in Europe in August to allow developers to link to external payment systems. However, the European Commission was dissatisfied, asserting last month that Apple violated its anti-steering obligations under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). As a result, the EC imposed a $568.6 million (€500m) penalty on Apple. Apple now faces a countdown of less than 30 days to comply with the EC's demands by updating the App Store to allow links to external payment methods.