Joyswag: Carve a pumpkin, win a pile-o'-games
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Oct 23rd 2009 at 6:00PM } 
Image credit: Takayoshi Sugawara; 2007 contestant
Update: The entry period has closed.
It's that time of the year again -- when it's OK to show some video game spirit. Like, a lot of spirit. In between sewing your man-sized Peach dress and gluing together that Spartan Laser, why not take a break to do some carving?
That's right, welcome to The 2009 Joystiq Pumpkin Carving Contest! Submit pictures of your video game-themed pumpkin carvings for a chance to win a pile of games. Just follow the 8 simple rules after the break.
Update: We're posting entries in the gallery below (note: finalists will be selected and featured in a separate gallery). Peep the competition:
To enter:
- Carve a video game-themed pumpkin.
- Send at least one picture of your pumpkin, in .jpg format (1024-pixels-wide), to contest@joystiq.com; please include the name you wish to be credited by on Joystiq.com and a brief description/caption of your carving.
- Additionally, be sure to take a secondary picture of a piece of paper or other material with the word "joystiq" written on it that's been placed next to or in front of your pumpkin. If you're selected as a winner, we'll ask to see this other photo to ensure that you haven't submitted someone else's carving as your own.
- You must be 13 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec) to enter.
- You may enter as many carved pumpkins as you like, so long as they're all related to video games.
- The entry period ends at 12:00PM ET on Friday, October 30. At that time, the Joystiq staff will nominate and post 10 finalists. A public voting will decide a winner and runner-up.
- One grand prize winner will receive an assortment of 10 video games (ARV $500) selected by Joystiq and based on the winner's platform choice(s) and age; and one first prize winner will receive 5 video games (ARV $250) selected under the same conditions.
- For the complete rules, please click here.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Spartan [Planeteer | Power of Sunshine & Lollipops] @ Oct 23rd 2009 6:03PM
I look forward to seeing the entries.
Please guys, no photoshopping.
Spartan [Planeteer | Power of Sunshine & Lollipops] @ Oct 23rd 2009 6:05PM
Also, Joystiq, would it really hurt that much to open up
just one competition to Europe? Really?
Solace @ Oct 23rd 2009 6:25PM
its AOL rules NOT joystiq's which is a US company
Wayne @ Oct 23rd 2009 11:33PM
Friday is the 30th. Does the contest end on Thursday the 29th or on Friday the 30th?
Mu93n @ Oct 24th 2009 8:51PM
GOOOOOOOO PLANET!
Duke @ Oct 26th 2009 12:42PM
I'm guessing that beyond the legal issues, the games they are reviewing and receiving are not in PAL format guys.
CH3BURASHKA @ Oct 23rd 2009 6:08PM
Please, no one carve anything good; I want to win swag...
Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Oct 23rd 2009 6:19PM
Here's my entry. It's a Duke Nukem Forever pumpkin.
http://www.smallbitesonline.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/halloween-pumpkin.jpg
Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Oct 23rd 2009 6:19PM
It's almost done. I swear.
Residentevil72501 (PSN: rankore) @ Oct 23rd 2009 6:33PM
HAHA dude that is hilariously amazing. I had a real LOL out of that one.
Jack @ Oct 23rd 2009 6:35PM
LMAO!
Give this man the ten thousand dollars!
bongoes Sector 2814 @ Oct 23rd 2009 6:43PM
That is one seriously awesome pumpkin. Give this man the prize.
Rhamsey @ Oct 23rd 2009 6:48PM
Well played Mr. Planet, comment of the day.
Spartan [Planeteer | Power of Sunshine & Lollipops] @ Oct 23rd 2009 8:37PM
The Cap'n wins today's internet!
Monica Dickey @ Oct 24th 2009 5:10PM
took me a second to get it and then it cracked me up. Good one hahaha
cob.kempster @ Oct 23rd 2009 6:35PM
Dammit. The internet is international, start making the competitions!
Josh @ Oct 23rd 2009 7:26PM
They are making competitions.
Jasmine @ Oct 24th 2009 12:25AM
The competition is limited to the US and Canada (sans Quebec) because of contest laws in other countries. I doubt Joystiq has any control over this (or even AOL, for that matter).
[ArchiGamer] [Controlling you through a chip in your butt since 1999] @ Oct 23rd 2009 6:37PM
Time to carve up some pumpkins!!
LaughingTarget @ Oct 23rd 2009 6:39PM
As long as you guys reject anything that is obviously a decal printed out on the Internet (a finalist was a cheap decal last year), it should be fun.
Special Agent Steve @ Oct 23rd 2009 6:43PM
An artist I am not.
Rhamsey @ Oct 23rd 2009 6:49PM
I will do my best not to suck, or cut myself.
Brodo @ Oct 23rd 2009 11:44PM
Your gonna do your best not to suck yourself?
You are one sick kid, you know that?
Rhamsey @ Oct 29th 2009 4:57PM
So my pumpkin is done. Its the splosion man one. And I finished with no fatal wounds, although I did cut my finger a bit.
tadelong @ Oct 23rd 2009 6:55PM
I may not be an artist, but imagination, I have. Can it be of more than one pumpkin?
Traceur_Ryuk [All Digital until December] (PSN: Ryuk_shinigami) @ Oct 23rd 2009 6:54PM
I already carved a Nintendo themed one.
ryukseverythingblog2.blogspot.com
A couple of posts down, I'm on my iPhone now so I can't submit it, I doubt I will anyways, 'cause it sucks.
Courtney @ Oct 23rd 2009 7:13PM
Last year I was way to busy remodeling my house to even think about this, but now I've got a little extra time on my hands.
NightSoD @ Oct 23rd 2009 8:38PM
Someone carve a dead space girl pumpkin. She needs to be immortalized in pumpkin form!
2nd Lieutenant Gunther (PSN: helghast102) @ Oct 23rd 2009 9:07PM
Please persuade AOL to make this competiton available to us Euros?Pretty please?
Ian Boyle @ Oct 24th 2009 1:28AM
I find Mario's glowing red devilish gaze to be very unsettling. Let's hope the Mario jack-o-lantern doesn't spring to life and feed on the blood of trick or treaters.
Reaper man @ Oct 24th 2009 1:19PM
Man, that takes Fire Mario to a whole new level...
Mu93n @ Oct 24th 2009 8:52PM
GOOOOOO PLANET!
Traceur_Ryuk [All Digital until December] (PSN: Ryuk_shinigami) @ Oct 26th 2009 7:57PM
The entries are shaping up nicely.
Also, entry #2 is an automatic win.
Traceur_Ryuk [All Digital until December] (PSN: Ryuk_shinigami) @ Oct 26th 2009 8:00PM
Though it doesn't look very "pumpkiny"
Markusdragon @ Oct 27th 2009 7:22AM
Fuck you, Joystiq. Get a better set of competition rules.
US and Canada only. :(
JC @ Oct 27th 2009 6:41PM
I am doing a mario one I will post the picture after it is completed
Extinction @ Oct 28th 2009 2:04AM
I did a Gears of War COG last year. Wish I could just submit that one :/
yolarrydabomb @ Oct 29th 2009 4:37PM
with less than 24 hours...WTF
Fuck this contest. Captain Planet deserves this win
No Kill Tayler @ Oct 29th 2009 6:33PM
My god, theres some cheaters up in there :[
[ArchiGamer] [SIMULCAST ON CRAZY PEOPLE'S FILLINGS] @ Oct 29th 2009 10:15PM
Hope I win.
One day to go!!
[ArchiGamer] [SIMULCAST ON CRAZY PEOPLE'S FILLINGS] @ Oct 29th 2009 10:16PM
oh good, I can comment now. sweet.
Markez @ Oct 29th 2009 11:30PM
Which is yours?
Markez @ Oct 29th 2009 11:31PM
Which is yours WTF, meant for Archi
liberaltugboat @ Oct 30th 2009 1:42AM
I didn't know we could use photoshop... my pumpkin would have been way better
peterolivares @ Oct 30th 2009 1:53AM
Yeah well, for ME, to photoshop and cheat would be harder lol :D, still though, hope this contest stays cleeeean :/
Markez @ Oct 30th 2009 2:03AM
what, why would you think photoshop was legit? each of the ceemdeep entries or whatever look phony
liberaltugboat @ Oct 30th 2009 2:05AM
Sarcasm man... sarcasm
ceemdee @ Oct 30th 2009 10:03AM
@ Markez
They aren't fake:
http://ceemdee.deviantart.com/gallery/#Pumpkin-Art
Markez @ Oct 30th 2009 10:12AM
jesus H, wow. My bad fella. Something about the way all the dark lighting ones look, I dunno.
daniel @ Oct 30th 2009 4:00AM
8 hours till voting time. I hope I make the cut. (wow that was the worst unintentional pun ever :-D