AviaGames Named Finalist in the 2026 Shorty Awards

We have some exciting news to share: AviaGames's Wonderland Wishes campaign has been named a finalist in the 2026 Shorty Awards in the Video Series category — one of the most recognized programs celebrating creativity and impact across digital media, social storytelling, and brand campaigns!

If you're not familiar with the Shorty Awards, they're now in their 18th year — and the list of past finalists and winners includes Disney, Spotify, YouTube, and some of the world's leading creative agencies. Being recognized alongside these brands isn't something we take lightly, and it's a reflection of something much bigger than any single campaign.

We've always believed that games can be more than just entertainment. Wonderland Wishes was built around that idea — a simple, meaningful way for our Solitaire Clash players to give back during the holiday season, without doing anything beyond what they already love: playing.

Here's how it worked: as players competed in in-game tournaments and weekly events, they earned "Wish Stars." AviaGames then converted those stars into real-world donations. Every dollar raised went directly toward weekly gift themes tied to what foster youth actually need: toys, care kits, bikes, clothing, and educational support.

Over five weeks, our community collectively earned 691,862,810 wish stars — which we converted into a $136,000 donation to Foster Love, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of children in foster care.

Getting people connected to a cause takes more than a good idea — it takes the right voices. For Wonderland Wishes, we partnered with creator and foster care advocate Leo Gonzalez, whose 1.8 million followers and genuine passion for Foster Love's mission brought an authenticity to the campaign that we couldn't have manufactured.

The production behind the campaign was no small feat. The primary Solitaire without the Solitude series was filmed in Colombia, with just one month from kickoff to shoot. That meant locking story direction, locations, permits, crew, and a full shooting schedule — all simultaneously, across time zones and multiple partners. The team pulled it off through tight coordination and fast decision-making, delivering a complete set of assets on schedule.

Beyond the ads, we hosted a livestream that brought players and advocates into the same space. And the campaign concluded with an in-person event in Los Angeles where Solitaire Clash players, Foster Love scholars, Leo, and members of the LA community came together to physically assemble care packages and bicycles — a fitting, hands-on close to what had started as a digital campaign.

The most meaningful part of any campaign like this isn't the numbers — it's the people. Wonderland Wishes was a player-powered effort from the start, and we wanted to honor that by turning the spotlight on the community itself.

As part of the campaign, we launched our Beyond the Game video series, highlighting real stories from our community. In our first episode, we shared Laura's story — a single mother, transplant survivor, and fighter whose journey reflects resilience and hope.

By spotlighting stories like Laura's, we aimed to show that the impact of our games extends far beyond the screen.

Being named a Shorty Awards finalist is a genuine milestone for AviaGames — one that reflects not just the creative work behind Wonderland Wishes, but the incredible community that made it possible. Every player who earned a Wish Star, every person who watched the livestream, everyone who shared Laura's story — this recognition belongs to all of them.

This moment is made even more meaningful as Wonderland Wishes has also been named a finalist in the Digiday Video & TV Awards, further recognizing the campaign's storytelling and impact across video and media.

As we keep growing, our commitment stays the same: we want to build games that are engaging and purposeful. We want to keep showing that playing a game can mean something beyond a score — that it can help clothe a child, support others, or remind someone they're not alone.