Success At The Level Up Gaming Festival In Salzburg: PGDA Talent Award Goes To UAS Technikum Wien
31 August, 2026
A team of students from UAS Technikum Wien won the PGDA Talent Award for the first time. This achievement opens doors to the Gamescom gaming expo in Cologne and to industry mentors.
From May 23 to 24, 2026, the LEVEL UP – the Salzburg Gaming and eSports Festival took place. UAS Technikum Wien had a special reason to celebrate: With “Beneath The Quiet: Where It Ends,” a game developed by UAS Technikum Wien won the PGDA Talent Award for the first time.
After the game “I3ergsteiger,” developed by master’s students at UAS Technikum Wien, had narrowly missed winning the PGDA Talent Award the previous year, this year was finally their moment. At the awards ceremony on May 24, 2026, “Beneath The Quiet: Where It Ends” prevailed against competitors from the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria and HTL Spengergasse on the main Community Stage, bringing the award to UAS Technikum Wien for the first time.
“Beneath The Quiet: Where It Ends” was available for festival visitors to try out
“Beneath The Quiet: Where It Ends” was developed by Botond Kovács together with a colleague. Botond Kovács completed both the Bachelor’s in Computer Science and the Master’s in AI Engineering at the Vienna University of Applied Sciences (UAS Technikum Wien), choosing the Game Engineering specialization in both programs.
The game was nominated for the shortlist of the PGDA Talent Awards 2026 and presented at its own booth during the festival. The developers were accompanied by Alexander Nimmervoll, course instructor for the Development Project. The Development Project course was previously part of the Gaming specialization in the Master’s in AI Engineering and will be offered starting in fall 2026 as part of the new Master’s program in Creative and Human-Centered Technology. “Beneath The Quiet: Where It Ends” was tested by numerous festival visitors and was very well received.
New Master’s Program Combines Technology, Creativity, and Game Engineering
With the new Master’s program in Creative and Human-Centered Technology, the Faculty of Computer Sciences & Applied Mathematics is further expanding its offerings. The new master’s program will launch in September 2026 and combines technology, creativity, and game engineering. Graduates will be able to develop innovative games, immersive experiences, and forward-looking digital applications.
At the same time, the master’s programs in AI Engineering and Data Science—which were previously offered separately—will be merged into the new master’s program in Artificial Intelligence & Data Science starting in September 2026.
The winning team was awarded a booth at the world-famous and largest gaming trade show, Gamescom, in Cologne—which took place from August 26 to August 30, 2026—as well as a six-month mentoring program supported by established studios and experienced local developers.
Game Information: First-Person Horror Game
*Beneath The Quiet: Where It Ends* is a psychological first-person horror game. An ultimatum from the bank forces you to return to your childhood home in Miskolc. Instead of cleaning up, you encounter repressed traumas, disturbing memories, and a mind you can no longer trust.
A playable demo is available here on STEAM:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3747400/Beneath_the_Quiet_Where_It_Ends/
Further Information:
Beneath The Quiet: Where It Ends on STEAM
Bachelor’s Program in Computer Science
Picture Gallery:
