This year at the IGF and GDC awards, held in San Francisco at the Game Developer’s Conference, showed a number of games that have achieved prominence in the mainstream over the last year, but also some surprises that the industry recognized regardless of mainstream attention. You can find the nominees below, as well as the winners in bold.

Independent Games Festival Awards

Best Student Game   

Its Paper Guy!
The Haunted Island, A Frog Detective Game
After Hours
En Garde!
Levedad
Sole

Nuovo Award 

Circle0
eCheese Zone
Noita
Mirror Drop
Black Room
Paratopic
Do Not Feed the Monkeys
Nth Dimension[al] Hiking

Excellence in Audio 

Ethereal
Hypnospace Outlaw
Moss
Return of the Obra Dinn
Alto’s Odyssey
Paratopic

Excellence in Narrative 

Wandersong
Genital Jousting
Unavowed
Seers Isle
Watch Me Jump
Return of the Obra Dinn

Excellence in Design 

What the Golf?
Do Not Feed the Monkeys
Noita
Return of the Obra Dinn
Dicey Dungeons
Opus Magnum

Excellence in Visual Art 

Forgotten Anne
Alto’s Odyssey
Hypnospace Outlaw
Just Shapes & Beats
Mirror Drop
Return of the Obra Dinn

Seamus McNally Grand Prize 

Minit
Opus Magnum
Noita
Return of the Obra Dinn
Hypnospace Outlaw
Do Not Feed the Monkeys

Now the Game Developer’s Choice Awards’ nominees and winners.

Best Debut 

Polyarc 
Mountains
Nomada Studio
Villa Gorila
Sabotage

Best VR/Ar Game 

Budget Cuts
Beat Saber
Tetris Effect
Moss
Astro Bot Rescue Mission

Best Mobile Game 

Alto’s Odyssey
Florence
Reigns: Game of Thrones
Holedown
Donut County

Best Narrative 

Florence
God of War
Marvel’s Spider-Man
Return of the Obra Dinn
Red Dead Redemption 2

Best Audio 

Celeste
Red Dead Redemption 2
God of War
Marvel’s Spider-Man
Tetris Effect

Best Technology 

Marvel’s Spider-Man
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Forza Horizon 4
God of War
Red Dead Redemption 2

Best Visual Art 

Gris
Marvel’s Spider-Man
God of War
Return of the Obra Dinn
Red Dead Redemption 2

Best Design 

Marvel’s Spider-Man
Celeste
Into the Breach 
Red Dead Redemption 2
God of War

Innovation Award 

Red Dead Redemption 2
Florence
Nintendo Labo
Tetris Effect
Return of the Obra Dinn

Game of the Year 

Red Dead Redemption 2
Return of the Obra Dinn
Marvel’s Spider-Man
Celeste
God of War

It was a big night for indie developers, who won a number of major awards. God of War ended up getting the major award from the game developers at the end of the night. What do you think of the winners and nominees as a whole this year?