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?