Independent Games Festival

Independent Games Festival
Awarded forOutstanding independent video game developers and games
Presented byGame Developers Conference
First award1999 (1999)
WebsiteOfficial website

The Independent Games Festival (IGF) is an annual festival at the Game Developers Conference (GDC), the largest annual gathering of independent developers in the industry.[1] Originally founded in 1998 to promote independent video game developers, and innovation in video game development by CMP Media,[2] later known as UBM Technology Group, IGF is now owned by Informa after UBM's acquisition.[3]

The IGF competition awards a total of approximately $28,000 in prizes to independent developers in Main Competition and Student Competition categories and is held around the same time as the Game Developers Choice Awards event.

Competition Structure

FTL: Faster Than Light developer Subset Games at the IGF 2013
Fez developers with the IGF prize 2012
Aquaria voice actor Jenna Sharpe and developers Alec Holowka and Derek Yu on the reception of the IGF prize 2007

As of 2026, there are ten award categories:[4]

  • Seumas McNally Grand Prize ($10,000)
  • Excellence In Visual Art ($2,000)
  • Excellence In Audio ($2,000)
  • Excellence in Design ($2,000)
  • Excellence in Narrative ($2,000)
  • Nuovo Award ($2,000)
  • Best Student Game ($2,000)
  • Audience Award ($2,000)
  • WINGS Awards (€2,000)

Prior to the Festival, developers have the opportunity to submit their game in a playable state to the IGF organization committee for a small fee. These titles are then sent to approximately 250-300 game industry representatives on the Nominating Committee; these representatives include both indie developers and more mainstream developers and publishers. Each Committee member can nominate any of the provided games to one or more of the categories. Then, for each award category, a pre-selected jury of between seven and ten members reviews the nominations and makes a final selection of six finalists (eight for the Nuovo award) and a number of honorable mentions.

The selected finalists are expected to present their games at the IGF during the Games Developers Conference; the show provides them a booth space and access to the convention, but finalists either must secure their own travel and lodgings, or name a proxy to demonstrate their games. During the convention, a separate jury selected by the IGF organization committee will review each game, and just prior to the awards, vote for one game in each category. The only exception is the Audience Award, which is voted through online forms by anyone interested.[5]

Ceremonies

Game Year Date of ceremony Host Seumas McNally Grand Prize
1999 March 15, 1999 N/A Fire and Darkness
2000 March 10, 2000 Tread Marks
2001 March 23, 2001 Shattered Galaxy
2002 March 20, 2002 Bad Milk
2003 March 6, 2003 Wild Earth
2004 March 24, 2004 (Open Category) Savage: The Battle for Newerth

(Web/Downloadable) Oasis

2005 March 9, 2005 (Open Category) Gish

(Web/Downloadable) Wik and the Fable of Souls

2006 March 22, 2006 Darwinia
2007 March 7, 2007 Andy Schatz Aquaria
2008 February 20, 2008 Crayon Physics Deluxe
2009 March 25, 2009 Blueberry Garden
2010 March 11, 2010 Kyle Gabler and Erin Robinson Monaco
2011 March 2, 2011 Anthony Carboni Minecraft
2012 March 8, 2012 Andy Schatz Fez
2013 March 27, 2013 Cart Life
2014 March 20, 2014 Nathan Vella Papers, Please
2015 March 4, 2015 Outer Wilds
2016 March 16, 2016 Her Story
2017 March 1, 2017 Nina Freeman Quadrilateral Cowboy
2018 March 21, 2018 Trent Kusters Night in the Woods
2019 March 20, 2019 Meg Jayanth Return of the Obra Dinn
2020 March 18, 2020 Trent Kusters A Short Hike
2021 July 21, 2021 Victoria Tran Umurangi Generation
2022 March 23, 2022 Kelly Wallick Inscryption
2023 March 22, 2023 Marina Díez[6] Betrayal at Club Low
2024 March 29, 2024 Trinidad Hermida[7] Venba
2025 March 19, 2025 Emma Kidwell[8] Consume Me
2026 March 11, 2026 Karrie Shao[9] Titanium Court

IGF competition winners

Years given below indicate the year when the award was given, with the games or developers being recognized from the previous year. In 2004 and 2005 the awards were split into two separate categories - Open Category (OC) and Web/Downloadable (WD).

Seumas McNally Grand Prize (1999-, $10,000)

Year Winner Developer(s)
2026 Titanium Court AP Thomson [10]
2025 Consume Me Jenny Jiao Hsia, AP Thomson, Jie En Lee, Violet W-P, Ken "coda" Snyder [11]
2024 Venba Visai Games [12]
2023 Betrayal at Club Low Cosmo D Studios [13]
2022 Inscryption Daniel Mullins Games [14]
2021 Umurangi Generation Origame Digital [15]
2020 A Short Hike Adam Robinson-Yu [16]
2019 Return of the Obra Dinn Lucas Pope [17]
2018 Night in the Woods Infinite Fall
2017 Quadrilateral Cowboy Blendo Games
2016 Her Story Sam Barlow
2015 Outer Wilds Team Outer Wilds
2014 Papers, Please Lucas Pope
2013 Cart Life Richard Hofmeier
2012 Fez Polytron
2011 Minecraft Mojang
2010 Monaco Pocketwatch Games
2009 Blueberry Garden Erik Svedang
2008 Crayon Physics Deluxe Kloonigames
2007 Aquaria Bit Blot
2006 Darwinia Introversion Software
2005 Gish (OC)

Wik and the Fable of Souls (WD)

Chronic Logic

Reflexive Entertainment

2004 Savage: The Battle for Newerth (OC)

Oasis (WD)

S2 Games

Mind Control Software

2003 Wild Earth Super X Studios
2002 Bad Milk DreamingMedia
2001 Shattered Galaxy Nexon
2000 Tread Marks Longbow Digital Arts
1999 Fire and Darkness Singularity Software

Nuovo Award (2009-, $2,000)

Awarding innovative games:

Excellence In Visual Art (1999-, $2,000)

Excellence In Audio (1999-, $2,000)

  • 2026: Baby Steps[10]
  • 2025: Despelote[11]
  • 2024: Rhythm Doctor[12]
  • 2023: The Forest Quartet[13]
  • 2022: Inscryption[14]
  • 2021: Genesis Noir[15]
  • 2020: Mutazione[16]
  • 2019: Paratopic[17]
  • 2018: Uurnog Uurnlimited
  • 2017: GoNNER
  • 2016: Mini Metro
  • 2015: Ephemerid: A Musical Adventure
  • 2014: DEVICE 6
  • 2013: 140
  • 2012: Botanicula
  • 2011: Amnesia: The Dark Descent
  • 2010: Closure
  • 2009: BrainPipe
  • 2008: Audiosurf
  • 2007: Everyday Shooter
  • 2006: Weird Worlds: Return to Infinite Space
  • 2005: (Open Category) Steer Madness and (Web/Downloadable) Global Defense Network
  • 2004: (Open Category) Anito: Defend a Land Enraged and (Web/Downloadable) Dr. Blob's Organism
  • 2003: Terraformers
  • 2002: Bad Milk
  • 2001: Chase Ace 2
  • 2000: Blix
  • 1999: Terminus

Excellence in Design (1999-, $2,000)

Excellence in Narrative (2013-, $2,000)

Audience Award (1999-, $2,000)

Best Student Game (2004-, $2,000)

  • 2026: Poco[10]
  • 2025: Slot Waste[11]
  • 2024: Once Upon a Jester[12]
  • 2023: Slider
  • 2022: Live Adventure
  • 2021: Vessels
  • 2020: Bore Dome[16]
  • 2019: After Hours[17]
  • 2018: Baba Is You
  • 2017: Un pas fragile
  • 2016: Beglitched
  • 2015: Close Your
  • 2014: Risk of Rain
  • 2013: Zineth
  • 2012: Way
  • 2011: Fract • Octodad
  • 2010: Continuity • Dreamside Maroon • Gear • Igneous
  • 2009: Tag: The Power of Paint
  • 2008: Synaesthete
  • 2007: Toblo
  • 2006: Ballistic • Cloud • Colormental • Narbacular Drop • Ocular Ink • Orblitz • Palette • Sea of Chaos • Goliath • NERO
  • 2005: Dyadin • Intergalactic Shopping Maniacs • Mutton Mayhem • Rock Station • Scavenger Hunt • Soccer Ref • Squirrel Squabble • Stars and Stripes • Team Robot • War, Siege & Conquest: Battle for Gaia
  • 2004: Dark Archon 2 • Fatal Traction • Growbot • Hexvex • Hyperbol • Ice Wars • Kube Kombat • Scrapped • Treefort Wars • Xazzon

WINGS Award (2026-, $2,000)

  • 2026: 13Z: The Zodiac Trials

Other awards without prize money

alt.ctrl.GDC Award (2017-)

For games that feature unusual controls or user interactions. In 2020, due to the cancellation of the physical GDC conference as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, this award wasn't given.[19]

  • 2026: Proyecto EXO
  • 2025: ChromaCorp[11]
  • 2024: Chú Mó[12]
  • 2019: Hot Swap[17]
  • 2018: Puppet Pandemonium
  • 2017: Fear Sphere

Former competitions

Technical Excellence (1999-2013, $3,000)

Best Mobile Game (2011-2012, $3,000)

From 2007 to 2010, there was a separate event called IGF Mobile for mobile phone games.[20]

  • 2012: Beat Sneak Bandit
  • 2011: Helsing's Fire

Best Web Browser Game (2006-2008, $2,500)

This category replaced the separate prizes for Web/Downloadable games awarded in 2004 & 2005.

IGF Modding Competition (2006-2007)

A separate annual video game modding competition was held in 2006 and 2007.

2007 Mod Awards ($7,000):

Best Mod ($5,000 overall): Weekday Warrior (Half-Life 2)
Best Singleplayer FPS Mod ($500): Weekday Warrior (Half-Life 2)
Best Multiplayer FPS Mod ($500): Eternal Silence (Half-Life 2)
Best RPG Mod ($500): Darkness over Daggerford (Neverwinter Nights)
Best 'Other' Mod ($500): Spawns Of Deflebub (Unreal Tournament 2004)

2006 Mod Awards ($10,000):

Best Mod – Doom 3 ($2,500): Last Man Standing Coop
Best Mod – Half-Life 2 ($2,500): Dystopia
Best Mod – Neverwinter Nights ($2,500): Rose Of Eternity: Chapter 1
Best Mod – Unreal Tournament 2004 ($2,500): Path Of Vengeance

See also

References

  1. ^ Shiels, Maggie (March 26, 2009). "Indie game awards showcase future". Technology Reporter, BBC News, San Francisco. BBC. Retrieved 2021-10-28.
  2. ^ "About the IGF", www.IGF.com.
  3. ^ Garrahan, Matthew (January 16, 2018). "Informa to buy exhibitions rival UBM for £4bn". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 2022-12-10. Retrieved 2018-06-01.
  4. ^ "IGF Competition Rules | Independent Games Festival". igf.com. Retrieved 2026-03-14.
  5. ^ "IGF Competition Rules". Independent Games Festival. September 12, 2016. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
  6. ^ "Marina Díez To Host 2023 IGF Awards At GDC". January 11, 2023.
  7. ^ "Trinidad (Hermida) Black to Host the 2024 IGF Awards". gdconf.com. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
  8. ^ "Emma Kidwell Is Your Host for the 2025 IGF Awards". gdconf.com. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
  9. ^ "Karrie Shao and Sam Maggs Are Your 2026 IGF Awards and GDCA Hosts". gdconf.com. Retrieved 2026-03-06.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h "Titanium Court honoured with grand prize at IGF awards". Game Developer. Retrieved 2026-03-14.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i Elderkin, Beth (March 19, 2025). "'Consume Me' Wins Grand Prize, Nuovo Award at the 2025 IGF Awards". Retrieved 2025-03-26.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i Elderkin, Beth. "Venba wins Grand Prize at the 2024 Independent Games Festival Awards". Game Developer. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g Tran, Edmond (March 23, 2023). "IGF Awards 2023: Full list of winners and finalists – GamesHub". www.gameshub.com. Retrieved 2023-07-23.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g Dealessandri, Marie (March 24, 2022). "Inscryption wins big at GDC and IGF Awards". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2022-03-24.
  15. ^ a b c d e f "Umurangi Generation leads the way at the 23rd annual Independent Games Festival Awards". Gamasutra. July 21, 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-07-22. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h "A Short Hike wins Grand Prize at the 2020 Independent Games Festival!". Gamasutra. March 18, 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-03-19. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Return of the Obra Dinn takes Grand Prize at the 21st IGF Awards!". Gamasutra. March 20, 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-03-21. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  18. ^ Chan, Stephanie (March 21, 2018). "Night in the Woods wins the grand prize at the Independent Games Festival". Venture Beat. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  19. ^ "Game Developers Conference 2020 announces virtual awards and talk schedule". Gamasutra. March 10, 2020. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
  20. ^ "Independent Games Festival Mobile". Archived from the original on 2011-01-31. Retrieved 2022-06-11.
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