![Aquaria - IGF](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Aquaria_-_IGF.jpg)
The Independent Games Festival (IGF) is an annual
festival
A festival is an event ordinarily celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, mela, or eid. A festival c ...
at the
Game Developers Conference
The Game Developers Conference (GDC) is an annual conference for video game developers. The event includes an expo, networking events, and awards shows like the Game Developers Choice Awards and Independent Games Festival, and a variety of tutori ...
(GDC), the largest annual gathering of the independent video game industry.
Originally founded in 1998 to promote independent
video game developer
A video game developer is a broad term for a software developer specializing in video game development – the process and related disciplines of creating video games. A game developer can range from one person who undertakes all tasks to a large ...
s, and innovation in
video game development
Video game development (or gamedev) is the process of developing a video game. The effort is undertaken by a developer, ranging from a single person to an international team dispersed across the globe. Development of traditional commercial PC a ...
by CMP Media,
[About the IGF]
, www.IGF.com. later known as
UBM Technology Group
UBM Technology Group, formerly CMP Publications, was a business-to-business multimedia company that provided information and integrated marketing services to technology professionals worldwide. It offered marketers and advertisers services such as ...
, IGF is now owned by
Informa
Informa plc is a British publishing, business intelligence, and exhibitions group based in London, England. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.
It has offices in 43 countries and around 11,000 ...
after UBM's acquisition.
The IGF competition awards a total of $50,000 in prizes to independent developers in Main Competition and Student Competition categories, and held around the same time as the
Game Developers Choice Awards
The Game Developers Choice Awards are awards annually presented at the Game Developers Conference for outstanding game developers and games.
Introduced in 2001, the Game Developers Choice Awards were preceded by the Spotlight Awards, which were ...
event.
From 2007 to 2010 there was a separate event called IGF Mobile for mobile phone games.
Competition Structure
The festival awards ceremony is split into two broad categories: the main IGF competition and the IGF Student Showcase.
The main Independent Games Festival, held in March 2012 at San Francisco's GDC 2012, distributed nine major awards:
*
Seumas McNally
Seumas McNally (pronounced Shem-Ess) (February 10, 1979 – March 21, 2000) was a Canadian video game programmer and designer. He is best known for indie games, notably ''DX-Ball'' and '' Tread Marks'', which won the Grand Prize at the Independe ...
Grand Prize ($30,000)
*Nuovo Award ($5,000) (originally Innovation Award)
*Excellence In Visual Art ($3,000)
*Excellence In Audio ($3,000)
*Excellence in Design ($3,000)
*Technical Excellence ($3,000)
*Best Mobile Game ($3,000)
*Audience Award ($3,000)
An additional award, "Excellent in Narrative", was added for the 2013 IGF.
In addition, the IGF's Student Showcase competition gives out the following awards each year:
*IGF Student Showcase Winner (eight winners, $500)
*Best Student Game ($3000)
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 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 fifteen 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.
IGF Competition award history
Years given below indicate the year when the award was given, with the games or developers being recognized from the previous year.
(Main) IGF Competition
Seumas McNally Grand Prize ($30,000)
*2022: ''
Inscryption
''Inscryption'' is a roguelike deck-building game developed by Daniel Mullins Games and published by Devolver Digital. ''Inscryption'' was released for Microsoft Windows on October 19, 2021. It was released on Linux and macOS on June 22, 2022, wh ...
''
*2021: ''
Umurangi Generation''
*2020: ''
A Short Hike''
*2019: ''
Return of the Obra Dinn
''Return of the Obra Dinn'' is an adventure game, adventure and puzzle video game created by American video game designer Lucas Pope, and published by Japanese studio 3909. It was his second commercial game, following 2013's ''Papers, Please'', ...
''
*2018: ''
Night in the Woods
''Night in the Woods'' is a 2017 single-player adventure video game. It was developed by Infinite Fall, a studio founded by game designer Alec Holowka and animator/artist Scott Benson, and Secret Lab, an Australian studio, and published by Fin ...
''
*2017: ''
Quadrilateral Cowboy
''Quadrilateral Cowboy'' is a first-person puzzle-adventure video game by independent developer Blendo Games. The game was released on July 25, 2016, for Microsoft Windows, and on October 1, 2016, for macOS and Linux.
Gameplay
In ''Quadrilater ...
''
*2016: ''
Her Story''
*2015: ''
Outer Wilds
''Outer Wilds'' is a 2019 action-adventure game developed by Mobius Digital and published by Annapurna Interactive. It first released for Windows, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 before releasing for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in 2022. A Nin ...
''
*2014: ''
Papers, Please
''Papers, Please'' is a puzzle simulation video game created by indie game developer Lucas Pope, developed and published through his production company, 3909 LLC. The game was released on August 8, 2013 for Microsoft Windows and OS X, for Li ...
''
*2013: ''
Cart Life
''Cart Life'' is a simulation video game developed by Richard Hofmeier using Adventure Game Studio for Microsoft Windows released in 2010. The game was added to Steam in March 2013 but later removed when Hofmeier released the full source code for f ...
''
*2012: ''
Fez
Fez most often refers to:
* Fez (hat), a type of felt hat commonly worn in the Ottoman Empire
* Fez, Morocco (or Fes), the second largest city of Morocco
Fez or FEZ may also refer to:
Media
* ''Fez'' (Frank Stella), a 1964 painting by the moder ...
''
*2011: ''
Minecraft
''Minecraft'' is a sandbox game developed by Mojang Studios. The game was created by Markus "Notch" Persson in the Java programming language. Following several early private testing versions, it was first made public in May 2009 before being ...
''
*2010: ''
Monaco
Monaco (; ), officially the Principality of Monaco (french: Principauté de Monaco; Ligurian: ; oc, Principat de Mónegue), is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Lig ...
''
*2009: ''
Blueberry Garden
''Blueberry Garden'' is a puzzle-platform game. It was developed by Erik Svedäng and released on June 10, 2009 for Microsoft Windows, and on January 24, 2014 for Mac OS X and Linux via Steam. It has a piano soundtrack written by Daduk. It is the ...
''
*2008: ''
Crayon Physics Deluxe
''Crayon Physics Deluxe'' is a puzzle video game designed by Petri Purho and released on January 7, 2009. An early version, titled ''Crayon Physics'', was released for Windows in June 2007. ''Deluxe'' won the grand prize at the Independent Games ...
''
*2007: ''
Aquaria''
*2006: ''
Darwinia''
*2005: (Open Category) ''
Gish
''Gish'' is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released in May 1991 through Caroline Records. Frontman Billy Corgan has variously described ''Gish'' as a "very spiritual album" and "an album about spir ...
'' and (Web/Downloadable) ''
Wik and the Fable of Souls
''Wik and the Fable of Souls'', also known in the Xbox 360 version as ''Wik: The Fable of Souls'', is a platform video game developed by Reflexive Entertainment. The main character, Wik uses a combination of jumping and his long, grapple-like ton ...
''
*2004: (Open Category) ''
Savage: The Battle for Newerth'' and (Web/Downloadable) ''
Oasis
In ecology, an oasis (; ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environment'ksar''with its surrounding feeding source, the palm grove, within a relational and circulatory nomadic system.”
The location of oases has been of critical imp ...
''
*2003: ''
Wild Earth
''Wild Earth'' was an environmentalist magazine published in the United States by the Wildlands Project between 1991 and 2004. The magazine was based in Richmond, Vermont.
History and profile
''Wild Earth'' came about when the original ''Earth ...
''
*2002: ''
Bad Milk''
*2001: ''
Shattered Galaxy
''Shattered Galaxy'' is a massively multiplayer online real-time strategy game (MMORTS) that was released in 2001 by KRU InteractiveNexon Inc., ., now known as KRU Interactive, Nexon Inc, after an extensive Beta Version, open beta period. In the ...
''
*2000: ''
Tread Marks
''Tread Marks'' is a 3D computer graphics, 3D, third-person perspective, Multiplayer video game, multiplayer-focused tank combat and Racing video game, racing computer game developed by Independent video game developer Longbow Digital Arts. The ga ...
''
*1999: ''
Fire and Darkness''
Nuovo (Innovation) Award ($5,000)
*2022: ''Memory Card''
*2021: ''
Blaseball''
*2020: ''The Space Between''
*2019: ''
Black Room
__NOTOC__
A black room is part of a communication center (e.g. a post office) used by state officials to conduct clandestine interception and surveillance of communications. Typically, all letters or communications pass through the black room bef ...
''
*2018: ''
Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy
''Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy'' is a platform game developed by Bennett Foddy. The game was released as part of the October 2017 Humble Monthly, on October 6, 2017, where it went on to be played by over 2.7 million players. A Steam versi ...
''
*2017: ''
Oiκοςpiel, Book I''
*2016: ''
Cibele''
*2015: ''
Tetrageddon Games''
*2014: ''
Luxuria Superbia''
*2013: ''
Cart Life
''Cart Life'' is a simulation video game developed by Richard Hofmeier using Adventure Game Studio for Microsoft Windows released in 2010. The game was added to Steam in March 2013 but later removed when Hofmeier released the full source code for f ...
''
*2012: ''
Storyteller''
*2011: ''
Nidhogg''
*2010: ''
Tuning
Tuning can refer to:
Common uses
* Tuning, the process of tuning a tuned amplifier or other electronic component
* Musical tuning, musical systems of tuning, and the act of tuning an instrument or voice
** Guitar tunings
** Piano tuning, adjusti ...
''
*2009: ''
Between''
Excellence In Visual Art ($3,000)
*2022: ''Papetura''
*2021: ''
Genesis Noir''
*2020: ''
Knights and Bikes''
*2019: ''
Mirror Drop''
*2018: ''
Chuchel
''Chuchel'' () is a 2018 video game developed by Amanita Design.
Story
The game follows the protagonist Chuchel, a Dust-style creature, as he tries to retrieve a cherry stolen by a giant one early morning, with his all-in-one best friend, enemy a ...
''
*2017: ''
Hyper Light Drifter
''Hyper Light Drifter'' is a 2D action role-playing game developed by Heart Machine. The game pays homage to 8-bit and 16-bit games, and is considered by its lead developer Alx Preston as a combination of '' The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Pa ...
''
*2016: ''
Oxenfree
''Oxenfree'' is a supernatural mystery/ horror graphic adventure game developed and published by Night School Studio. It was released for OS X, Windows, and Xbox One in January 2016. PlayStation 4 and Linux versions were released later in 2016 ...
''
*2015: ''
Metamorphabet''
*2014: ''
Gorogoa
''Gorogoa'' is a puzzle video game developed by Jason Roberts and published by Annapurna Interactive. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, and iOS on 14 December 2017, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in March 2018, and s ...
''
*2013: ''
Kentucky Route Zero
''Kentucky Route Zero'' is a point-and-click adventure game developed by Cardboard Computer and published by Annapurna Interactive. The game was first revealed in 2011 via the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter and is separated into five acts tha ...
''
*2012: ''
Dear Esther
''Dear Esther'' is a first-person exploration and adventure video game developed by The Chinese Room for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. First released in 2008 as a free-to-play modification for the Source game engine, ...
''
*2011: ''
BIT.TRIP RUNNER''
*2010: ''
Limbo
In Catholic theology, Limbo (Latin '' limbus'', edge or boundary, referring to the edge of Hell) is the afterlife condition of those who die in original sin without being assigned to the Hell of the Damned. Medieval theologians of Western Euro ...
''
*2009: ''
Machinarium
''Machinarium'' is a puzzle point-and-click adventure game developed by Amanita Design. It was released on 16 October 2009 for Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux, on 8 September 2011 for iPad 2 on the App Store, on 21 November 2011 for BlackBerr ...
''
*2008: ''
Fez
Fez most often refers to:
* Fez (hat), a type of felt hat commonly worn in the Ottoman Empire
* Fez, Morocco (or Fes), the second largest city of Morocco
Fez or FEZ may also refer to:
Media
* ''Fez'' (Frank Stella), a 1964 painting by the moder ...
''
*2007: ''
Castle Crashers
''Castle Crashers'' is a 2D side scrolling hack-and-slash video game developed by The Behemoth. It features music created by members of Newgrounds. The Xbox 360 version was released on August 27, 2008, via Xbox Live Arcade as part of the Xbox L ...
''
*2006: ''
Darwinia''
*2005: (Open Category) ''
Alien Hominid
''Alien Hominid'' is an independently developed run and gun video game developed by The Behemoth. The game was developed from an Adobe Flash game originally released on Newgrounds in August 2002. O3 Entertainment released the game for PlayStati ...
'' and (Web/Downloadable) ''
Wik and the Fable of Souls
''Wik and the Fable of Souls'', also known in the Xbox 360 version as ''Wik: The Fable of Souls'', is a platform video game developed by Reflexive Entertainment. The main character, Wik uses a combination of jumping and his long, grapple-like ton ...
''
*2004: (Open Category) ''
Spartan
Sparta (Doric Greek: Σπάρτα, ''Spártā''; Attic Greek: Σπάρτη, ''Spártē'') was a prominent city-state in Laconia, in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (, ), while the name Sparta referred t ...
'' and (Web/Downloadable) ''
Dr. Blob's Organism
Doctor is an academic title that originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb 'to teach'. It has been used as an academic title in Europe since the 13th century, w ...
''
*2003: ''
Wild Earth
''Wild Earth'' was an environmentalist magazine published in the United States by the Wildlands Project between 1991 and 2004. The magazine was based in Richmond, Vermont.
History and profile
''Wild Earth'' came about when the original ''Earth ...
''
*2002: ''
Banja Taiyo
Banja can refer to:
* Banja (woreda), an administrative division of the Amhara Region, Ethiopia
* Banja, Aranđelovac, a village in Šumadija District, Serbia
* Banja (Priboj), a village in Zlatibor District, Serbia
* , a village near Vrgorac, Cro ...
''
*2001: ''
Hardwood Spades''
*2000: ''
King of Dragon Pass
''King of Dragon Pass'' is a 1999 strategy simulation fantasy video game published by A Sharp. Set in the fictional world of Glorantha, the player controls the fate of a barbarian clan settling in the dangerous frontier region of Dragon Pass.
...
''
*1999: ''
Crime Cities''
Excellence In Audio ($3,000)
*2022: ''
Inscryption
''Inscryption'' is a roguelike deck-building game developed by Daniel Mullins Games and published by Devolver Digital. ''Inscryption'' was released for Microsoft Windows on October 19, 2021. It was released on Linux and macOS on June 22, 2022, wh ...
''
*2021: ''
Genesis Noir''
*2020: ''
Mutazione
''Mutazione'' is a 2019 adventure exploration video game created by developer Die Gute Fabrik, and published by Akupara Games. It launched for Windows, MacOS, PlayStation 4, and on iOS through Apple Arcade on September 19, 2019. It released on ...
''
*2019: ''
Paratopic
''Paratopic'' is a 2018 first-person horror video game, released for Linux, macOS, Windows, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series. The game uses a graphical style reminiscent of 32-bit era
The fifth-generation era (also known as the 32- ...
''
*2018: ''Uurnog Uurnlimited''
*2017: ''
GoNNER''
*2016: ''
Mini Metro''
*2015: ''
Ephemerid: A Musical Adventure''
*2014: ''
DEVICE 6
''Device 6'' (stylized as ''DEVICE 6'') is a text-based adventure game developed by Swedish game developer Simogo for iOS. The game uses text, images and sounds to guide the player through a set of puzzles, which the in-game protagonist, Anna, ne ...
''
*2013: ''
140 140 may refer to:
* 140 (number), an integer
* AD 140, a year of the Julian calendar
* 140 BC, a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar
* ''140'' (video game), a 2013 platform game
* Tin King stop
Tin King () is an at-grade MTR Light Rail stop ...
''
*2012: ''
Botanicula''
*2011: ''
Amnesia: The Dark Descent''
*2010: ''
Closure''
*2009: ''
BrainPipe
''Brainpipe: A Plunge to Unhumanity'' is an action video game developed by Digital Eel for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS and handhelds and was released on December 24, 2008. The game received "Excellence in Audio" award at Independent Games Festival
...
''
*2008: ''
Audiosurf''
*2007: ''
Everyday Shooter''
*2006: ''
Weird Worlds: Return to Infinite Space''
*2005: (Open Category) ''
Steer Madness
''Steer Madness'' is an animal rights inspired adventure game developed and published by Johnathan Skinner, with the latest version released on April 24, 2023 for mobile and desktop. The original version of the game was developed under the name V ...
'' and (Web/Downloadable) ''
Global Defense Network''
*2004: (Open Category) ''
Anito: Defend a Land Enraged'' and (Web/Downloadable) ''
Dr. Blob's Organism
Doctor is an academic title that originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb 'to teach'. It has been used as an academic title in Europe since the 13th century, w ...
''
*2003: ''
Terraformers''
*2002: ''
Bad Milk''
*2001: ''
Chase Ace 2''
*2000: ''
Blix''
*1999: ''
Terminus
Terminus may refer to:
* Bus terminus, a bus station serving as an end destination
* Terminal train station or terminus, a railway station serving as an end destination
Geography
*Terminus, the unofficial original name of Atlanta, Georgia, United ...
''
Excellence in Design ($3,000)
*2022: ''
Inscryption
''Inscryption'' is a roguelike deck-building game developed by Daniel Mullins Games and published by Devolver Digital. ''Inscryption'' was released for Microsoft Windows on October 19, 2021. It was released on Linux and macOS on June 22, 2022, wh ...
''
*2021: ''
Teardown''
*2020: ''
Patrick's Parabox''
*2019: ''
Opus Magnum
A masterpiece, ''magnum opus'' (), or ''chef-d’œuvre'' (; ; ) in modern use is a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or a work of outstanding creativity, ...
''
*2018: ''
Baba is You''
*2017: ''
Quadrilateral Cowboy
''Quadrilateral Cowboy'' is a first-person puzzle-adventure video game by independent developer Blendo Games. The game was released on July 25, 2016, for Microsoft Windows, and on October 1, 2016, for macOS and Linux.
Gameplay
In ''Quadrilater ...
''
*2016: ''
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes''
*2015: ''
Outer Wilds
''Outer Wilds'' is a 2019 action-adventure game developed by Mobius Digital and published by Annapurna Interactive. It first released for Windows, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 before releasing for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in 2022. A Nin ...
''
*2014: ''
Papers, Please
''Papers, Please'' is a puzzle simulation video game created by indie game developer Lucas Pope, developed and published through his production company, 3909 LLC. The game was released on August 8, 2013 for Microsoft Windows and OS X, for Li ...
''
*2013: ''
FTL: Faster Than Light''
*2012: ''
Spelunky
''Spelunky'' is a 2008 source-available 2D platform game created by independent developer Derek Yu and released as freeware for Microsoft Windows. It was remade for the Xbox 360 in 2012, with ports of the new version following for various platfo ...
''
*2011: ''
Desktop Dungeons
''Desktop Dungeons'' is a single-player roguelike-like puzzle video game developed and published by QCF Design. Released in November 2013, the game underwent a lengthy public beta phase, during which it was available to customers who pre-ordered ...
''
*2010: ''
Monaco
Monaco (; ), officially the Principality of Monaco (french: Principauté de Monaco; Ligurian: ; oc, Principat de Mónegue), is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Lig ...
''
*2009: ''
Musaic Box''
*2008: ''
World of Goo
''World of Goo'' is a puzzle video game developed and published by independent game developer 2D Boy. The game was released on Microsoft Windows and Wii platforms on October 13, 2008, with releases on Nintendo Switch, Mac OS X, Linux, and various ...
''
*2007: ''
Everyday Shooter''
*2006: ''
Braid
A braid (also referred to as a plait) is a complex structure or pattern formed by interlacing two or more strands of flexible material such as textile yarns, wire, or hair.
The simplest and most common version is a flat, solid, three-strande ...
''
*2005: (Open Category) ''
Gish
''Gish'' is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released in May 1991 through Caroline Records. Frontman Billy Corgan has variously described ''Gish'' as a "very spiritual album" and "an album about spir ...
'' and (Web/Downloadable) ''
Wik and the Fable of Souls
''Wik and the Fable of Souls'', also known in the Xbox 360 version as ''Wik: The Fable of Souls'', is a platform video game developed by Reflexive Entertainment. The main character, Wik uses a combination of jumping and his long, grapple-like ton ...
''
*2004: (Open Category) ''
Bontãgo'' and (Web/Downloadable) ''
Oasis
In ecology, an oasis (; ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environment'ksar''with its surrounding feeding source, the palm grove, within a relational and circulatory nomadic system.”
The location of oases has been of critical imp ...
''
*2003: ''
Wild Earth
''Wild Earth'' was an environmentalist magazine published in the United States by the Wildlands Project between 1991 and 2004. The magazine was based in Richmond, Vermont.
History and profile
''Wild Earth'' came about when the original ''Earth ...
''
*2002: ''
Insaniquarium
''Insaniquarium'' is a 2001 virtual pets simulator video game, developed by Flying Bear Entertainment and published by PopCap Games and MumboJumbo. Before PopCap Games's involvement, the game was a web-based Java (programming language), Java g ...
''
*2001: ''
Shattered Galaxy
''Shattered Galaxy'' is a massively multiplayer online real-time strategy game (MMORTS) that was released in 2001 by KRU InteractiveNexon Inc., ., now known as KRU Interactive, Nexon Inc, after an extensive Beta Version, open beta period. In the ...
''
*2000: ''
Tread Marks
''Tread Marks'' is a 3D computer graphics, 3D, third-person perspective, Multiplayer video game, multiplayer-focused tank combat and Racing video game, racing computer game developed by Independent video game developer Longbow Digital Arts. The ga ...
''
*1999: ''
Resurrection
Resurrection or anastasis is the concept of coming back to life after death. In a number of religions, a dying-and-rising god is a deity which dies and is resurrected. Reincarnation is a similar process hypothesized by other religions, which ...
''
Excellence in Narrative
*2022: ''
Inscryption
''Inscryption'' is a roguelike deck-building game developed by Daniel Mullins Games and published by Devolver Digital. ''Inscryption'' was released for Microsoft Windows on October 19, 2021. It was released on Linux and macOS on June 22, 2022, wh ...
''
*2021: ''
Umurangi Generation''
*2020: ''Heaven's Vault''
*2019: ''
Return of the Obra Dinn
''Return of the Obra Dinn'' is an adventure game, adventure and puzzle video game created by American video game designer Lucas Pope, and published by Japanese studio 3909. It was his second commercial game, following 2013's ''Papers, Please'', ...
''
*2018: ''
Night in the Woods
''Night in the Woods'' is a 2017 single-player adventure video game. It was developed by Infinite Fall, a studio founded by game designer Alec Holowka and animator/artist Scott Benson, and Secret Lab, an Australian studio, and published by Fin ...
''
*2017: ''Ladykiller in a Bind''
*2016: ''
Her Story''
*2015: ''80 Days (2014 video game), 80 Days''
*2014: ''
Papers, Please
''Papers, Please'' is a puzzle simulation video game created by indie game developer Lucas Pope, developed and published through his production company, 3909 LLC. The game was released on August 8, 2013 for Microsoft Windows and OS X, for Li ...
''
*2013: ''
Cart Life
''Cart Life'' is a simulation video game developed by Richard Hofmeier using Adventure Game Studio for Microsoft Windows released in 2010. The game was added to Steam in March 2013 but later removed when Hofmeier released the full source code for f ...
''
Audience Award ($3,000)
*2022: ''Mini Motorways''
*2020: ''
A Short Hike''
*2019: ''Ethereal (video game), Ethereal''
*2018: ''Celeste (video game), Celeste''
*2017: ''
Hyper Light Drifter
''Hyper Light Drifter'' is a 2D action role-playing game developed by Heart Machine. The game pays homage to 8-bit and 16-bit games, and is considered by its lead developer Alx Preston as a combination of '' The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Pa ...
''
*2016: ''Undertale''
*2015: ''This War of Mine''
*2014: ''The Stanley Parable''
*2013: ''
FTL: Faster Than Light''
*2012: ''Frozen Synapse''
*2011: ''
Minecraft
''Minecraft'' is a sandbox game developed by Mojang Studios. The game was created by Markus "Notch" Persson in the Java programming language. Following several early private testing versions, it was first made public in May 2009 before being ...
''
*2010: ''Heroes of Newerth''
*2009: ''Cortex Command''
*2008: ''
Audiosurf''
*2007: ''
Castle Crashers
''Castle Crashers'' is a 2D side scrolling hack-and-slash video game developed by The Behemoth. It features music created by members of Newgrounds. The Xbox 360 version was released on August 27, 2008, via Xbox Live Arcade as part of the Xbox L ...
''
*2006: ''Dofus''
*2005: (Open Category) ''
Alien Hominid
''Alien Hominid'' is an independently developed run and gun video game developed by The Behemoth. The game was developed from an Adobe Flash game originally released on Newgrounds in August 2002. O3 Entertainment released the game for PlayStati ...
'' and (Web/Downloadable) ''N (video game), N''
*2004: (Open Category) ''
Savage: The Battle for Newerth'' and (Web/Downloadable) ''Yohoho! Puzzle Pirates''
*2003: ''Pontifex II''
*2002: ''Kung-Fu Chess''
*2001: ''
Shattered Galaxy
''Shattered Galaxy'' is a massively multiplayer online real-time strategy game (MMORTS) that was released in 2001 by KRU InteractiveNexon Inc., ., now known as KRU Interactive, Nexon Inc, after an extensive Beta Version, open beta period. In the ...
''
*2000: ''Far Gate, The Rift (Far Gate)''
*1999: ''
Fire and Darkness''
alt.ctrl.GDC Award ($3,000)
For games that feature unusual controls or user interactions.
*2020: None. Due to the cancellation of the physical GDC conference as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, coronavirus outbreak, this award wasn't given in 2020; the other IGF awards were given in a virtual presentation.
*2019: ''Hot Swap''
*2018: ''Puppet Pandemonium''
*2017: ''Fear Sphere''
Sponsor Awards
*2019 ID@Xbox Gaming Heroes Award: Jerry Lawson (engineer), Jerry Lawson
*2018 ID@Xbox Award: SpecialEffect
*2016 ID@Xbox Rising Star Award: Girls Make Games — ''The Hole Story''
*2012 Microsoft Xbox Live Arcade Award: ''Super T.I.M.E. Force''
*2011 Direct2Drive Vision Award: ''
Amnesia: The Dark Descent''
*2010 Direct2Drive Vision Award: ''Max and the Magic Marker''
*2009 Direct2Drive Vision Award: ''Osmos''
*2008 Gleemie Awards (1x $5,000, 1x $3,000, 1x $2,000): ''Desktop Tower Defense'', ''Skyrates'', ''Quadradius''
*2007 GameTap Awards (1x $10,000, 2 x $5,000): ''
Everyday Shooter'', ''Blast Miner'', ''Roboblitz''
*2006 Adult Swim, Adultswim.com Award ($5,000): ''Dodge That Anvil (video game), Dodge That Anvil''
*2005 Cartoon Network "Project Goldmaster" Award (making a game for Cartoon Network): ''Digital Builders (video game), Digital Builders''
*2004 AOL/Cartoon Network "Project Goldmaster" Award (making a game for Cartoon Network): ''Flashbang Studios (video game), Flashbang Studios''
Retired awards
Technical Excellence ($3,000)
This award was retired starting from the 2014 competition onward.
*2013: ''Little Inferno''
*2012: ''Antichamber''
*2011: ''
Amnesia: The Dark Descent''
*2010: ''
Limbo
In Catholic theology, Limbo (Latin '' limbus'', edge or boundary, referring to the edge of Hell) is the afterlife condition of those who die in original sin without being assigned to the Hell of the Damned. Medieval theologians of Western Euro ...
''
*2009: ''Cortex Command''
*2008: ''
World of Goo
''World of Goo'' is a puzzle video game developed and published by independent game developer 2D Boy. The game was released on Microsoft Windows and Wii platforms on October 13, 2008, with releases on Nintendo Switch, Mac OS X, Linux, and various ...
''
*2007: ''Bang! Howdy''
*2006: ''
Darwinia''
*2005: (Open Category) ''
Alien Hominid
''Alien Hominid'' is an independently developed run and gun video game developed by The Behemoth. The game was developed from an Adobe Flash game originally released on Newgrounds in August 2002. O3 Entertainment released the game for PlayStati ...
'' and (Web/Downloadable) ''RocketBowl''
*2004: (Open Category) ''
Savage: The Battle for Newerth'' and (Web/Downloadable) ''Yohoho! Puzzle Pirates''
*2003: ''Reiner Knizia's Samurai''
*2002: ''Ace Of Angels''
*2001: ''
Shattered Galaxy
''Shattered Galaxy'' is a massively multiplayer online real-time strategy game (MMORTS) that was released in 2001 by KRU InteractiveNexon Inc., ., now known as KRU Interactive, Nexon Inc, after an extensive Beta Version, open beta period. In the ...
''
*2000: ''
Tread Marks
''Tread Marks'' is a 3D computer graphics, 3D, third-person perspective, Multiplayer video game, multiplayer-focused tank combat and Racing video game, racing computer game developed by Independent video game developer Longbow Digital Arts. The ga ...
''
*1999: ''
Terminus
Terminus may refer to:
* Bus terminus, a bus station serving as an end destination
* Terminal train station or terminus, a railway station serving as an end destination
Geography
*Terminus, the unofficial original name of Atlanta, Georgia, United ...
''
Best Mobile Game ($3,000)
*2012: ''Beat Sneak Bandit''
*2011: ''Helsing's Fire''
Best Web Browser Game (2006-2008)
*2008:
Iron Dukes($2,500)''
*2007: ''Samorost 2 ($2,500)''
*2006:
Dad 'N Me($2,500)''
* This category replaced the separate prizes for Web/Downloadable games awarded in 2004 & 2005.
IGF Mod Competition (2006–2007)
2007 Mod Awards
: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), 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
:Best Mod – ''Doom 3'' ($2,500): ''Last Man Standing Coop''
:Best Mod – ''Half-Life 2'' ($2,500): ''Dystopia (video game), Dystopia''
:Best Mod – ''Neverwinter Nights'' ($2,500): ''Rose Of Eternity: Chapter 1 (video game), Rose Of Eternity: Chapter 1''
:Best Mod – ''Unreal Tournament 2004'' ($2,500): ''Path Of Vengeance (video game), Path Of Vengeance''
IGF Student Showcase Winner
*2020: ''Bore Dome''
*2019: ''After Hours (video game), After Hours''
*2018: ''Baba Is You''
*2017: ''Un pas fragile''
*2016: ''Beglitched''
*2015: ''Close Your''
*2014: ''Risk of Rain''
*2013: ''Zineth''
*2012: ''Way (video game), Way''
*2011: ''Fract'' ''Octodad ''
*2010: ''Continuity (video game), Continuity'' ''Dreamside Maroon'' ''Gear (video game), Gear'' ''Igneous (video game), Igneous''
*2009: ''Tag: The Power of Paint''
*2008: ''Synaesthete (video game), Synaesthete''
*2007: ''Toblo''
*2006: ''Ballistic (2006 video game), Ballistic'' ''Cloud (video game), Cloud'' ''Colormental'' ''Narbacular Drop'' ''Ocular Ink'' ''Orblitz'' ''Palette (jeu vidéo), Palette'' ''Sea of Chaos'' ''Goliath (video game), Goliath'' ''NERO''
*2005: ''Dyadin'' ''Intergalactic Shopping Maniacs'' ''Mutton Mayhem'' ''Rock Station'' ''Scavenger Hunt (video game), Scavenger Hunt'' ''Soccer Ref'' ''Squirrel Squabble'' ''Stars and Stripes (jeu vidéo), Stars and Stripes'' ''Team Robot'' ''War, Siege & Conquest: Battle for Gaia''
*2004: ''Dark Archon 2'' ''Fatal Traction'' ''Growbot'' ''Hexvex'' ''Hyperbol'' ''Ice Wars (video game), Ice Wars'' ''Kube Kombat'' ''Scrapped'' ''Treefort Wars'' ''Xazzon''
See also
*Indiecade
*Independent video game development
References
External links
{{Commons category, Independent Games Festival
Official site
Festivals established in 1999
Indie video games
Informa brands