The Indie RPG Awards are annual, creator-based awards for

Indie role-playing game An indie role-playing game is a role-playing game published outside traditional, "mainstream" means. Varying definitions require that commercial, design, or conceptual elements of the game stay under the control of the creator, or that the game ...

s and supplements. They were established in 2002 by Andy Kitkowski, and are the most sought-after awards in the ''Indie RPG'' community. For the purposes of the Awards, there exists a following "definition" of an Indie role-playing game: * A game where the creator is the person who has written at least 50% of the actual game content. * A game where the creator has full control of content and publishing. * A game where the creator is the publisher, with full control over expenses and profits.

Winners

2002

* Indie Game of the Year: ''

Dust Devils A dust devil is a strong, well-formed, and relatively short-lived whirlwind. Its size ranges from small (half a metre wide and a few metres tall) to large (more than 10 m wide and more than 1 km tall). The primary vertical motion is ...

'' by Matt Snyder * Indie Supplement of the Year: '' Charnel Gods'' by Ron Edwards * Best Free Game: ''

Nicotine Girls Nicotine is a naturally produced alkaloid in the nightshade family of plants (most predominantly in tobacco and '' Duboisia hopwoodii'') and is widely used recreationally as a stimulant and anxiolytic. As a pharmaceutical drug, it is used fo ...

'' by

Paul Czege Paul Czege is a designer of tabletop role-playing games. His '' My Life With Master'' was the third role-playing game to win the Diana Jones award. He is also the originator of the Czege Principle that states, "When one person is the author of bo ...

* Best Use of the d20 License: ''The Kid's Colouring Book o Critters - Celebrity Edition'' by M. Jason Parent * Best Production: '' Children of the Sun'' by Lewis Pollack * Best Support: ''

The Riddle of Steel ''The Riddle of Steel'' (abbreviated as ''TRoS'') is a role-playing game (RPG) created by Jacob Norwood and published by Driftwood Publishing. It is designed for role-playing in a typical sword and sorcery or high fantasy gameworld environment. ...

'' by Jacob Norwood * Best Synergy: ''Dust Devils'' * Most Innovative Game: '' Universalis'' by Ralph Mazza and Mike Holmes * Indie RPG "Human of the Year": Ron Edwards * Indie RPG Zine of the Year: ''The Shadowrun Supplemental'' * Andy's Choice: '' Charnel Gods'' by Scott Knipe

2003

* Indie Game of the Year: ''

My Life with Master ''My Life with Master'' is an independently published role-playing game written by Paul Czege and published by Half Meme Press (it was first released at the 2003 Gen Con gaming convention). ''My Life with Master'' is a game about role-playing th ...

'' by

* Indie Supplement of the Year: ''JAGS Have-Not'' * Best Free Game: ''

FATE Destiny, sometimes referred to as fate (from Latin ''fatum'' "decree, prediction, destiny, fate"), is a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual. Fate Although ofte ...

'' by Fred Hicks * Best Production: ''My Life with Master'' * Best Support: ''FATE'' * Best Synergy: ''My Life with Master'' * Most Innovative Game: ''My Life with Master'' * Indie RPG "Human of the Year":

Luke Crane Luke Crane (born 23 June 1985) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Sturt Football Club in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). Originally from George Town in Tasmania, Crane was recruited to Sturt from ...

(spelled as ''Power of the Year'') * Andy's Choice: ''FATE''

2004

* Indie Game of the Year: '' Dogs in the Vineyard'' by D. Vincent Baker * Indie Supplement of the Year: '' Monster Burner'' by

* Best Free Game: '' The Shadow of Yesterday'' by

Clinton R. Nixon Clinton R. Nixon is a designer and publisher of indie role-playing games. Career He is the designer and publisher of ''The Shadow of Yesterday'', ''Donjon'',Snow, Cason (2008). "Dragons in the stacks: an introduction to role-playing games and th ...

* People's Choice - Best Game: '' Dead Inside'' by Chad Underkoffler * People's Choice - Best Supplement: ''Monster Burner'' * Best Production: ''A/State'' by Malcolm Craig * Best Support: ''Monster Burner'' * Most Innovative Game: ''Dogs in the Vineyard'' * Andy's Choice: ''

Primetime Adventures ''Primetime Adventures'' is a role-playing game by Matt Wilson, independently published by Dog Eared Designs. The players create a television show together, establishing setting elements and potential main characters. One player takes on the ro ...

'' by Matt Wilson

2005

* Indie Game of the Year: ''

Polaris Polaris is a star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Minor. It is designated α Ursae Minoris ( Latinized to ''Alpha Ursae Minoris'') and is commonly called the North Star or Pole Star. With an apparent magnitude that ...

'' by Ben Lehman * Indie Supplement of the Year: '' Burning Sands: Jihad'' by

* Best Free Game: ''Perfect20'' by Levi Kornelsen * Best Production: '' Artesia'' by

Mark Smylie Mark Smylie is an American comics creator, writer and illustrator. He is best known for his '' Artesia'' epic fantasy comic series.Cornog, Martha (July 1, 2011). "Graphic Novels: Archaia's A-List", '' Library Journal'' 136 (12). Biography Born i ...

* Best Support: ''

Truth & Justice ''Truth & Justice'' is an " indie" tabletop role-playing game designed to emulate the superhero genre. It was created by Chad Underkoffler and published by Atomic Sock Monkey Press. The game allows players to take the role of superheroes and supe ...

'' by Chad Underkoffler * Most Innovative Game: ''Polaris''

2006

* Indie Game of the Year: '' Spirit of the Century'' by Fred Hicks * Indie Supplement of the Year: '' Dictionary of Mu'' by Judd Carlman * Best Free Game: ''JAGS Revised'' by Marco Chacon * Best Production: ''

Burning Empires ''Burning Empires'' is an EP from VNV Nation. It contains remixes and alternate versions of tracks from their popular album '' Empires'', plus the "Standing" single. It is a limited edition release of 4,700 copies. The album was made available ...

'' by

* Best Support: ''Burning Empires'' * Most Innovative Game: ''Lacuna Part 1, second attempt'' by

Jared Sorensen Jared A. Sorensen is an indie role-playing game designer whose works include '' InSpectres'', '' octaNe'', and ''Lacuna Part I.'' Career Jared Sorensen was a member of the website The Forge, and later became an indie publisher. Sorensen designed ...

2007

* Indie Game of the Year: '' Grey Ranks'' by Jason Morningstar * Indie Supplement of the Year: '' The Blossoms are Falling'' by

* Best Free Game: ''Classroom Deathmatch'' by Jake Diamond and Matt Schlotte * Best Production: ''

Reign A reign is the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office of monarch of a nation (e.g., Saudi Arabia, Belgium, Andorra), of a people (e.g., the Franks, the Zulus) or of a spiritual community (e.g., Catholicism, Tibetan Budd ...

'' by Greg Stolze * Best Support: '' The Blossoms are Falling'' * Most Innovative Game: ''Grey Ranks''

2008

* Indie Game of the Year: ''

Mouse Guard Roleplaying Game The Mouse Guard Roleplaying Game is a tabletop role-playing game created by Luke Crane based on the Mouse Guard comics and his own Burning Wheel system. Boom! Studios' imprint Archaia Entertainment released a second edition of the game on 3 Nov ...

'' by

and David Petersen * Indie Supplement of the Year: '' Don't Lose Your Mind'' by Benjamin Baugh * Best Free Game: (tie) ''Sea Dracula'' by Jake Richmond and Nick Smith and ''Sufficiently Advanced'' by Colin Fredericks * Best Production: ''Mouse Guard'' * Best Support: ''Mouse Guard'' * Most Innovative Game: ''Sweet Agatha'' by Kevin Allen Jr.

2009

* Indie Game of the Year: '' Kagematsu'' by Danielle Lewon * Indie Supplement of the Year: ''

The Day after Ragnarok ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in ...

'' by

Kenneth Hite Kenneth Hite (born September 15, 1965) is a writer and role-playing game designer. Hite is the author of Trail of Cthulhu and Night's Black Agents role-playing games, and lead designer of the 5th edition of '' Vampire: the Masquerade''. Educatio ...

* Best Free Game: ''Lady Blackbird: Adventures in the Wild Blue Yonder'' by John Harper * Best Production: ''Lady Blackbird: Adventures in the Wild Blue Yonder'' * Best Support: '' Fiasco'' by Jason Morningstar * Most Innovative Game: '' A Penny for My Thoughts'' by Paul Tevis

2010

* Indie Game of the Year: ''

Apocalypse World ''Apocalypse World'' is a post-apocalyptic roleplaying game by D. Vincent Baker and Meguey Baker, published in 2010 with only an implied setting that is fleshed out by the players in the course of character creation. It was the game for which ...

'' by D. Vincent Baker * Indie Supplement of the Year: ''The Hot War Transmission'' by Malcolm Craig and Scott Dorward * Best Free Game: ''Stars Without Number'' by Kevin Crawford * Best Production: ''

Freemarket In economics, a free market is an economic system in which the prices of goods and services are determined by supply and demand expressed by sellers and buyers. Such markets, as modeled, operate without the intervention of government or any ot ...

'' by

and

* Best Support: ''

'' * Most Innovative Game: ''

2011

* Indie Game of the Year: '' Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple'' by

Daniel Solis Daniel Solis is an American politician from Illinois. He served as an alderman on the Chicago City Council from 1996 to 2019. He represented Chicago's 25th Ward which includes the Lower West Side. His sister is Patti Solis Doyle, who was Hill ...

* Indie Supplement of the Year: '' Fiasco Companion'' by Jason Morningstar and Steve Segedy * Best Free Game: ''Anima Prime'' by Christian Griffen * Best Production: ''Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple'' * Best Support: ''Fiasco Companion'' * Most Innovative Game: ''Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple''

2012

* Indie Game of the Year: '' Dungeon World'' by Sage LaTorra and Adam Koebel * Indie Supplement of the Year: '' American Disasters'' (for ''Fiasco'') by Jason Morningstar and Steve Segedy * Best Free Game: ''Mythender'' by Ryan Macklin * Best Production: ''Dungeon World'' * Best Support: ''Dungeon World'' * Most Innovative Game: ''Dog Eat Dog'' by Liam Burke

2013

* Indie Game of the Year: '' Hillfolk'' by

Robin D. Laws Robin D. Laws (born October 14, 1964 in Orillia, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian writer and game designer who lives in Toronto, Canada. He is the author of a number of novels and role-playing games as well as an anthologist. Career Robin D. Laws ...

* Indie Supplement of the Year: '' Adventures on Dungeon Planet'' by Johnstone Metzger * Best Production: ''

Torchbearer (role-playing game) Torchbearer may refer to: *''The Torch Bearer'', a 1916 American silent film *''The Torchbearer'', a 2005 Czech animated short film *''The Torchbearers'', a sculpture at the University of Texas at Austin * Torchbearers International, a network of ...

'' by Thor Olavsrud and

* Best Support: '' Hillfolk'' * Most Innovative Game: ''The Quiet Year'' by Joe Mcdaldno

2014

* Indie Game of the Year: ''The Clay That Woke'' by

* Indie Supplement of the Year: ''Deep Carbon Observatory'' by Patrick Stewart, Scrap Princess * Best Free Game: ''Dream Askew'' by Joe Mcdaldno * Best Production: ''A Red and Pleasant Land'' by

Zak S. Zak Smith (born July 16, 1976), also known as Zak Sabbath, is an American artist, role-playing game author, and adult actor. Early life and education Smith was born in Syracuse, New York and grew up in Washington, D.C. After receiving a BFA f ...

* Best Support: ''Deep Carbon Observatory'' * Most Innovative Game: ''The Clay That Woke''

2015

* Indie Game of the Year: ''

Night Witches (role-playing game) "Night Witches" (german: die Nachthexen; russian: Ночные ведьмы, ) was a World War II German nickname for the all-female aircrew, military aviators of the 588th Night Bomber Regiment (), known later as the 46th "Taman" Guards Night B ...

'' by Jason Morningstar * Indie Supplement of the Year: '' Fiasco Playset Anthology'' by

Bully Pulpit Games Bully Pulpit Games, based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, is a small publisher of indie role-playing games. History Their games include ''Fiasco'' and '' Star Crossed''. The publisher is named for a phrase coined by Theodore Roosevelt. The si ...

* Best Free Game: ''Sign'' by Hakan Seyalioglu and Kathryn Hymes * Best Production: ''Fall of Magic'' by Ross Cowman * Best Support: ''World-Wide Wrestling Role-Playing Game'' by Nathan D. Paoletta * Most Innovative Game: ''Fall of Magic''

2016

* Indie Game of the Year: '' Blades in the Dark'' by John Harper * Indie Supplement of the Year: ''Microscope Explorer'' by Ben Robbins * Best Free Game: ''Quill: A Letter-Writing Roleplaying Game for a Single Player'' by Scott Malthouse * Best Production: ''Blades in the Dark'' by John Harper * Best Support: ''Blades in the Dark'' by John Harper * Most Innovative Game: ''#Feminism: A Nano-Game Anthology'' by Edited by Misha Bushyager, Lizzie Stark, and Anna Westerling

2017

* Indie Game of the Year: ''

The Watch (role-playing game) The Watch may refer to: * The town watch, a medieval precursor to the modern police * ''The Watch'' (2008 film), a made-for-TV film starring Clea DuVall * ''The Watch'' (2012 film), a science fiction comedy film starring Ben Stiller * "The Wat ...

'' by Anna Kreider and Andrew Medeiros * Indie Supplement of the Year: ''Itras By: The Menagerie'' by Ole Peder Giaver and others * Best Production:''

Timewatch ''Timewatch'' is a long-running British television series showing documentaries on historical subjects, spanning all human history. It was first broadcast on 29 September 1982 and is produced by the BBC. The ''Timewatch'' brandname is used as a ...

'' by Kevin Kulp and others * Best Support: ''Timewatch'' * Most Innovative Game: ''Alas for the Awful Sea'' by Hayley Gordon, Vee Hendro

Notes

External links

Indie RPG Awards website

previous Indie RPG Awards website (archived)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Indie Rpg Awards Awards established in 2002 Indie role-playing games Game awards

Categories

Winners

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Notes

External links