2024 Independent Games Festival Awards Ceremony

[Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] please welcome igf chairperson Shawn Pierre to the [Music] stage

[Applause] hey everybody all right I'd like to welcome everyone back to the independent games Festival Awards uh first things first though congratulations to all of the finalist the honorable mentions and everyone that submitted to be part of this year's Festival [Applause] next I want to thank everyone who participated in the judging and the jurying process you know every year I'm inspired by the dedication and the intelligence of everyone involved and of course I want to thank Sarah for all the amazing work she does guiding me in everything at the at the igf

[Applause] I would also like to thank our igf Platinum sponsor uh ID at [Music] [Applause] Xbox as well as our gold sponsors uh we [Applause] made and amgi your support your support of the show really helps keep the igf great you know there are many amazing games being recognized this year games about food about mystery games about love or loss or the absurdity of everything around us tonight we are going to hear about these games but more importantly we are going to hear from the people who make these games the wonderful smart creative talented the

people who make the games industry worth celebrating I really really admire all of you and I know many of you feel the same admiration for each other and that's why it's been so difficult extremely difficult to see our peers not treated with the respect they deserve we've already seen thousands of people losing work this year because they're not being valued the way they should be [Applause] people are working overtime and on weekends only to be left behind after a game is completed it's it's unhealthy it's certainly not sustainable and the end result of this is a weaker game industry for all of us and to be clear this lack of respect exist all

throughout the game industry in many different forms from the billion dooll companies to the smaller independent Studios from inside and outside the games industry between the countless announcements of layoffs we are also reading too many stories of how people are being systematically pushed out of the games industry rather than being empowered or recognized for their contributions they're being made to feel like they don't belong that the work that they're doing is not significant and instead harmful to Gams this is beyond unacceptable and change is well [Applause] overdue I I say all these things because I want us to be better in every every way possible we should be an industry that pushes each other forward while rejecting everything that holds us back

this is supposed to be one of the most successful Industries in the world and it's time that we act like it your co-workers your colleagues the people here in this room they are all people who deserve to be thought of first not last so regardless of if a nominee wins tonight let's celebrate them even if you are not nominated for an award tonight you deserve to be celebrated and when the night is over let's carry the celebration Beyond this room this celebration of our perseverance as an IND of an as an industry of our creativity as artists storytellers and developers and let's continue to treat each other well and to demand to be treated the way we know we should be and please remember to not only make time to care for yourself but to check in with each check in with each other thank you and let's all give a warm welcome to our host for this year's igf Jad black

[Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] welcome fellow Gamers creators dreamers to the 2024 independent games festiv Festival [Applause] Awards tonight we're diving head first into a world where imagination knows no bounds where every pixel and line of code is a brushstroke on the canvas of our gaming dreams I'm your guide for the evening TR ad herita black the passionate executive

director of the black and gaming [Applause] Foundation our vision a world where every gamer regardless of background finds their place in the vibrant tapestry of the gaming industry our mission to connect educate and Empower Black Talent ensuring that our voices and stories are not just heard but celebrated but enough about me tonight it's all about you the Brilliant Minds and Relentless Spirits behind the games we love from the brain storming sessions that spark in the head to the heart pounding moments of gameplay that stir our emotions

and finally to the hands that bring these digital wonders to life this is your moment to shine so grab your virtual popcorn and buckle up for the night of awe inspiring creativity heartwarming stories game-changing Innovations together let's celebrate the wonders of indie game development and The Incredible Journey that brings us all together up first we have the best student game [Applause] category this award is like discovering a Hidden Gem in the vast Universe of Indie gaming a testament to the grit determination and raw talent of student developers who dare to dream big picture

this late night coding marathons fueled by caffeine and passion collaborative brainstorming sessions where every idea collides and Sparks and the thrill of overcoming challenges that test both academic prowess and creative genius student developers you're the unsung heroes of the gaming World navigating through the Maze of limited resources honing your skills through the trial and error and seeking mentorship like treasure Hunters seeking unlimited loot your expertise in game design programming Wizardry artistic finesse and storytelling magic transforms mere Concepts into interactive masterpieces that Captivate players and Industry veterans alike your games are more than just

projects I said it your games are more than just projects they're beacons of innovation showcasing fresh ideas revolutionary mechanics and the promise of a bright future in the gaming industry so here's to late night coding Warriors like collaborative Visionaries and the future change gamer game changers you're the rising stars who set the stage for a new era of Gaming Excellence let's see the [Music] nominees the nominees for best student game are goodbye monster developed by monster team Lor an Rook Leo Matt Mora and Becket [Music] Rowan Once Upon a gester developed by

B published by crunching koalas if you're not careful best control will get you if you're not careful pile up developed by Remo published by kre games AIA gazab [Music] Mustafa planeta developed by Tera Ram Random Access Mayhem developed and published by xylm Studios Andrew Cunningham and Toby Murray

[Music] try again developed by the rejects published by USC games and the rejects Adam Arina Abigail nakaishi Adrien David Lopez Jason Chen and the try again team the winner of the best student game award is Once Upon a [Applause] [Music] gesture so we made a game about improvisation and I did not make a

speech so this is going to be improvised Keon thank you uh yeah thanks our publisher Crunch and koalas our parents I guess definitely yeah and this game is like about accept acceptance and friendship and I think we mostly want to thank our friendship together and also it's Stein over there so yeah thanks we did not expect this thank you so much [Applause] [Music] let's give it [Music] up excellence in design is all about celebrating the Art and Science of crafting games that players can't just get enough of it's about the meticulous planning creative brainstorming and a deep dive into what makes game play truly

engaging we see endurance shining through in every step of the design process from the initial concept to the final polish it's about finding the perfect balance between Challenge and reward creating smooth and immersive experiences for players to dive into imagine the Journey of a game designer sketching out ideas building prototypes and play testing with enthusiasm to refine and improve based on player feedback it's a collaborative dance between designers and players not only resulting in games that are not just fun but also memorable expertise in game design principles like leveling intricacies mechanic mechanics balancing I mean this is a lot understanding player psychology all come together like pieces of a puzzle to create create games that

Captivate from start to finish it's the Artistry and craftsmanship of game designers that truly shine and excellence in design showcasing the passion and dedication behind every pixel and line of code so here's to the creative minds and Relentless Spirit of game designers everywhere you're the architects of virtual worlds crafting experiences that bring joy and excitement to every player worldwide here are the nominees excellence in design the nominees for excellence in design are chance of Sinar developed by runis published by Focus [Music] entertainment

Cobalt core developed by rocket rat games and published by brace yourself games John Gara Ben Driscoll and Aaron [Music] Sheriff cocoon developed by geometric interactive published by anaer interactive ye eser and Martin f to hold Crypt Master developed by Paul Hart and Lee Williams published by aupar games Paul Hart Lee Williams and [Music] suru final profit a shop RPG developed and published by Brent Arnold

[Music] is of sea and sky developed by cicada games Jason Newman Dan Culver and Craig [Music] Culver and the winner of the Excellence design award is [Applause] [Music] Master uh thank you thank you this is a this is a huge honor uh in amazing

company so you know it's a it's a little overwhelming I have however uh written a poem so it's no I haven't I haven't written a poem it's um they wouldn't know they wouldn't let me write a poem this is a list of names I've got to read instead these are people who are stopping you uh from hearing an original poem but never mind um uh so I'd like to start by thanking my uh my friend and co-developer uh on CPM Paul art um he did Paul did all the coding the art most of the design blah blah blah the easy stuff um then uh well done him you know I guess then um uh sarasu our amazing composer uh whose music makes the game seem really you know almost uh as if it were made by by professionals he did a fantastic job um a big big huge thank you to the mighty David Logan and all of his team at aara

games uh we couldn't yeah we they really are they're the good ones we couldn't have wished for a more wonderful supportive friendly group of people um to help us making the game special mention to uh Cena Brier for not just performing in the game but for coordinating all the vo uh Kat and Arthur for sound Mary madak and Luca def fiz for additional art Maxi Molina Lucas salaf franka for the Spanish localization all of the game is amazing voice cast English and Spanish um it's I'm really accepting this award on behalf of everyone it was a a collaborative effort um and i' just like to say a special thank you at the end to uh the person I overheard this morning by the booth saying oh he he looks a bit like the crit master um because that's you know thank you to that person for keeping me grounded uh this this is wonderful thank you um the game the demo is on Steam but the game is out on May the 99th I can

announce that now I think um so you know Don't Clap no Don't Clap just just buy it we'll be fine thank you very very much thank [Applause] you give it [Music] up that was great the alt control GDC award is our salute to de ERS come on give it up give it [Applause] up it's our salute to developers who dare to think outside the box that's that's my kind of people and redefine what gaming can be it's all about celebrating Innovation and accessibility through alternative controllers that take gaming to new heights imagine this as you know I like to paint pictures imagine this developers diving head

first into the world of experimental Hardware crafting unique interfaces that challenge the Norms of traditional gaming it's about endurance in the face of technical hurdles from designing custom controllers to exploring unconventional input devices that spark creativity and Imagination the process is like embarking on a thrilling adventure explor exporing novel ways to interact with games and creating experiences that immerse players like never before it's about enhancing immersion breaking barriers and making gaming accessible to [Applause] everyone it's regardless of their background or abilities expertise in Hardware engineering human computer interaction

and outof the-box problem solving is the magic behind the scenes it's what leads to groundbreaking games that redefine the gaming landscape opening doors to new possibilities reimagining how we play and interact with digital interfaces to present the alt control GDC award this year it is my pleasure to welcome welcome to the stage alt control GDC organizer and tesate American business development director John [Music] pson good evening everyone every year is a huge and humble honor to organize the feverishly Innovative exhibit alt control GDC which displays custombuilt

controllers and bespoke games on its 10th anniversary I wanted to thank Simon caros for brainstorming this idea with me thank you Simon and thank every GDC attendee for voting this exhibit so highly allowing it to continue more over I wanted to thank all the developers who submitted showcased line bobbled kept talking so nobody exploded and filled the exhibits with so much joy this past decade at alt control GDC thank [Applause] you now for those of you who don't know alt control if you're wanting to escape the hotel lobbies or otherwise craving a creative cleanse I encourage you to hit the Expo floor and try these beautiful tactile Oddities and celebrate why we

got into games to capture our imaginations to stimulate our senses to challenge our motor and cognitive skills and simply to play let's check out the [Music] finalists [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause]

[Music] [Music]

[Applause] [Applause] and the winner of the 2024 alt control GDC audience award is chumo by the chumo team at Art [Applause] [Music] Center

[Music] St [Music] [Applause] [Music] W okay wow thank you very much everybody that's an audience award so we are humble so so happy to be here so it's uh chumo is a student project from our

little program at uh our Center uh so it's terrific job from all our students little team of eight students who work their best to to deliver this experience so so so happy about that so A big thank you to the students big thank you to our faculty to Justin our lead teacher on this and all the other faculty who has been doing their best to train our students so uh they're going to be graduating in a couple of weeks so guys now is the time to go talk to to them on our booth so thank you very much uh justtin want to say hello okay so um this feels like a awards ceremony Sim so not very real but we wrote a speech while drinking wine right now uh all control GDC uh is such a special place um on the floor it it celebrates the weird the different the experimental exploratory and we're so honored to be nominated amongst all the

awesome projects along with us truly such an amazing group and uh so humbled to be here um this is just a small fraction of the team uh we wanted to take the other team members out there y if you're there um there we are Demi Issa Jacob jingy shaa Terry Shia Zang you guys are amazing our faculty who also helped as well forest and Simon amazing and the community that we are spreading at Art Center is just awesome uh Kristoff and the rest of the other faculty um who prepared such an amazing bunch of students thank you guys all for making my job easier by teaching them the fundamentals to to be awesome game designers and artists and um we also want to thank the loved ones who dealt with all of our sleepless nights and weekends to make this project actually happen and we are honored to be here with everyone else um to celebrate along with you all um and we hope that the catch we hope we hope to catch you all on the floor playing alt control not

just our game but all the other games as well please visit us at alt control GDC and thank you so much and I really want to say thank you to all the faculty members that gives us support and all my talented teammates over there and I also really appreciate that the GDC can give us a chance to shows us work and also shows our magic of friendship thank you guys um they said all what I want to say but I still want to say thank you thank you for my parents thank you for my teammate faculty and thank you all for being here and come to play our game trumo at the like tomorrow and Friday we're so so welcome and thank you guys so so [Applause]

much please welcome back your igf host Trinidad black to the [Music] stage I love y'all excellent in visual art is a celebration of the divine inspiration that flows through artists and animators bringing game worlds to life with breathtaking visuals and artistic expression imagine the Journey of crafting visual M masterpieces that capture hearts and Minds it's about enduring dedication meticulous attention to detail and countless hours devoted to rendering and refining visual Styles this process mirrors the Journey

of creation itself a collaboration with the Divine to weave immersive and visual captivating game environments from concept art to character design from environment modeling to lighting techniques every stroke of the digital brush is infused with the spirit of creativity expertise in digital art tools color theory composition storytelling through visuals is like a testament to the Divine gifts bestowed upon artists through the lens of color and form games become canvases for emotive experiences that resonate deeply with players evoking emotions that uplift and Inspire reminding us of the beauty and wonder that surrounds us so here's to the Visionary artist and animators channeling divine inspiration to create visual Marvel that leave a lasting impact on our players Hearts

your Artistry reflects the beauty of creation itself reminding us of the boundless possibilities where we align our creativity with Divine Guidance the nominees are excellence in visual art the nominees for excellence in visual art are anthology of the Killer developed by the catamites Tommy tone a [Music] Degan flash artifacts of chaos developed by a team published by Nikon edmundo bordo Andreas bordo Carlos Pell Juan bionis darkest dungeon 2 developed and

published by Red Hook Studios little goody two shoes developed by astral shifts published by square Annex Collective Antonio Laos Pedro Diaz Christy frisbee jeline Burns phop developed and published by Amon design Petra philipovich Eva marova and auto [Music] doal Vana developed and published by visai games Sam alen

[Music] and the winner of the Excellence in Visual Art Award is fonop [Applause] pois [Music] um thank you uh I kind of feel like I just lost the ability to speak kind of my heartbeat as I'm doing very funny things to me right now um thank you so much uh it's been like about 5 years since we were last here in the United States and this is probably the most

amazing the warm most welcome back that we could have ever dreamed for so um thank you so much for that uh it's also the first week that we've been showing our game to the public and we've just felt nothing but appreciations from all of you that have stopped by our booth and play the game um so thank you all for playing for coming for giving us valuable feedback uh you've heard the name of the main creative Trio and the creative Visionaries artist behind the game Petra Eva and Otto um massive congratulations not just to them but the entire team of monopolis and the entire Collective at am Manita design who is um helping us make the feel make the game feel as good as possible and look as good as possible and also sound as good as possible and we hope we're not going to make you wait too much longer uh to actually play the final game so um thank you so much

[Music] that was great the Excellence and audio award is our way of shining a spotlight on the unsung heroes audio Engineers composers and sound designers who weave magic into every sound enhancing gameplay experiences Beyond imagination imagine diving into the world of sound where every note every effect every silence is carefully crafted to immerse the player into a symphony of emotion the Journey of audio creation is like composing a masterpiece from capturing raw sounds to refining them into high quality and impacting audio elements that elevate the gaming experience endurance shines through in the countless hours spent recording editing mixing

mastering each step is a labor of love to achieve Perfection it's about creating music that sets the mood designing sounds that affect the world and brings the world to life and that seamlessly integrates audio into gameplay to enhance immersion expertise in audio software musical composition I fley Artistry and spatial audio techniques is the secret sauce behind the games which Rich auditory experiences it's what transforms gameplay into a sensory Adventure where every sound tells a story and every note resonates with players emotions so here's to the audio Masters and Sonic Architects crafting soundscapes that transport players to new Realms and Dimensions your expertise and dedication

add layers of depth to the gaming experience tun pixels into Symphonies immersing players into a world of Sonic Wonder so here are your nominees excellence in audio the nominees for excellence in audio are a Highland song developed and published by inle Lawrence Chapman Mosen amini Joseph Humphrey and John [Music] inold cocoon developed by geometric interactive published by Anna Perna interactive yakob Schmid Lucas Julian Lin M anela nor play with your food developed by

terrifying jellyfish published by Panic TJ Hughes maximilan Mueller James Morrison and Joey [Music] panello Rhythm doctor developed by seventh beat Games published by 7th beat games and indova careless right Chia developed by aasb published by Kepler interactive a shelle in the pit and John [Music] matz Vana developed and published by visai games alpha something and N Patel [Music]

[Music] the winner of the Excellence in audio award is rhythm [Applause] [Music] doctor oh um wow my my heart is also doing funny things it's a beating in 7 eight time I think I think um I I wrote a speech it's

somewhere here thank you I was I was sitting here in these tables exactly 10 years ago in 2014 somewhere around there because our game got nominated for the student igfs the 2014 Student igfs it was for rhythm doctor as well we've been working on this game for a while um we we didn't win back then we lost to this game called risk of rain but that that exper of being nominated made us realize we had something special so here we are 10 years of work later finally with an award we've been waiting for so long very thank you we we're happy enough to be nominated among such amazing other games and hope we can all stay in touch um for the audio in particular our sound designer celesy isn't here today but uh yeah this one's for you congratulations and on behalf of the audio team celesti and myself thanks to our collaborators and

friends who work on the music with us uh David Fu in inbi interactive ashin gobinath hamir and Ka zawawi Patricia Patricia txon yo and so many others this award also unfortunately comes a year too late for G Sim uh the voice of the nurse and Rhythm doctor and the singer in two of our songs she was a kind enough friend to lend her talents to us and we miss her dearly we'd like to thank the igf organizers because that GDC in 2014 was where we met jakomo our lead programmer now and you know we've stuck together for 10 years so great thank you to our publisher IND denova and the governments of Malaysia and Peru for the funding MD in innovati Peru I'd like to pass on some special thanks from our team members as well Winston would like to give a shout out to his parents for their support in spite of not doing not knowing what he's doing Yak would like to thank his parents brother and everyone that trusted him that making games would be an actual viable career path Kyle would like to thank his mom dad and his brother Jack for all their love and help along the way celesty thanks her mom and

sister Jane morph wants to thank their two best friends Denny and Octavian for always being by their side Jenny thanks her partner Octavia for all her love and support and pushing her to be the best she can be Al thanks all our players and Community creators for getting getting us this far shout out to the RDL and for myself thanks to the whole team including those who aren't here Winston Jose jci juen nalia Alberto Sora and many more thank you to my beautiful wife Dianna we got married this month thanks for thanks for letting GDC be our honeymoon destination I'm sure it's not the best destination thank thank you to my parents for supporting my career path I'm sorry I'm not an actual doctor but look we have an igf forward and our final thank you is to Nintendo SPD production group one for making Rhythm Heaven the game Who shoulders our game stands on while we

are here while we are here we would like to remember the real doctors in Gaza trying to save lives in the worst [Applause] conditions our hearts beat for you thank you so [Applause] [Music] much let's give it up for rhythm [Applause] doctor the audience award is our way of celebrating the heart and soul of gaming the Deep connection between

players and developers that make each gaming experience Unforgettable imagine diving into the world of players preferences Community engagement continuous feedback loops that shape the games we love the journey is about understanding what makes players tick engaging with communities like lifelong friends and fine-tuning gameplay based on the pulse of player feedback endurance shines through in the dedication to creating experiences that not only entertain but also evoke emotions spark Lively conversations Foster a sense of belonging within the game Community it's all about crafting games that become more than just pixels on a screen they become shared experiences that bind us together expertise in player psychology Community Management and responsive game design is the secret sauce behind games

that resonate deeply with players it's what creates lasting memories Fosters loyalty and ignites enthusiasm within the Gaming Community turning players into passionate advocates for the games they love so here's amen so here's to the game developers and Community Builders for connections that transcend Virtual Worlds and creating experiences that bring us closer together your expertise and dedication makes games not just a hobby but a shared Journey it builds friendships it builds Community it brings us together the winner of the 2024 audience award is Ram Random Access Mayhem [Applause]

speaking of doctors I think I might need one now uh thank you to our community that's what this is about go ahead oh oh me to do the speech sorry we weren't really expecting to win this one actually but um so yeah um this award is a popularity contest right and um we figured you know Ram's not the biggest game here it might not even be the best game here but we do have a very loyal Community um people who have uh taken our little game and decided to push it Beyond any threshold which we really imagined it being taken to people um speed running it people doing challenge runs um I have to give a

shout out to um few particular members of our community uh JD Timeless Burger minus for leading the charge in that regard um uh thank you to um I I got up in front of every so we're we were nominated for best student game I got up in every uh in front of every single class and asked everyone to scan a QR code and vote for Ram and so this is another student award because the students really put in the work so thank you to all the students at the University of Victoria um cuz we were like it's really a a testament to the like the the communities that we build and I think as game developers it's really amazing to uh reach out to people and touch people and I think that as Indies we have a really uh special responsibility to kind of push the boundaries and the resonation uh with the community is something that is so special so anyways I'm kind of freaking

out this is crazy so uh oh yeah go ahead um yeah I don't want to come off as too precious or anything but it's we are as student game devs we're young enough to the point where we it's not much of an exaggeration to say that we've literally grown up playing games that have won this category in the past and they are directly responsible for us pursuing the career of game development that we have and um to be spoken of in the same breath of them to be on the same stage as them is absolutely mind-blowing um and thank you so much for that thank you give it up for Ram again come on that's [Applause] deep the Excellence and narrative is our nod to the masterminds behind the captivating stories that keep us glued

to our screens eager to uncover every Twist and Turn imagine delving into the art of crafting Rich character arcs weaving intricate plot twists and Penning dialogue that breathes life into Virtual Worlds the Journey of narrative creation is like embarking on an Epic Quest from World building and script writing to voice acting and crafting branch ing story lines that give players a sense of agency and meaningful choices endurance shines through in the countless hours spent developing characters with depth crafting dialogue that resonates and creating worlds that feel alive with possibilities it's about mastering storytelling techniques exploring narrative structures diving into thematic exploration to create games with narratives that not only tug at

heartstrings but also stimulate the Mind expertise in dialogue writing narrative structure and thematic exploration is the magic behind games with narratives that resonate emotionally and intellectually with players it's what turns games into immersive journeys of Discovery where every choice and consequence adds layers of depth to the player experience experience so here's to the storytellers and narrative designers crafting tales that transport us to Realms of imagination and invoke emotions that linger long after the game ends your expertise and dedication makes gaming not just an escape but a journey of Discovery and reflection here are the nominees excellence in narrative the nominees for excellence in narrative

are 1,000 times resist developed by Sunset visitor published by fellow traveler Natalie tinan gang Remy Su Natalie tan and Connor Wy a Highland song developed and published by inle John ingold Joseph h Tre Natalie Clayton and Anastasia [Music] [Applause] Wyatt mediterrania Inferno developed by I published by Santa roona Lorenzo redy Petra Rahi Riva Alberto Pano and ardan Ripley the cosmic wheel Sisterhood developed by deconstruct team published by devolver

digital the rack developed and published by the pixel hunt cor floron and Sarah [Music] Elm van developed and published by visai games [Music] a the winner of the Excellence and narrative design award is mediterrania Inferno

[Music] okay I mean this is unbelievable thank you so much so I'm really happy to see that such dangerous projects like ours can you know still receive this level of recognition because for me it's so important to uh explore the kartic power of Art in this like extremely horrible like times we are living right now because I really want a word without fascism so I mean that's what we want to do and yeah and Okay so I really want to thank my family first because of course I'm Italian so that's where I start from but

I also want to thank my Chen family in Milano I really love you so much I really can't wait to have a rave party together and get arrested because that's Italy now so yeah and and also I really want to thank my other choosen family which is santaj so Petro Alberto Ricardo and Stefano thank you so much for believing in this project and also thank you to Arden for anything my English like your I adore you I really adore you so I mean really um I mean this is for all the people that believe that there's always another way to do stuff so yeah I mean thank you so much and I uh this is so surreal um I want to say thank you to Lorenzo for for trusting me to to translate and to edit your words um it it really means a lot um and thank you Petro for for bringing me onto the project it it means everything and I just want to tell people um there's a story inside you

that someone else out there needs to hear um even if you think it's weird or Niche or too personal someone wants to hear it and it's going to be important to them so please tell it [Applause] uh I I would also like to thank the team that is watching back from home um Marina rosi and nikoleski and Ricardo Rea and so our longtime collaborators David de colomi luuka Franchesco Rossi flaminia Grimaldi uh really we couldn't have made it without you and also to our uh Partners at Fantastico studio for handling the console ports of the game and to our amazing team of translator ituki huchi Thomas F felipia mercader Martinez Mariel Varon and of course uh Albert Chen and Claudia and Mato for we are from we musley um and also to the extended community of developers both both International and Italian that have supported us for the last 14 years um oh

and finally I would like to say to um the platform holders and the digital stores representative that are here tonight that you have a responsibility to create an environment in which the talent that we are celebrating tonight not just survives but thrives thank you [Music] the NOOA award is a way of celebrating the daring Souls who redefine what gaming can be those who embrace the Wild and the unexpected in their quest for Innovation imagine diving into the realm of experimental game design where creativity knows no better S no rules they're meant to be

broken the journey is about courageously challenging Norms exploring unconventional mechanics and crafting experiences that provoke thought and Inspire curiosity endurance shines through in the courage to take creative risks innovate fearlessly and Venture into Uncharted territories of game development it's about conceptualizing abstract ideas designing gameplay mechanics that defy conventions and creating experiences that challenge players to see games in a whole new light expertise in conceptual art experimental gameplay design interactive storytelling and artistic expression is the driving force behind games that spark dialogue Inspire C curiosity and push the boundaries of what games can achieve it's what turns games into

interactive art pieces that leave a lasting impact on players and the gaming industry as a whole so here's to the game changers and Visionaries pushing the boundaries of creativity and Imagination you know who you are your courage creativity and willingness to explore the unknown makes gaming a limitless adventure of Discovery and Innovation here are your nominees Nuovo award the nominees for the noovo award are 1,000 times resist developed by Sunset visitor published by fellow traveler Lyn catcho Colin mcdugle Drew Redmond and Koda nagawa [Music] anthology of the killer developed by the

catamites Tommy tone a [Music] Degan cryptmas developed by Paul Hart and Lee Williams published by acup games Paul Hart Lee Williams and ASU Kevin 1997 to 2077 developed and published by Kevin du 21 22 23 24 25 26 mediterrania Inferno developed by I guys published by Santa roona Lorenzo redial Petra R River Alberto puano

Arden nidus developed and published by Caleb [Music] wood the forest Cathedral developed by Wakefield interactive and Brian wils published by white Thorn [Laughter] [Music] games and the winner of the noovo award is anthology of the [Applause] Killer [Applause]

unfortunately the anthology of the killer team could not have joined us tonight but they have sent us a message let's roll the [Music] tape [Music] w the Sheamus mcnali grand prize is our way of honoring the game that embodies

the spirit of endurance creativity and Excellence across all aspects of game development imagine embarking on an Epic Quest from the initial spark of an idea to the final Masterpiece that captivates players worldwide the journey is about endurance dedication and the Relentless pursuit of perfection fueled by long hours collaboration and passion for pushing the boundaries of gaming endurance shines through the dedication to solving problems iterating on ideas overcoming challenges that arise along the way it's about the collaboration between diverse talents the creativity to innovate the vision to create an experience that resonates deeply with players expertise in every facet of game development from gameplay and design to art art audio narrative and Innovation is the secret sauce behind games that set new standards of

excellence it's about understanding players experiences crafting immersive worlds and leaving a lasting impact on the gaming industry as a whole so here's to the game developers who dream big you can clap work tirelessly Inspire us of all their creativity and vision how many game developers are in the room right now come on I'm talking to you your dedication and expertise make gaming an adventure of Limitless possibilities and leave a worldl lasting Legacy in the world of Indie gaming it is traditional for the previous year's winner of this award to present it but but unfortunately Cosmo D of betrayal at Club low could not be here this

evening he did send all the fist a finalist a message though let's roll the tape no okay hello my name is Cosmo D Greg heffernon I won last year's Sheamus MCN grand prize for betrayal at Club low my game and I got to play this year's nominees wow they were good really interesting really creative really expressive really you know I left each game being like this is different this is pushing things in a different direction um I was surprised I was like I'm going to just play this and then I was like oh man I can't stop playing this so congrats to all the nominees pushing the medium forward and the nominees are Sheamus mcnali grand prize the nominees for the Sheamus mcnali grand

prize are 1,000 times resist developed by Sunset visitor published by fellow traveler Natalie tinan Gan Colin McDougle Natalie tan and kodai yanagawa a Highland song developed and published by inko Joseph Humphrey John ingold Natalie Clayton and Anastasia [Music] Wyatt anthology of the killer developed by the catamites Tommy tone a Dean cocoon developed by geometric Interactive published by anaa interactive yepe Carlson yakob Schmidt

and Awin Co mediterrania Inferno developed by I guys published by Santa roona Lorenzo redy Petra Rahi Riva Alberto puano and ardan Ripley Vana developed and published by visai games ABI Sam Alana Sharin Khan and tatsuya Morita [Music] Ahad and the winner of the Sheamus mcnali grand prize is [Music] Bena

[Music] [Applause] w hello hello um one second this is a Sam Elana he can't hear us right now but he's sick uh he's the artist Bena wouldn't be here without him uh he's in San Francisco just couldn't make it today um okay so I want to start by using this platform to call for a complete ceasefire for the ongoing for the ongoing horrific genocide that's happening in Palestine right now uh making games is really

really hard and I couldn't have done it without uh Sam uh my team my brother my parents uh Papa jenda laundry bear Ontario creates Victoria Tran AA and so many more people um and um I also want to say that I'm really happy to be in San Francisco this week and with so many peers who are so passionate about game development but in this current climate of layoffs I also know that a lot of talented people are not able to make it um because it's either unaffordable or inaccessible I would like to ask events like jdc to make more steps in making this a lot more accessible for devs who want to be here and learn and flourish thank you so much tonight we've witnessed the power of passion creativity and sheer

determination that feels the Indy game Community to all the nominees and winners in each category you are the heartbeat of innovation and the soul of our industry your endurance in overcoming challenges your expertise in mastering your craft and your unique personalities could say that again have inspired us all to the best student game developers you've shown us that dreams have no limits and with perseverance anything is possible to the Excellence in design honores you've crafted experiences that leave us breathless and eager for more to the alt control GDC award innovators your Ingenuity and your unconventional thinking have opened new doors in the gaming accessibility to the Excellence in Visual Arts you've painted worlds of Wonder and beauty that

Captivate our imaginations to the Excellence in audio maestros you've composed Symphonies of sound that transport us to Realms of emotion and excitement to the audience award recipient and RIS and nominees your ability to connect with players on the profound level has forged communities and friendships that enrich our gaming experiences to the Excellence and narrative storytellers you've woven tales that touch our hearts and Minds leaving lasting impact to the noova award winners your daring creativity and experimental Spirit push the boundaries of what gaming can be inspiring us to think outside the box and to the Sheamus MCN Grand Prize recipient you're you embodied the epitome of Excellence Innovation and vision that

propels our industry forward as we conclude this evening let us carry forward the spirit of creativity passion and resilience that's what defines the indie game Community congratulations to all the nominees and winners you are the driving force behind the evolution of gaming keep dreaming creating and inspiring thank you for spending time with me tonight at the igf award please welcome Frank caldi to the [Music] stage [Music]

hi I'm Frank safal I run a nonprofit called the video game history Foundation thank you thanks um some of you might have seen this number before uh last year we published a study on the availability of historical video games and we found that 87% nearly 9 out of 10 are out of print and unsupported probably forever to put that into context that's somewhere between the availability of World War II audio recordings and the survival rate of American silent films it's really dire this is a problem this should scare you but there's something that scares me even more video game history is more than a collection of commercial products to Me video game history is a collection of human stories your stories and even more so than the games those stories are in

danger of being lost our job at the video game history Foundation is to preserve these stories I go to people's homes I interview them I dig through the boxes of the things that they've kept and I preserve what's inside business records correspondence documentation source code photos notebooks sometimes entire of games that never made it to Market taken as a whole material like this can tell us a whole lot about the people who kept it even if they're no longer with us this is how it's done this is how history is preserved in 20 years 50 years 100 years when someone wants to tell your story will you have a box what'll be in it how will you be remembered what about the thousands of people over the past few months who might have been forced to move on from games earlier than they'd planned did they have an opportunity to start a box are they going to be remembered for the contributions they made are their names

even going to be in the [Applause] credits look man everyone in this room is important you're all a part of history and I don't want any of you to be forgotten if I have a message for you today it's this you're the Cure Ator of your own story if you haven't already I need you to start a box of your own when you get home whatever that means for you it can be a cardboard box it can be a Dropbox whatever works and if you've already done that man get in touch thank [Applause] [Music] you [Music]