The inaugural Indie Game Awards took place on Thursday. Presented by Six One Indie, the awards ceremony seeks to celebrate the creativity, innovation, and passion that we see in our indie games. As people become more frustrated with certain AAA releases, it seems like indie titles could very well be our future, and 2024 has been a great year for them.
Balatro won the biggest prize, earning itself the Indie Game of the Year Award, as well as a nod for Gameplay Design. It was also nominated for plenty of other awards, but there was a nice mix of winners sprinkled in. Another Crab’s Treasure won for Notable Achievement in Accessibility, Little Kitty, Big City picked up Best Debut, and a wide array of indies were celebrated. Check out the full list of nominees and winners below:
Debut Game
- Arranger
- Lil’ Guardsman
- Little Kitty, Big City – WINNER
- Loddlenaut
- MULLET MADJACK
- Worldless
Notable Achievement in Accessibility
- Another Crab’s Treasure – WINNER
- Elsie
- Periphery Synthetic
- Pine Hearts
- SteamWorld Heist II
- Surmount: A Mountain Climbing Adventure
Music
- Core Keeper
- Flock
- Pacific Drive – WINNER
- The Cub
- Thrasher
- Wild Bastards
Visual Design
- Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus
- Crow Country
- Harold Halibut – WINNER
- Hauntii
- The Plucky Squire
- Ultros
Bite-Sized Game
- Buckshot Roulette
- Clickholding
- Duck Detective: The Secret Salami
- Minami Lane
- Please Touch the Artwork 2
- Thank Goodness You’re Here – WINNER
Innovation
- Cryptmaster – WINNER
- KarmaZoo
- Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
- ODDADA
- Rusty’s Retirement
- UFO 50
Emotional Impact
- In Stars and Time
- Kind Words 2
- Neva – WINNER
- Selfloss
- Thirsty Suitors
- Until Then
Gameplay Design
- Balatro – WINNER
- Grunn
- Minishoot Adventures
- Nine Sols
- Tiny Glade
- Victory Heat Rally
Community Management
- Aggro Crab – WINNER
- Black Tabby Games
- LocalThunk
- Massive Monster
- NPC Studio
- Pounce Light
Narrative
- 1000xRESIST – WINNER
- ARCO
- Caravan SandWitch
- Fear The Spotlight
- Last Time I Saw You
- Mouthwashing
Women-Led Game
- Gourdlets
- Keylocker
- Love, Ghostie
- Mexico, 1921. A Deep Slumber. – WINNER
- Nightmare Kart
- The Crimson Diamond
Solo Development
- Aerial_Knight’s We Never Yield
- Animal Well – WINNER
- Children of the Sun
- Crypt Custodian
- Knuckle Sandwich
- Magical Delicacy
Game of the Year
- 1000xRESIST
- Animal Well
- ARCO
- Balatro – WINNER
- Crypt Custodian
- Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
- Mouthwashing
- Neva
- Nine Sols
- UFO 50