The Independent Games Festival (IGF) is an annual festival at the Game Developers Conference, the largest annual gathering of the indie video game industry. It was founded in 1998 to assist and inspire innovation in video game development and to recognize the best independent video game developers. IGF was founded to create for the independent game community the same benefit the Sundance Film Festival has brought to the independent film community, and is produced by the CMP Game Group, producers of the Game Developers Conference, Game Developer magazine, and Gamasutra.com.
The competition, now in its 19th year, awards a total of $50,000 in prizes to independent developers in Main Competition and Student Competition categories at the IGF Awards Ceremony, which is one of the highlights of the Game Developers Conference and held alongside the Game Developers Choice Awards ceremony.
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 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)Years given below indicate the year when the award was given, with the games or developers being recognized from the previous year.
Seumas McNally Grand Prize ($30,000)
2017: Quadrilateral Cowboy2016: Her Story2015: Outer Wilds2014: Papers, Please2013: Cart Life2012: Fez2011: Minecraft2010: Monaco2009: Blueberry Garden2008: Crayon Physics Deluxe2007: Aquaria2006: Darwinia2005: (Open Category) Gish and (Web/Downloadable) Wik and the Fable of Souls2004: (Open Category) Savage: The Battle for Newerth and (Web/Downloadable) Oasis2003: Wild Earth2002: Bad Milk2001: Shattered Galaxy2000: Tread Marks1999: Fire and Darkness2017: Oiκοςpiel, Book I2016: Cibele2015: Tetrageddon Games2014: Luxuria Superbia2013: Cart Life2012: Storyteller2011: Nidhogg2010: Tuning2009: Between2017: Hyper Light Drifter2016: Oxenfree2015: Metamorphabet2014: Gorogoa2013: Kentucky Route Zero2012: Dear Esther2011: BIT.TRIP RUNNER2010: Limbo2009: Machinarium2008: Fez2007: Castle Crashers2006: Darwinia2005: (Open Category) Alien Hominid and (Web/Downloadable) Wik and the Fable of Souls2004: (Open Category) Spartan and (Web/Downloadable) Dr. Blob's Organism2003: Wild Earth2002: Banja Taiyo2001: Hardwood Spades2000: King of Dragon Pass1999: Crime Cities2017: GoNNER2016: Mini Metro2015: Ephemerid: A Musical Adventure2014: DEVICE 62013: 1402012: Botanicula2011: Amnesia: The Dark Descent2010: Closure2009: BrainPipe2008: Audiosurf2007: Everyday Shooter2006: Weird Worlds: Return to Infinite Space2005: (Open Category) Steer Madness and (Web/Downloadable) Global Defense Network2004: (Open Category) Anito: Defend a Land Enraged and (Web/Downloadable) Dr. Blob's Organism2003: Terraformers2002: Bad Milk2001: Chase Ace 22000: Blix1999: Terminus2017: Quadrilateral Cowboy2016: Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes2015: Outer Wilds2014: Papers, Please2013: FTL: Faster Than Light2012: Spelunky2011: Desktop Dungeons2010: Monaco2009: Musaic Box2008: World of Goo2007: Everyday Shooter2006: Braid2005: (Open Category) Gish and (Web/Downloadable) Wik and the Fable of Souls2004: (Open Category) Bontãgo and (Web/Downloadable) Oasis2003: Wild Earth2002: Insaniquarium2001: Shattered Galaxy2000: Tread Marks1999: ResurrectionThis award was retired starting from the 2014 competition onward.
2013: Little Inferno2012: Antichamber2011: Amnesia: The Dark Descent2010: Limbo2009: Cortex Command2008: World of Goo2007: Bang! Howdy2006: Darwinia2005: (Open Category) Alien Hominid and (Web/Downloadable) RocketBowl2004: (Open Category) Savage: The Battle for Newerth and (Web/Downloadable) Yohoho! Puzzle Pirates2003: Reiner Knizia's Samurai2002: Ace Of Angels2001: Shattered Galaxy2000: Tread Marks1999: Terminus2017: Ladykiller in a Bind2016: Her Story2015: 80 Days2014: Papers, Please2013: Cart Life2012: Beat Sneak Bandit2011: Hellsing's Fire2008: 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 & 2005.2017: Hyper Light Drifter2016: Undertale2015: This War of Mine2014: The Stanley Parable2013: FTL: Faster Than Light2012: Frozen Synapse2011: Minecraft2010: Heroes of Newerth2009: Cortex Command2008: Audiosurf2007: Castle Crashers2006: Dofus2005: (Open Category) Alien Hominid and (Web/Downloadable) N2004: (Open Category) Savage: The Battle for Newerth and (Web/Downloadable) Yohoho! Puzzle Pirates2003: Pontifex II2002: Kung-Fu Chess2001: Shattered Galaxy2000: The Rift (Far Gate)1999: Fire and Darkness2012 Microsoft Xbox Live Arcade Award: Super T.I.M.E. Force2011 Direct2Drive Vision Award: Amnesia: The Dark Descent2010 Direct2Drive Vision Award: Max and the Magic Marker2009 Direct2Drive Vision Award: Osmos2008 Gleemie Awards (1x $5,000, 1x $3,000, 1x $2,000): Desktop Tower Defense, Skyrates, Quadradius2007 GameTap Awards (1x $10,000, 2 x $5,000): Everyday Shooter, Blast Miner, Roboblitz2006 Adultswim.com Award ($5,000): Dodge That Anvil2005 Cartoon Network "Project Goldmaster" Award (making a game for Cartoon Network): Digital Builders2004 AOL/Cartoon Network "Project Goldmaster" Award (making a game for Cartoon Network): Flashbang StudiosBest Mod ($5,000 Overall):
Weekday Warrior (
Half-Life 2)Best Singleplayer FPS Mod ($500):
Weekday Warrior (
Half-Life 2)Best Multiplayer FPS Mod ($500):
Eternal Silence (
Half-Life 2)Best RPG Mod ($500):
Darkness over Daggerford (
Neverwinter Nights)Best 'Other' Mod ($500):
Spawns Of Deflebub (
Unreal Tournament 2004)Best Mod –
Doom 3 ($2,500):
Last Man Standing CoopBest Mod –
Half-Life 2 ($2,500):
DystopiaBest Mod –
Neverwinter Nights ($2,500):
Rose Of Eternity: Chapter 1Best Mod –
Unreal Tournament 2004 ($2,500):
Path Of Vengeance2017: Un Pas Fragile2016: Beglitched2015: Close Your2014: Risk of Rain2013: Zineth2012: Way2011: Fract • Octodad2010: Continuity • Dreamside Maroon • Gear • Igneous2009: Tag: The Power of Paint2008: Synaesthete2007: Toblo2006: Ballistic • Cloud • Colormental • Narbacular Drop • Ocular Ink • Orblitz • Palette • Sea of Chaos • Goliath • NERO2005: Dyadin • Intergalactic Shopping Maniacs • Mutton Mayhem • Rock Station • Scavenger Hunt • Soccer Ref • Squirrel Squabble • Stars and Stripes • Team Robot • War, Siege & Conquest: Battle for Gaia2004: Dark Archon 2 • Fatal Traction • Growbot • Hexvex • Hyperbol • Ice Wars • Kube Kombat • Scrapped • Treefort Wars • Xazzon
