The Independent Games Festival (IGF) is an annual event held at the Game Developers Conference (GDC), which is the largest annual meeting of independent game developers in the industry. Established in 1998 by CMP Media, later known as UBM Technology Group, the IGF was created to support independent video game creators and encourage innovation in game development. It is now owned by Informa following UBM's acquisition.

The IGF competition gives out about $28,000 in prizes to independent developers in the Main Competition and Student Competition categories. These events take place around the same time as the Game Developers Choice Awards.

Competition Structure

As of 2026, there are ten award categories:

• Seumas McNally Grand Prize ($10,000)
• Excellence In Visual Art ($2,000)
• Excellence In Audio ($2,000)
• Excellence in Design ($2,000)
• Excellence in Narrative ($2,000)
• Nuovo Award ($2,000)
• Best Student Game ($2,000)
• Audience Award ($2,000)
• WINGS Awards (€2,000)

Before the Festival, game developers can submit their games in a playable form to the IGF organization committee for a small cost. These games are then sent to about 250 to 300 people in the game industry who are part of the Nominating Committee. These people include both independent developers and larger game companies. Each member of the committee can choose any of the submitted games to nominate for one or more categories.

For each award category, a group of 7 to 10 people who are chosen beforehand reviews the nominations and selects six finalists (eight finalists 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 event provides them with a booth space and access to the convention, but finalists must arrange their own travel and lodging or choose someone else to demonstrate their games. During the convention, a separate group of people chosen by the IGF committee will review each game. Just before the awards, this group will vote for one game in each category. The only exception is the Audience Award, which is decided by online votes from anyone interested.

IGF competition winners

The years listed below show the year when the award was given. The games or developers were honored for the year before the award was given.

• 2026: Titanium Court
• 2025: Consume Me
• 2024: Venba
• 2023: Betrayal at Club Low
• 2022: Inscryption
• 2021: Umurangi Generation
• 2020: A Short Hike
• 2019: Return of the Obra Dinn
• 2018: Night in the Woods
• 2017: Quadrilateral Cowboy
• 2016: Her Story
• 2015: Outer Wilds
• 2014: Papers, Please
• 2013: Cart Life
• 2012: Fez
• 2011: Minecraft
• 2010: Monaco
• 2009: Blueberry Garden
• 2008: Crayon Physics Deluxe
• 2007: Aquaria
• 2006: Darwinia
• 2005: (Open Category) Gish and (Web/Downloadable) Wik and the Fable of Souls
• 2004: (Open Category) Savage: The Battle for Newerth and (Web/Downloadable) Oasis
• 2003: Wild Earth
• 2002: Bad Milk
• 2001: Shattered Galaxy
• 2000: Tread Marks
• 1999: Fire and Darkness

Awards for Innovative Games:

• 2026: Horses
• 2025: Consume Me
• 2024: Anthology of the Killer
• 2023: Betrayal at Club Low
• 2022: Memory Card
• 2021: Blaseball
• 2020: The Space Between
• 2019: Black Room
• 2018: Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy
• 2017: Oiκοςpiel, Book I
• 2016: Cibele
• 2015: Tetrageddon Games
• 2014: Luxuria Superbia
• 2013: Cart Life
• 2012: Storyteller
• 2011: Nidhogg
• 2010: Tuning
• 2009: Between

• 2026: Eclipsium
• 2025: Hauntii
• 2024: Phonopolis
• 2023: RPG Time: The Legend of Wright
• 2022: Papetura
• 2021: Genesis Noir
• 2020: Knights and Bikes
• 2019: Mirror Drop
• 2018: Chuchel
• 2017: Hyper Light Drifter
• 2016: Oxenfree
• 2015: Metamorphabet
• 2014: Gorogoa
• 2013: Kentucky Route Zero
• 2012: Dear Esther
• 2011: BIT.TRIP RUNNER
• 2010: Limbo
• 2009: Machinarium
• 2008: Fez
• 2007: Castle Crashers
• 2006: Darwinia
• 2005: (Open Category) Alien Hominid and (Web/Downloadable) Wik and the Fable of Souls
• 2004: (Open Category) Spartan and (Web/Downloadable) Dr. Blob's Organism
• 2003: Wild Earth
• 2002: Banja Taiyo
• 2001: Hardwood Spades
• 2000: King of Dragon Pass
• 1999: Crime Cities

• 2026: Baby Steps
• 2025: Despelote
• 2024: Rhythm Doctor
• 2023: The Forest Quartet
• 2022: Inscryption
• 2021: Genesis Noir
• 2020: Mutazione
• 2019: Paratopic
• 2018: Uurnog Uurnlimited
• 2017: Un pas fragile
• 2016: Beglitched
• 2015: Close Your
• 2014: Risk of Rain
• 2013: Zineth
• 2012: Way
• 2011: Fract • Octodad
• 2010: Continuity • Dreamside Maroon • Gear • Igneous
• 2009: Tag: The Power of Paint
• 2008: Synaesthete
• 2007: Toblo
• 2006: Dofus
• 2005: (Open Category) Alien Hominid and (Web/Downloadable) 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
• 2000: The Rift (Far Gate)
• 1999: Fire and Darkness

• 2026: Poco
• 2025: Slot Waste
• 2024: Once Upon a Jester
• 2023: Slider
• 2022: Live Adventure
• 2021: Vessels
• 2020: Bore Dome
• 2019: After Hours
• 2018: Baba Is You
• 2017: Un pas fragile
• 2016: Beglitched
• 2015: Close Your
• 2014: Risk of Rain
• 2013: Zineth
• 2012: Way
• 2011: Fract • Octodad
• 2010: Continuity • Dreamside Maroon • Gear • Igneous
• 2009: Tag: The Power of Paint
• 2008: Synaest

Other awards without prize money

This award is given to games that have unusual ways to play or interact with the user. In 2020, the physical GDC conference was canceled because of the coronavirus outbreak, so this award was not given that year.

• 2026: Proyecto EXO
• 2025: ChromaCorp
• 2024: Chú Mó
• 2019: Hot Swap
• 2018: Puppet Pandemonium
• 2017: Fear Sphere

• 2019 ID@Xbox Gaming Heroes Award: 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 (one $5,000, one $3,000, one $2,000): Desktop Tower Defense, Skyrates, Quadradius
• 2007 GameTap Awards (one $10,000, two $5,000): Everyday Shooter, Blast Miner, Roboblitz
• 2006 Adultswim.com Award ($5,000): Dodge That Anvil
• 2005 Cartoon Network "Project Goldmaster" Award (making a game for Cartoon Network): Digital Builders
• 2004 AOL / Cartoon Network "Project Goldmaster" Award (making a game for Cartoon Network): Flashbang Studios

Former competitions

• 2013: Little Inferno
• 2012: Antichamber
• 2011: Amnesia: The Dark Descent
• 2010: Limbo
• 2009: Cortex Command
• 2008: World of Goo
• 2007: Bang! Howdy
• 2006: Darwinia
• 2005: (Open Category) Alien Hominid 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
• 2000: Tread Marks
• 1999: Terminus

During 2007 to 2010, a different event named IGF Mobile was held for mobile phone games.

• 2012: Beat Sneak Bandit
• 2011: Helsing's Fire

This category replaced the special awards given for web/downloadable games in 2004 and 2005.

• 2008: Iron Dukes
• 2007: Samorost 2
• 2006: Dad 'N Me

An annual competition for video game mods was held in 2006 and 2007.

2007 Mod Awards ($7,000):
2006 Mod Awards ($10,000):