Get ready to celebrate the unsung heroes of the gaming world! The 28th annual Independent Games Festival (IGF) Awards are here, and the nominations are in—with Baby Steps leading the pack in a big way. But here's where it gets controversial: can a game about a confounding stroller really sweep categories like Excellence in Audio, Design, and Narrative? You'll have to read on to find out.
Written by Chris Kerr, Senior Editor at GameDeveloper.com, this announcement highlights the cream of the crop in independent gaming. The IGF Awards, a cornerstone of the industry, aim to shine a spotlight on the creativity and innovation of indie developers. This year’s event will take place in person from March 9–13, 2026, as part of the GDC Festival of Gaming at San Francisco's Moscone Convention Center. Mark your calendars for the awards ceremony on Wednesday, March 11, at 6:30 PM PT, where the winners will be crowned.
Baby Steps, the quirky brainchild of Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, and Bennett Foddy, is making waves with five nominations, including nods for Excellence in Audio, Design, and Narrative. But it doesn’t stop there—this bumbling, stumbling puzzler is also in the running for the prestigious Nuovo and Seumas McNally Grand Prize Awards. And this is the part most people miss: the game’s unique blend of humor and challenge has captivated both players and critics alike.
Blippo+ and Titanium Court aren’t far behind, each securing three nominations. Meanwhile, Horses, a surreal horror game by Santa Ragione, has earned two nominations despite being banned from major platforms like Steam and the Epic Games Store. Is this a case of artistic expression being stifled, or is there more to the story? We’ll let you decide.
This year’s IGF Awards saw nearly 800 entries, which were meticulously reviewed by a diverse panel of industry experts. The result? A peer-awarded celebration that truly represents the best of independent gaming. But here’s a thought-provoking question: with the rise of AI and other technologies, what does the future hold for indie developers? Will they continue to thrive, or will they be overshadowed by bigger players?
Below, you’ll find the full list of nominees and honorable mentions across categories like Best Student Game, Excellence in Audio, Design, Narrative, Visual Arts, the Nuovo Award, and the Seumas McNally Grand Prize. Each category is packed with innovative titles that push the boundaries of what games can be. Which one do you think deserves the top spot? Let us know in the comments!
Best Student Game
- BubbleBeast DigiDungeon (EchoLane)
- Kiloton (Jack Morehart)
- Poco (Whalefall, Micah Boursier)
- Prší (Herdek)
- Sip Fisher (Syphon Software)
- SPRKLS.exe (PesiiDom)
Honorable Mentions: Myth of Lumi (Luminara Games, USC Games), Candellum (ISART DIGITAL), Summit Drive (Luke Kim), Grindset T.V. (Michael Overton Brown)
Excellence in Audio
- Baby Steps (Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy, Devolver Digital)
- BALL x PIT (Kenny Sun & Friends, Devolver Digital)
- Blippo+ (YACHT, Telefantasy Studios, Noble Robot, Panic)
- Eclipsium (Housefire, CRITICAL REFLEX)
- Morsels (Furcula, Annapurna Interactive)
- Wheel World (Messhof, Annapurna Interactive)
Honorable Mentions: The Drifter (Powerhoof), Angeline Era (Analgesic Productions), Skate Story (Sam Eng, Devolver Digital), Demonschool (Necrosoft Games, Ysbryd Games), Skin Deep (Blendo Games, Annapurna Interactive)
Excellence in Design
- Angeline Era (Analgesic Productions)
- Baby Steps (Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy, Devolver Digital)
- Öoo (NamaTakahashi, tiny cactus, NamaTakahashi)
- Skin Deep (Blendo Games, Annapurna Interactive)
- Titanium Court (AP Thomson, Fellow Traveler)
- Time Flies (Playables, Time Flies)
Honorable Mentions: Strange Jigsaws (FLEB), Below The Crown (Misfits Attic, Shochiku), Is This Seat Taken? (Poti Poti Studio, Wholesome Games Presents), Henry Halfhead (Lululu Entertainment, popagenda), Type Help (William Rous)
Excellence in Narrative
- Baby Steps (Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy, Devolver Digital)
- Perfect Tides: Station to Station (Three Bees)
- Promise Mascot Agency (Kaizen Game Works)
- Titanium Court (AP Thomson, Fellow Traveler)
- Type Help (William Rous)
- Wednesdays (The Pixel Hunt, ARTE France)
Honorable Mentions: Blippo+ (YACHT, Telefantasy Studios, Noble Robot, Panic), HORSES (Andrea Lucco Borlera, Santa Ragione), The Roottrees Are Dead (Evil Trout Inc.), Sorry We’re Closed (à la mode games, Akupara Games)
Excellence in Visual Arts
- Blippo+ (YACHT, Telefantasy Studios, Noble Robot, Panic)
- CARIMARA: Beneath the forlorn limbs (Bastinus Rex, CRITICAL REFLEX)
- Eclipsium (Housefire, CRITICAL REFLEX)
- Loco Motive (Robust Games, Chucklefish)
- Morsels (Furcula, Annapurna Interactive)
- Skate Story (Sam Eng, Devolver Digital)
Honorable Mentions: Sol Cesto (Antoine Druaux, Géraud Zucchini, Chariospirale, Goblinz Publishing), Is This Seat Taken? (Poti Poti Studio, Wholesome Games Presents), The Drifter (Powerhoof), Demonschool (Necrosoft Games, Ysbryd Games), Henry Halfhead (Lululu Entertainment, popagenda), PBJ - The Musical (kamibox)
Nuovo Award
- Baby Steps (Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy, Devolver Digital)
- Blippo+ (YACHT, Telefantasy Studios, Noble Robot, Panic)
- HORSES (Andrea Lucco Borlera, Santa Ragione)
- Mini Mini Golf Golf (Three More Years)
- Plum Road Tea Dream (Reveal Game Studio)
- Titanium Court (AP Thomson, Fellow Traveler)
- kevin’s PLAYING in berlin (Kevin Du)
- Wednesdays (The Pixel Hunt, ARTE France)
Honorable Mentions: The End of Gameplay (droqen), No Players Online (Beeswax Games, Black Lantern Collective), The House Dreams Along With Them (Jeffrey Nordin), Type Help (William Rous), ΩMEGAPOINT (cathroon), Dreamcore (Montraluz, Tlön Industries), Threshold (Julien Eveillé, CRITICAL REFLEX)
Seumas McNally Grand Prize
- Baby Steps (Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy, Devolver Digital)
- Angeline Era (Melos Han-Tani, Marina Kittaka, Analgesic Productions)
- Blippo+ (YACHT, Telefantasy Studios, Noble Robot, Panic)
- HORSES (Andrea Lucco Borlera, Santa Ragione)
- Titanium Court (AP Thomson)
- Perfect Tides: Station to Station (Three Bees)
Honorable Mentions: Eclipsium (Housefire, CRITICAL REFLEX), Time Flies (Playables, Time Flies), Skate Story (Sam Eng, Devolver Digital), Skin Deep (Blendo Games, Annapurna Interactive), BALL X PIT (Kenny Sun & Friends, Devolver Digital), Demonschool (Necrosoft Games, Ysbryd Games), The Drifter (Powerhoof)
About the Author: Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist with over a decade of experience covering the gaming industry. His work has appeared in publications like Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, and International Business Times. Follow him for more insights into the world of game development.
