Since its founding in 1987 South by Southwest (SXSW) had been dedicated, “to helping creative people achieve their goals.” Usually known for its conferences and festivals, this past weekend saw SXSW host their 9th annual Gaming Awards. The award ceremony, which was virtual this time around, “recognizes the finest games and most creative individuals in the game industry.” Over 30 of the finest video games from the past year were up for recognition across 12 different categories such as narrative, art, audio, and more.

The show’s hosts and award presenters were a who’s who of celebrities, performers, and artists. Poker players, aliens, and Esport gamers all participated in honoring this year’s crop of great games. Viewers were also treated to some new experiences in between the awards. Trailers for two upcoming games, Superior and Grit, were debuted along with a new music video of Punk Rock Factory’s latest song.

The night’s highest honors, Game of the Year and Indie Game of the Year, went to Final Fantasy XIV:Endwalker and Kena: Bridge of Spirits respectively. These winners and others (in bold) can be seen below among all the nominees and creators in each of the 12 categories for the SXSW Gaming Awards.

Video Game of the Year

Awarded to the game that exemplifies overall excellence and creates a distinct gaming experience across al platforms and genres.

• Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker — SQUARE ENIX
• It Takes Two — Hazelight
• Psychonauts 2 — Double Fine Productions
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart — Insomniac Games
• Resident Evil Village — Capcom

Indie Game of the Year

Awarded to the independently-developed game that exemplifies overall excellence and creates a distinct gaming experience across all platforms and genres.

• Chicory: A Colorful Tale — Greg Lobanov
• Death’s Door — Acid Nerve
• Inscryption — Daniel Mullins Games
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits — Ember Lab
• Loop Hero — Four Quarters
• Lost Words: Beyond the Page — Sketchbook Games
• The Medium — Bloober Team
• Unpacking — Witch Beam
• Valheim — Iron Gate Studio
• The Wild At Heart — Moonlight Kids

Tabletop Game of the Year 

Awarded to the gam that exemplifies overall execellence and ingenuity of any tabletop game in any genre.

• Cascadia –Randy Flynn, Beth Sobel, Dylan Mangini, Molly Johnson, Robert Melvin, Kevin Russ, Shawn Stankewich, David Lezzi
• Dune: Imperium — Dire Wolf Digital
• Oath: Chronicles of Empire & Emile — Cole Wehrle
• Roll Camera! The Filmmaking Board Game — Malachi Ray Rempen
• That Time You Killed Me — Peter C. Hayward, Jeff Fraser, Alex Cutler

VR Game of the Year

Awarded to the VR game that exemplifies overall excellence in gameplay and design across any VR platform.

• After The Fall — Vertigo Games
• Demeo — Resolution Games
• Lone Echo II — Ready at Dawn
• Resident Evil 4 VR — Armature Studio
• Song in the Smoke — 17-BIT

Matthew Crump Cultural Innovation Award

Awarded to the game that best challenges the “norm” of everyday gaming and offers a culturally innovative view of a game world, character, or gameplay.

• Chicory: A Colorful Tale — Greg Lobanov
• Before Your Eyes — GoodbyeWorld Games
• Life is Strange: True Colors — Deck Nine Games
• Lost Words: Beyond the Page — Sketchbook Games
• Unpacking — Witch Beam

Excellence in Animation, Art, & Visual Achievement

Awarded to the game with the most well-designed and stunning visuals, including animation effects and graphics.

• Deathloop — Arkane Lyon
• Exo One — Exbleative
• Forza Horizon 5 — Playground Games
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits — Ember Lab
• The Wild At Heart — Moonlight Kids

Excellence in Game Design

Awarded to the game with the best overall design concept, gameplay mechanics, and best execution.

• Deathloop — Arkane Lyon
• Inscryption — Daniel Mullins Games
• Loop Hero — Four Quarters
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart — Insomniac Games
• Returnal — Housemarque

Excellence in Original Score

Awarded to the game that best exemplifies artistic excellence in its original musical score and how it progresses the narrative of the game.

• The Artful Escape — Beethoven & Dinosaur
• Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker — SQUARE ENIX
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits — Ember Lab
• The Medium — Bloober Team
• Wytchwood — Alientrap Games

Excellence in Multiplayer

Awarded to the game with the best player-to-player interaction experience.

• Back 4 Blood — Turtle Rock Studios
• Halo Infinite — 343 Inductries
• It Takes Two — Hazelight
• Riders Republic — Ubisoft Annecy
• Valheim — Iron Gate Studio

Excellence in Narrative

Awarded to the game with the best storyline and dialogue.

• Deathloop — Arkane Lyon
• Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker — SQUARE ENIX
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits — Ember Lab
• Lost in Random — Zoink Games
• Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy — Eidos-Montréal

Excellence in Audio Design

Awarded to the game with the most outstanding and impactful sound effects.

• Forza Horizon 5 — Playground Games
• Hell Let Loose — Black Matter
• Inscryption — Four Quarters
• Twelve Minutes — Luis Antonio
• Resident Evil Village — Capcom

Excellence in Technical Achievement

Awarded to the game that pushed the capabilities of technology and programming furthest or most effectively.

• Before Your Eyes — GoodbyeWorld Games
• Forza Horizon 5 — Playground Games
• Hell Let Loose — Black Matter
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart — Insomniac Games
• Returnal — Housemarque