We hear all about the big blockbuster games that sell millions of copies. But there’s a whole ecosystem of independent games, too, that receive very little publicity – except for the one night in the year when they step into the spotlight for the Independent Games Festival Awards.
How big is this world? Well, this year saw 226 games in competition for awards, with another 145 chasing the student prize. That’s a lot of games. According to the BBC, Steve Swink of Flashbang Studios told the audience:
"The world is catching on. Game journalists, industry and yes players are beginning to appreciate indie games."
"The game playing public is beginning to understand that a tiny team with a brilliant vision can make better games than people with a corporate mandate and millions of dollars to spend. The world is realizing that as much as they love big budget shooters, they are hungry for new types of experiences."
The Seumas McNally Award, which carried a $30,000 prize, went to the hand-drawn Blueberry Garden, which Swedish creator Erik Svedang described as “about nature and the beauty of nature, with a very singular vision."
Cortex Command picked up the prestigious Audience Award, as well as the Technical Excellence Award, while Between took home the new Innovation Award, joint winner with Machinarium.
Tag: The Power of Paint, created by six students at the DigiPen Institute of Technology in Seattle, won the Student Prize.
