Announcing the winners of the eighth annual SXSW Gaming Awards, recognizing the most creative and influential titles, teams and individuals in the industry.
The winners were revealed during the SXSW Gaming Awards virtual broadcast on Saturday, March 12 at 7:00 p.m. CT.
This year’s SXSW Gaming Awards featured 40 nominees in 12 different categories, with winners determined by a weighted total of SXSW staff and advisory board feedback as well as public vote.
2022 SXSW Gaming Awards Nominees
Video Game of the Year
Awarded to the game that exemplifies overall excellence and creates a distinct gaming experience across all platforms and genres.
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker – SQUARE-ENIX
Appointed:
It takes two — Hazelight / Electronic Arts
Psychonauts 2 — Double Fine Productions / Xbox Game Studios
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart – Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment
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.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits —Ember Lab
Appointed:
Chicory: a colorful story —Greg Lobanov / Finji
The gate of death — Acid Nerve / Devolver Digital
Registration —Daniel Mullins Games/Devolver Digital
loop hero — Four Quarters / Digital Devolver
Lost Words: Beyond the Page — Sketchbook Games / Modus Games
The way — Bloober Team
Unpacking — Witch Beam / Humble Games
Valheim — Iron Gate Studio / Coffee Stain Publishing
The savage at heart – Moonlit Children / Humble Games
Tabletop Game of the Year
Awarded to the game that exemplifies the overall excellence and ingenuity of any tabletop game in any genre.
Dunes: Empire – Dire Wolf Digital / Dire Wolf Digital
Appointed:
Cascadia – Randy Flynn, Beth Sobel, Dylan Mangini, Molly Johnson, Robert Melvin, Kevin Russ, Shawn Stankewich, David Lezzi / Flatout Games
Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile —Cole Wehrle/Leder Games
Rolling camera! The movie board game — Malachi Ray Rempen / Keen Bean Studio
That time you killed me – Peter C. Hayward, Jeff Fraser, Alex Cutler / Pandasaurus Games
VR Game of the Year
Awarded to the VR game that exemplifies overall excellence in gameplay and design on any VR platform.
Resident Evil 4 VR — Armature Studio / Oculus Studios
Appointed:
After the fall — Vertigo Games
Demoo — Solving games
Echo Solitaire II — Ready at Dawn / Oculus Studios
song in the smoke — 17 bit
Matthew Crump Cultural Innovation Award
Awarded to the game that best challenges the “norm” of everyday play and offers a culturally innovative take on a game world, character, or gameplay.
Unpacking — Witch Beam / Humble Games
Appointed:
Chicory: a colorful story —Greg Lobanov / Finji
before your eyes — GoodbyeWorld Games / Skybound Games
Life is Strange: True Colors — Deck Nine Games / Square Enix
Lost Words: Beyond the Page — Sketchbook Games / Modus Games
Excellence in animation, art and visual production
Awarded to the game with the most well-designed and stunning visuals, including animation effects and graphics.
Forza Horizon 5 – Playground Games / Xbox Game Studios
Appointed:
Death Loop — Arkane Lyon / Bethesda Softworks
ExoOne – Exbleative Games / Future Friends
Kena: Bridge of Spirits —Ember Lab
The savage at heart – Moonlit Children / Humble Games
Excellence in Game Design
Awarded to the game with the best overall design concept, gameplay mechanics, and best execution.
Registration —Daniel Mullins Games/Devolver Digital
Appointed:
Death Loop — Arkane Lyon / Bethesda Softworks
loop hero — Four Quarters / Digital Devolver
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart – Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment
Return — House Brand / Sony Interactive Entertainment
Excellence in Original Score
Awarded to the game that best exemplifies artistic excellence in its original musical score and how it progresses through the game’s narrative.
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker – SQUARE-ENIX
Appointed:
The artistic escape — Beethoven and dinosaur / Annapurna Interactive
Kena: Bridge of Spirits —Ember Lab
The way — Bloober Team
Wytchwood — Alientrap Games / Whitethorn Games
Multiplayer Excellence
Awarded to the game with the best player-to-player interaction experience.
It takes two — Hazelight / Electronic Arts
Appointed:
Back 4 Blood — Turtle Rock Studios / Warner Bros. Games
Infinite Halo — 343 Industries / Xbox Game Studios
Republic of Horsemen — Ubisoft Annecy / Ubisoft
Valheim — Iron Gate Studio / Coffee Stain Publishing
Excellence in Storytelling
Awarded to the game with the best script and dialogue.
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker – SQUARE-ENIX
Appointed:
Death Loop — Arkane Lyon / Bethesda Softworks
Kena: Bridge of Spirits —Ember Lab
randomly lost — Zoink Games / Electronic Arts
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy — Eidos-Montreal / Square Enix
Excellence in Audio Design
Awarded to the game with the most outstanding and impactful sound effects.
Resident Evil Village —Capcom
Appointed:
Forza Horizon 5 – Playground Games / Xbox Game Studios
hell loose — Dark Matter / Team17
Registration — Four Quarters / Digital Devolver
Twelve Minutes —Luis Antonio / Annapurna Interactive
Excellence in technical achievement
Awarded to the game that pushed technology and programming capabilities furthest or most effectively.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart – Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment
Appointed:
before your eyes — GoodbyeWorld Games / Skybound Games
Forza Horizon 5 – Playground Games / Xbox Game Studios
hell loose — Dark Matter / Team17
Return — House Brand / Sony Interactive Entertainment
Congratulations to all the winners of the SXSW Gaming Awards 2022!
Photo credit: SQUARE ENIX