The awards night celebrated the best in games made in Australia but wasn’t without controversy.
Jordan Mochi’s debut game CONSCRIPT secured the top prize, alongside Excellence in Art and Emerging at an event held at the Forum in Melbourne last night.
Chaos Theory Games was the only other studio to win multiple awards picking up Studio of the Year and Excellence in Impact for CRAB GOD.
The Rising Star award was shared by developer Ben Armstrong and curator Chloe Appleby for their work championing the industry, and Ross Symons of Big Ant won the Adam Lancman award for a long term career achievement.
SOLIUM INFERNUM the critically acclaimed strategy game from Melbourne studio League of Geeks which recently reduced in size was controversially not a finalist in any category.
Sources speaking to SIFTER on background questioned the process of how the AGDAs were run this year, which would see the game miss out from consideration across multiple characters.
A full list of winners are below, congratulations to all who were nominated.
Game of the Year: CONSCRIPT, by Catchweight Studio (VIC)
Excellence in Art: CONSCRIPT, by Catchweight Studio (VIC)
Excellence in Gameplay: Wild Bastards, by Blue Manchu (ACT)
Excellence in Narrative: Capes, by Spitfire Interactive (QLD)
Excellence in Sound Design: Cozy Caravan, by 5 Lives Studios (QLD)
Excellence in Music: Diets & Deities, by Larrikin Interactive (NT)
Excellence in Accessibility: Bears In Space, by Broadside Games (QLD)
Excellence in Mobile: Dumb Ways to Survive, by PlaySide Studios (VIC), and Earn to Die Rogue, by Not Doppler (NSW)
Excellence in Mixed Reality: Max Mustard, by Toast Interactive (QLD)
Excellence in Impact: Crab God, by Chaos Theory Games (NSW)
Excellence in Emerging: CONSCRIPT, by Catchweight Studio (VIC)
Excellence in Live Service: The Sims FreePlay, by EA Firemonkeys Studio (VIC)
The Rising Star Award: Chloe Appleby and Ben Armstrong
The Adam Lancman Award: Ross Symons
Studio of the Year: Chaos Theory Games (NSW)
