IGF Awards 2025 finalists revealed

GDC 2025 has revealed the finalists for the 27th annual Independent Games Festival (IGF).

From almost 500 entries, the jurors selected the finalists "after playing, discussing, and meticulously evaluating them" for each category: Audio, Visual, Student, Nuovo, Design, Narrative, and the Seumas McNally Grand Prize.

Jenny Jiao Hsia and AP Thomson, who developed Consume Me, lead the nominations in five categories, including Excellence in Design, Excellence in Narrative, Excellence in Visual Arts, the Nuovo Award, and the Seumas McNally Grand Prize.

Despelote, developed by Julián Cordero and Sebastian Valbuena, secured four nominations: Excellence in Audio, Excellence in Narrative, the Nuovo Award, and the Seumas McNally Grand Prize.

The full list of finalists - as well as honourable mentions - can be found on the IGF website.

The IGF is part of GDC, which is running in person at San Francisco’s Moscone Convention Center from March 17-21. The winners will be announced during the IGF Awards on March 26 and broadcast on Twitch.