EVENTS AT GDC

15TH ANNUAL INDEPENDENT GAME FESTIVAL (IGF)

About the Independent Game Festival

The UBM TechWeb Game Network (producers of Game Developer magazine, Gamasutra.com, and the Game Developers Conference®) established the Independent Games Festival in 1998 to encourage innovation in game development and to recognize the best independent game developers. Just as the Sundance Film Festival benefits the independent film community, the IGF creates a similar event for independent game developers in addition to the student population of game developers.

Located at the Moscone Center at the Game Developers Conference, and open to any members of the public or game professionals who have passes with access to the Expo Floor, the IGF Pavilion showcases every single finalist for this year's Festival in playable form. Game submissions are also browsable on the official IGF site before and during GDC. Members of the development team for each IGF finalist are on hand to discuss and demonstrate the title and talk to top game publishers and distributors attending the show.

The IGF Awards will take place on Wednesday, March 27, at the Game Developers Conference, with thousands watching the awards presentation before the Game Developer's Choice Awards are presented. In its 15th year, the IGF has given away hundreds of thousands of dollars in prizes and major recognition to innovative and independently created video games from all over the world.

The IGF Awards will be streamed live on GameSpot on Wednesday, March 27.

IGF AWARDS

West Hall, Moscone Center

Wed., March 27, 2013

6:30-8:30 pm

IGF PAVILION

Expo Floor

March 27- March 29, 2013

IGF SUMMIT

Expo Floor

March 25 - March 26, 2013

IGF Contest Overview

IGF Competition
The main IGF Competition will give out eight major awards:

Seumas McNally Grand Prize ($30,000)
Excellence In Visual Art ($3,000)
Excellence in Audio ($3,000)

Excellence in Design ($3,000)
Technical Excellence ($3,000)
Nuovo Award ($3,000)
Audience Award ($3,000)

There are six specifically named finalists for each award, with the exception of the Nuovo Award, which has eight finalists. All finalists will be invited to the IGF award ceremony at GDC 2013, and will have their games showcased at the IGF Pavilion. The IGF Audience Award will be voted from the finalists in all other categories.

IGF Student Showcase winners ($1,000)
The IGF's Student Showcase will highlight a total of eight games this year.

IGF Best Student Game ($3,000)

In addition there will be a prize for best overall IGF Student Game awarded as part of the IGF Awards, with the finalists comprised of all the Student Showcase winners.

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Key IGF Dates & Deadlines

Here are specific submission deadlines for the 2011 event:

Aug. 9, 2012
Oct. 17, 2012
Oct. 31, 2012
Jan. 7, 2013
Jan. 14, 2013
Mar. 25 -29, 2013
Mar. 25 - 26, 2013
Mar. 27 - 29, 2013
Mar. 27, 2013

Submissions are Open
Submission Deadline, Main Competition
Submission Deadline, Student Competition
Finalists Announced, Main Competition
Finalists Announced, Student Competition
Game Developers Conference 2013
Indie Games Summit @ GDC
IGF Pavilion @ GDC
IGF Awards Ceremony (Winners Announced!)

Award Categories

Seumas McNally Grand Prize

2012 Winner:
Fez, by Polytron

Nuovo Award

2012 Winner:
Storyteller, by Daniel Benmergui

Excellence in Visual Arts

2012 Winner:
Dear Esther, by thechineseroom

Excellence in Audio

2012 Winner:
Botanicula, by Amanita Design

Excellence in Design

2012 Winner:
Spelunky, by Mossmouth

Best Student Game

2012 Winner:
Way, by CoCo & Co.

Technical Excellence

2012 Winner:
Antichamber, by Demruth

Audience Award

2012 Winner:
Frozen Synapse, by Mode 7 Games

Microsoft XBLA Award

2012 Winner:
Super T.I.M.E. Force, by Capy Games

To see all nominees, please visit IGF.com.

Questions?

If you have further questions, check the IGF FAQ or contact the IGF Chairman.

For information on IGF sponsorship opportunities, please click here.

For IGF's 2012 contest winners, click here