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GDC Festival of Gaming
March 1-4, 2027
Moscone CenterSan Francisco, CA
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29th Annual Independent Games Festival Awards

Pass Type: Academic Pass, Festival Hall Pass, Festival Pass, Game Changer Pass, Indie Pass, Start-Up Pass - Get your pass now!
Track: Special Event
Audience Level: All
Format: Special Event
Vault Recording: Video
Audience Level: All

The 29th Independent Games Festival (IGF)

Since 1998, the Independent Games Festival has been the spotlight independent developers dream of standing in. Established to champion innovation and celebrate the boldest voices in game development, the IGF honors the creators who push boundaries, take risks, and remind us why indie games matter.

The festival unfolds across two unmissable experiences: the IGF Pavilion, where you can get hands-on with the year's most inventive and talked-about indie titles, and the IGF Awards Ceremony, where the industry gathers to celebrate the very best of independent game development. Both take place during the week of GDC, as part of the broader Festival of Gaming celebration.

At the ceremony, nine major awards are presented, each judged and juried by a panel of industry professionals and experts who know what it takes to create something truly original. Categories include recognition for:

  • Seumas McNally Grand Prize (the festival's top honor)
  • Excellence in Narrative
  • Excellence in Visual Art
  • Excellence in Audio
  • Excellence in Design
  • Nuovo Award (for abstract and unconventional game development)
  • Best Student Game
  • and more!

Whether you're a longtime indie fan or discovering this community for the first time, the IGF is where you'll find the games that are redefining what's possible, and the developers daring enough to make them.

Doors open at 6PM!

Learn more at https://igf.com/