Indie Game Developer Network Explained

The Indie Game Developer Network (IGDN) is a trade association for developers of indie role-playing games, board games, card games, and LARPs.[1] They present the annual Indie Groundbreaker Awards at Gen Con.[2] [3] [4] Their other programs include a scholarship to attend the game designer convention Metatopia, a mentorship program, and a peer coaching program.[5] [6]

Indie Groundbreaker Awards

The Indie Groundbreaker Awards began in 2016 and are offered in 5 categories: Game of the Year, Best Art, Best Setting, Best Rules, and Most Innovative. They are judged by a rotating panel of game designers. After the Indie RPG Awards gave their final set of awards in 2017,[7] IGDN's Indie Groundbreaker Awards took on their function in the tabletop role-playing game community of evaluating and recognizing achievements in independent game design.

Award Winners by Year

2016

AwardGameCredits
Game of the YearA Real Game[8] Aura Belle
Best ArtFall of Magic[9] Ross Cowman (Heart of the Deernicorn)
Best SettingDownfall[10] Caroline Hobbs (Less Than Three Games)
Best RulesDeath of Legends[11] Imaginary Empire
Most Innovative183 Days[12] Tiny Knives

2017

AwardGameCredits
Game of the YearSeven Wonders[13] Pelgrane Press
Best ArtFellowship[14] Liberi Gothica Games
Best SettingWar Birds
Best Rules[15] Magpie Games
Most InnovativeThe Beast

2018

AwardGameCredits
Game of the YearBluebeard's Bride[16] Whitney "Strix" Beltrán, Marissa Kelly, Sarah Doombringer (Magpie Games)
Best ArtBluebeard's Bride[17] Whitney "Strix" Beltrán, Marissa Kelly, Sarah Doombringer (Magpie Games)
Best SettingArecibo[18] Evil Hat Productions
Best RulesDamn the Man, Save the Music[19] Hannah Shaffer
Most InnovativeFeast[20] Sharang Biswas
Groundbreaking SupplementHarlem Unbound[21] Chris Spivey

2019

AwardGameCredits
Game of the YearDialect: A Game About Language and How It Dies[22] Kathryn Hymes and Hakan Seyalıoğlu (Thorny Games)
Best ArtBluebeard's Bride: Book of Rooms[23] Whitney "Strix" Beltrán, Marissa Kelly, Sarah Doombringer (Magpie Games)
Best SettingThe Way of Pukona[24] Evil Hat Productions
Best RulesGood Society (game)[25] Storybrewers Roleplaying (Vee Hendro and Hayley Gordon)
Most InnovativeVerdure[26] Sharang Biswas

2020

AwardGameCredits
Game of the YearCompanions' Tale[27] Laura Simpson
Best ArtHumblewood[28] Hit Point Press
Best SettingAfterlife: Wandering Souls[29] Angry Hamster Publishing
Best RulesMazes[30] 9th Level Games
Most InnovativeIf I Were a Lich, Man[31] Lucian Kahn

2021

AwardGameCredits
Game of the YearCrescendo Giocoso Ritornello[32] The Italian Chamber Orchestra
Best ArtLutong Banwa[33] Diwata ng Manila
Best SettingKaranduun - Make God Bleed[34] Joaquin Kyle Saavedra
Best RulesSlayers[35] Spencer Campbell
Most InnovativeThis Discord Has Ghosts In It[36] Will Jobst and Adam Vass (World Champ Game Co.)

2022

AwardGameCredits
Game of the YearBrave Zenith[37] Giuliano Roverato and Rodrigo Melchior
Best ArtA Fantastic Longing for Adventure[38] Tim Hutchings
Best SettingArcon: City of Neon Daylight[39] Kienna Shaw and Jason Cutrone
Best RulesGUN&SLINGER[40] Nevyn Holmes
Most InnovativeMy Body is a Cage[41] Batts

2023

AwardGameCredits
Game of the YearSlugblaster: Kickflip Over a Quantum Centipede[42] [43] Mikey Hamm
Best ArtDinocar[44] Julie-Anne Muñoz
Best Graphic DesignButter PrincessBrian Sago, graphic design by Mike Martens
Best SettingGubat BanwaJoaquin Kyle Saavedra
Best RulesSaltfish and AlmanacsStorybrewers Roleplaying (Vee Hendro and Hayley Gordon)
Most InnovativeThe Sticker Game[45] Cassi Mothwin and Joshua Peters

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2022-08-02 . The Gaming Shelf Celebrates the Indie Groundbreaker Awards . 2023-03-27 . Gizmodo . en.
  2. Web site: Indie Game Developer Network . 2023-03-27 . Indie Game Developer Network . en-US.
  3. Web site: Indie Game Developer Network . 2023-03-27 . Dicebreaker . en.
  4. Web site: Wieland . Rob . August 2, 2018 . THESE 5 INCREDIBLE INDIE RPGS ARE GROUNDBREAKING (AND AWARD-WINNING) . Nerdist.
  5. Web site: Girdwood . Andrew . 2022-09-11 . 2022 IGDN Diversity Sponsorship opens applications and funding . 2023-03-27 . Geek Native . en-GB.
  6. Web site: Serena and the Power of Collaborative Indie Game Development . 2023-03-28 . the-artifice.com . 26 July 2015 . en.
  7. Web site: Indie RPG Awards . 2023-03-27 . www.indie-rpg-awards.com.
  8. https://auramakesgames.itch.io/
  9. Web site: Fall of Magic – Heart of the Deernicorn .
  10. Web site: Downfall: Less Than Three Games .
  11. Web site: DriveThruRPG .
  12. https://www.drivethrucards.com/product/144510/183-Days
  13. Web site: Seven Wonders – A Story Games Anthology . 18 November 2015 .
  14. Web site: DriveThruRPG .
  15. Web site: Masks .
  16. Web site: Bluebeard .
  17. Web site: Bluebeard .
  18. Web site: DriveThruRPG .
  19. Web site: Damn the Man, Save the Music! By Turtlebun .
  20. Web site: Feast by astrolingus .
  21. Web site: Harlem Unbound - 2nd Edition - PDF .
  22. Web site: Dialect: A Game about Language and How it Dies .
  23. Web site: Book of Rooms .
  24. Web site: DriveThruRPG .
  25. Web site: Good Society: A Jane Austen Roleplaying Game .
  26. Web site: Verdure by astrolingus .
  27. Web site: Companions' Tale [Print+PDF] :: Print+PDF Bundles :: IPR .
  28. Web site: Humblewood .
  29. Web site: Afterlife: Wandering Souls [Book & PDF] | Angry Hamster Publishing . 11 September 2019 .
  30. Web site: Mazes | 9th Level Games .
  31. http://ifiwerealichman.com
  32. Web site: Crescendo Giocoso Ritornello by NessunDove .
  33. https://diwatamnl.itch.io/lutong-banwa
  34. Web site: Karanduun - Make God Bleed Edition by makapatag .
  35. Web site: Slayers by Gila RPGS .
  36. Web site: This Discord Has Ghosts in It by will jobst, World Champ Game Co .
  37. Web site: Brave Zenith by Roll 4 Tarrasque .
  38. Web site: A Fantastic Longing for Adventure by timhutchings .
  39. Web site: Arcon by KiennaS, JustJasonPls .
  40. Web site: GUN&SLINGER by Nevyn Holmes .
  41. Web site: My Body is a Cage by Batts .
  42. Web site: Carter . Chase . 2023-08-01 . IGDN’s 2023 Groundbreaker winners include a 90-pound butter heist, reality-spanning stickers and dinos in cars . 2024-09-26 . Dicebreaker . en.
  43. https://www.dicebreaker.com/games/slugblaster/news/slugblaster-tabletop-rpg-kickstarter
  44. https://www.dicebreaker.com/categories/roleplaying-game/best-games/zine-month-2023-rpgs
  45. https://www.dicebreaker.com/games/the-sticker-game/news/sticker-game-rpg

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