The eventual winners of the eighth annual SXSW Gaming Awards have been announced, honoring the industry’s most innovative and successful titles, teams, and individuals across 12 categories.

The winners were announced during a virtual SXSW Gaming Awards show hosted by Discord and created in collaboration with IGN. Unique segments of the creative process behind the games, talents that inspired and progressed the gaming world in 2020, and sneak peeks at exciting upcoming projects were also featured at the ceremony.

This year’s SXSW Gaming Awards had 43 nominations in 12 categories, with winners decided by a weighted total of staff and advisory board input, as well as votes from the audience. It is a step in the right direction for gamers and the casino industry as a whole, and gaming enthusiasts can expect more casino news from the most reliable sources.

Winners per categories

Best Video Game of the Year

Awarded to the game that, across all platforms and genres, exemplifies overall quality and creates a special gaming experience.
Winner: Hades — Supergiant Games

Indie Game of the Year

Awarded to the independent game that excels in all areas and provides a unique gaming experience across all platforms and genres.
Winner: Deep Rock Galactic — Ghost Ship Games / Coffee Stain Publishing

Tabletop Game of the Year

Awarded to the tabletop game that best exemplifies overall excellence and creativity throughout every genre.
Winner: The Search for Planet X — Renegade Game Studios / Foxtrot Games

VR Game of the Year

Given to the VR game that demonstrates overall excellence in gameplay and design on any VR platform.
Winner: Half-Life: Alyx — Valve

Matthew Crump Cultural Innovation Award

The Matthew Crump Cultural Innovation Award is presented to the game that best defies the “standard” of daily gaming by providing a culturally creative viewpoint on a game environment, character, or gameplay.
Winner: Dreams — Media Molecule / Sony Interactive Entertainment

Excellence in Animation, Art, & Visual Achievement

The game with the most well-designed and beautiful visuals, including animation effects and graphics, receives this award.
Winner: Ghost of Tsushima — Sucker Punch Productions / Sony Interactive Entertainment

Excellence in Game Design

Awarded to the game with the best overall design concept, gameplay mechanics, and implementation wins.
Winner: Hades — Supergiant Games

Excellence in Score

Awarded to the game with the highest technical excellence in musical score and how it advances the game’s plot.
Winner: Ori and the Will of the Wisps — Moon Studios / Xbox Game Studios

Excellence in Multiplayer

Awarded to the game with the most enjoyable player-to-player interaction.
Winner: Deep Rock Galactic — Ghost Ship Games / Coffee Stain Publishing

Excellence in Narrative

The game with the best plot and dialogue is given this award.
Winner: The Last of Us Part II — Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment

Excellence in Audio Design

The game with the most excellent and impactful sound effects receives this award.
Winner: DOOM Eternal — id Software / Bethesda Softworks

Excellence in Technical Achievement

Awarded to the game that most successfully or farthest pushed the capabilities of technology and programming.
Winner: Microsoft Flight Simulator — Asobo Studio / Xbox Game Studios

Congratulations to this year’s winners!