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‘Before Your Eyes,’ which tasks players to navigate an emotional story through blinking, is among the nominees for a cultural innovation award given to a game that challenges the «norm» of everyday gaming.
By Trilby Beresford
Associate Editor
The South by Southwest Gaming Awards unveiled the final nominations on Tuesday for its ninth annual celebration of technical, artistic and design achievements in video games.
Among the titles competing for game of the year is the family-themed It Takes Two from Hazelight Studios and director Josef Fares, along with Psychonauts 2, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Resident Evil Village and Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker.
Ember Lab’s debut action adventure game Kena: Bridge of Spirits leads the nominations with four, including best indie game and best narrative. Chicory: A Colorful Tale and Unpacking are also among the indie nominees, both of which feature relaxing gameplay and have gained dedicated followings online.
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Before Your Eyes, which tasks players to navigate an emotional story through blinking, is among the contenders for the Matthew Crump Cultural Innovation Award, given to a game that challenges the “norm” of everyday gaming.
“In a year where the convergence of the gaming and entertainment industry continues to evolve at a rapid pace, SXSW is proud to showcase the most creative and innovative titles,” said Hugh Forrest, chief programming officer for SXSW. “For a second year, SXSW is excited to bring the awards digitally to a global audience with our new partners Peach Maria Productions.”
Public voting is now available online, and winners will be determined through a weighted total that includes advisory board and SXSW staff input. The awards will be offered digitally as part of SXSW Online on March 12 during the festival’s run.
See the full list of nominees below.
SXSW Game of the Year
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker SQUARE ENIX® SQUARE ENIX®
It Takes Two Hazelight Electronic Arts
Psychonauts 2 Double Fine Productions Xbox Game Studios
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Insomniac Games Sony Interactive Entertainment
Resident Evil Village Capcom Capcom
Indie Game of the Year
Chicory: A Colorful Tale Greg Lobanov Finji
Death’s Door Acid Nerve Devolver Digital
Inscryption Daniel Mullins Games Devolver Digital
Kena: Bridge of Spirits Ember Lab Ember Lab
Loop Hero Four Quarters Devolver Digital
Lost Words: Beyond the Page Sketchbook Games Modus Games
The Medium Bloober Team Bloober Team
The Wild At Heart Moonlight Kids Humble Games
Unpacking Witch Beam Humble Games
Valheim Iron Gate Studio Coffee Stain Publishing
Tabletop Game of the Year
Cascadia Randy Flyn, Beth Sobel, Flatout Games
Dylan Mangini, Molly Johnson,
Robert Melvin, Kevin Russ, and
Shawn Stankewich
Dune: Imperium Dire Wolf Digital Dire Wolf Digital
Oath: Chronicles of
Empire & Exile Cole Wehrle Leder Games
Roll Camera! The Filmmaking Malachi Ray Rempen Keen Bean Studio
Board Game
That Time You Killed Me Peter C. Hayward, Jeff Fraser, Pandasaurus Games and Alex Cutler
VR Game of the Year
After The Fall Vertigo Games Vertigo Games
Demeo Resolution Games Resolution Games
Lone Echo II Ready at Dawn Oculus Studios
Resident Evil 4 VR Armature Studio Oculus Studios
Song in the Smoke 17-BIT 17-BIT
Matthew Crump Cultural Innovation Award
(Awarded to a game that best challenges the “norm” of everyday gaming and offers a culturally innovative view of a game world, character, or gameplay.)
Before Your Eyes Goodbye World Games Skybound Games
Chicory: A Colorful Tale Greg Lobanov Finji
Life is Strange: True Colors Deck Nine Games Square Enix
Lost Words: Beyond the Page Sketchbook Games Modus Games
Unpacking Witch Beam Humble Games
Excellence in Animation, Art, & Visual Achievement
Deathloop Arkane Lyon Bethesda Softworks
Exo One Exbleative Future Friends Games
Forza Horizon 5 Playground Games Xbox Game Studios
Kena: Bridge of Spirits Ember Lab Ember Lab
The Wild At Heart Moonlight Kids Humble Games
Excellence in Game Design
Deathloop Arkane Lyon Bethesda Softworks
Inscryption Daniel Mullins Games Devolver Digital
Loop Hero Four Quarters Bethesda Softworks
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Insomniac Games Sony Interactive Entertainment
Returnal Housemarque Sony Interactive Entertainment
Excellence in Original Score
The Artful Escape Beethoven & Dinosaur Annapurna Interactive
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker SQUARE ENIX® SQUARE ENIX®
Kena: Bridge of Spirits Ember Lab Ember Lab
The Medium Bloober Team Bloober Team
Wytchwood Alientrap Games Whitethorn Games
Excellence in Multiplayer
Back 4 Blood Turtle Rock Studios Warner Bros. Games
Halo Infinite 343 Industries Xbox Game Studios
It Takes Two Hazelight Electronic Arts
Riders Republic Ubisoft Annecy Ubisoft
Valheim Iron Gate Studio Coffee Stain Publishing
Excellence in Narrative
Deathloop Arkane Lyon Bethesda Softworks
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker SQUARE ENIX® SQUARE ENIX®
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Eidos-Montréal Square Enix
Kena: Bridge of Spirits Ember Lab Ember Lab
Lost in Random Zoink Games Electronic Arts
Excellence in Audio Design
Forza Horizon 5 Playground Games Xbox Game Studios
Hell Let Loose Black Matter Team17
Inscryption Daniel Mullins Games Devolver Digital
Resident Evil Village Capcom Capcom
Twelve Minutes Luis Antonio Annapurna Interactive
Excellence in Technical Achievement
Before Your Eyes GoodbyeWorld Games Skybound Games
Hell Let Loose Black Matter Team17
Forza Horizon 5 Playground Games Xbox Game Studios
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Insomniac Games Sony Interactive Entertainment
Returnal Housemarque Sony Interactive Entertainment
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