The finalists for the 2025 Australian Game Developer Awards (AGDAs) have been announced, with an array of newly-released Australian games getting nods across the board. Leading the charge with six nominations is Powerhoof’s The Drifter, and many other games including Mars First Logistics, Shattered, and PROXIMATE have also received nods in multiple categories.
With games charting far-off worlds, and some more familiar, the nominees are an eclectic bunch that reveal the breadth and talent of game developers working in Australia. From musical rhythm games to mystery adventures, there’s plenty of cool, innovative titles in the lot.
‘Again we are in awe of the creativity and diversity of games that were submitted for consideration to the 2025 AGDAs,’ Ron Curry, CEO of IGEA said in a press release. ‘The government funding support at both a federal and state level is empowering developers to create and deliver exceptional projects, stories and IP to delighted players across the world in somewhat challenging times.’
‘We congratulate all the entrants this year. Simply shipping a game is an incredible achievement in itself.’
AGDAs 2025: Full list of award finalists
Here’s the full list of award finalists for the 2025 AGDAs.
Game of the Year
- Mars First Logistics (Shape Shop)
- The Drifter (Powerhoof)
- PROXIMATE (Cain Maddox)
- Shattered (PlaySide Studios)
Excellence in Visual Art
- Cast n Chill (Wombat Brawler)
- The Drifter (Powerhoof)
- Mars First Logistics (Shape Shop)
Excellence in Gameplay
- Mars First Logistics (Shape Shop)
- PROXIMATE (Cain Maddox)
- The Drifter (Powerhoof)
Excellence in Narrative
- PROXIMATE (Cain Maddox)
- Copycat (Spoonful of Wonder)
- The Drifter (Powerhoof)
Excellence in Sound Design
- The Drifter (Powerhoof)
- PROXIMATE (Cain Maddox)
- Tempopo (Witch Beam)
Excellence in Music – Sponsored by APRA AMCOS
- Copycat (Spoonful of Wonder)
- Tempopo (Witch Beam)
- The Drifter (Powerhoof)
Excellence in Accessibility – Presented by VicScreen
- Letters to Arralla (Little Pink Clouds)
- Tempopo (Witch Beam)
- Moonlight in Garland (Violet LeBeaux)
Excellence in Mobile
- Feed the Deep (Luke Muscat)
- Carmen Sandiego (Gameloft Brisbane)
- Nyiyaparli Widi (Co-Designed and Technical Development by DEPT)
Excellence in Extended Reality
- Dumb Ways: Free For All (PlaySide Studios)
- Starship Home (Creature)
- Shattered (PlaySide Studios)
Excellence in Impact
- Nyiyaparli Widi (Co-Designed and Technical Development by DEPT)
- Shattered (PlaySide Studios)
- Copycat (Spoonful of Wonder)
Excellence in Debut – Sponsored by Screen Queensland
- Misc. A Tiny Tale (Tinyware Games)
- PROXIMATE (Cain Maddox)
- Starship Home (Creature)
Excellence in Ongoing – Sponsored by Sledgehammer Games
- RISK: Global Domination (SMG Studio)
- Crossy Road (Hipster Whale)
- Cult of the Lamb (Massive Monster)
The winners of the AGDAs 2025 will be announced on-stage and via livestream on 8 October 2025. Notably, this year’s show will take place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre in Melbourne, Australia, with hosting duties handled by Jordan Raskopoulos and Friend, aka Lee Naimo.
Also on ScreenHub: Smart Program 2025: Meet the latest game dev cohort
Organisers for the Smart Program 2025 have revealed the next game developer cohort for the annual program, with each set to undertake rigorous training to accelerate their careers, and push forward burgeoning projects. As in past years, the Smart Program is an important one to watch, with many graduates going on to contribute much to the local Australian game development scene.
As outlined, this year’s cohort will be supported over a 90-day program filled with professional training, knowledge sharing, mentoring, and networking opportunities. Support provided by the City of Melbourne and the City of Port Phillip makes much of this possible, allowing for an robust program supported by key game developers working within the state.
‘Melbourne is Australia’s game-development capital, so we’re excited and proud to back the industry’s next generation of talent,’ Andrew Rowse, Portfolio Head for Innovation and Education, City of Melbourne, said in a press release.
Disclosure: Leah J. Williams served as a judge on the voting panel for the 2025 AGDAs.
