The nominations for the 2026 IGF Awards have been announced, with walking simulator Baby Steps leading the pack on five nominations. TV simulator Blippo+ has also achieved multiple nominations, alongside surreal strategy game Titanium Court and Santa Ragione’s surreal horror Horses.
The annual IGF Awards aim to highlight more esoteric, creatively intriguing games, with many on this year’s list being creative experiments, or otherwise dealing with strange, not-commonly-touched subject matter, fresh gameplay elements, or novel ideas.
Browsing this year’s nominees is a great way to learn about under-the-radar gameplay experiences, and particularly those that elevate the art of game development in new ways.
In the past, the IGF Awards have been a launching platform for great, genre-changing experiences, with the likes of Balatro, Indika, and Inscryption getting a major spotlight at the awards.
With over 800 entries to the awards this year, the IGF curation team has selected an array of well-deserving games to be celebrated. Here’s the full list of nominees for the 2026 IGF Awards.
2026 IGF Awards nominations – quick links
Best Student Game
- BubbleBeast DigiDungeon (EchoLane)
- Kiloton (Jack Morehart)
- Poco (Whalefall, Micah Boursier)
- Prší (Herdek)
- Sip Fisher (Syphon Software)
- SPRKLS.exe (PesiiDom)
Honorable Mentions: Myth of Lumi (Luminara Games, USC Games), Candellum (ISART Digital), Summit Drive (Luke Kim), Grindset T.V. (Michael Overton Brown)
Excellence in Audio
- Baby Steps (Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy, Devolver Digital)
- Ball x Pit (Kenny Sun & Friends, Devolver Digital)
- Blippo+ (YACHT, Telefantasy Studios, Noble Robot, Panic)
- Eclipsium (Housefire, CRITICAL REFLEX)
- Morsels (Furcula, Annapurna Interactive)
- Wheel World (Messhof, Annapurna Interactive)
Honorable Mentions: The Drifter (Powerhoof), Angeline Era (Analgesic Productions), Skate Story (by Sam Eng, Devolver Digital), Demonschool (Necrosoft Games, Ysbryd Games), Skin Deep (Blendo Games, Annapurna Interactive)
Excellence in Design
- Angeline Era (Analgesic Productions)
- Baby Steps (Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy, Devolver Digital)
- Öoo (NamaTakahashi, tiny cactus, NamaTakahashi)
- Skin Deep (Blendo Games, Annapurna Interactive)
- Titanium Court (AP Thomson, Fellow Traveler)
- Time Flies (Playables, Time Flies)
Honorable Mentions: Strange Jigsaws (FLEB), Below The Crown (Misfits Attic, Shochiku), Is This Seat Taken? (Poti Poti Studio, Wholesome Games Presents), Henry Halfhead (Lululu Entertainment, popagenda), Type Help (William Rous)
Excellence in Narrative
- Baby Steps (Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy, Devolver Digital)
- Perfect Tides: Station to Station (Three Bees)
- Promise Mascot Agency (Kaizen Game Works)
- Titanium Court (AP Thomson, Fellow Traveler)
- Type Help (William Rous)
- Wednesdays (The Pixel Hunt, ARTE France)
Honorable Mentions: Blippo+ (YACHT, Telefantasy Studios, Noble Robot, Panic), HORSES (Andrea Lucco Borlera, Santa Ragione), The Roottrees Are Dead (Evil Trout Inc.), Sorry We’re Closed (à la mode games, Akupara Games)
Excellence in Visual Arts
- Blippo+ (YACHT, Telefantasy Studios, Noble Robot, Panic)
- CARIMARA: Beneath the forlorn limbs (Bastinus Rex, CRITICAL REFLEX)
- Eclipsium (Housefire, CRITICAL REFLEX)
- Loco Motive (Robust Games, Chucklefish)
- Morsels (Furcula, Annapurna Interactive)
- Skate Story (Sam Eng, Devolver Digital)
Honorable Mentions: Sol Cesto (Antoine Druaux, Géraud Zucchini, Chariospirale, Goblinz Publishing), Is This Seat Taken? (Poti Poti Studio, Wholesome Games Presents), The Drifter (Powerhoof), Demonschool (Necrosoft Games, Ysbryd Games), Henry Halfhead (Lululu Entertainment, popagenda), PBJ – The Musical (kamibox)
Nuovo Award
- Baby Steps (Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy, Devolver Digital)
- Blippo+ (YACHT, Telefantasy Studios, Noble Robot, Panic)
- HORSES (Andrea Lucco Borlera, Santa Ragione)
- Mini Mini Golf Golf (Three More Years)
- Plum Road Tea Dream (Reveal Game Studio)
- Titanium Court (AP Thomson, Fellow Traveler))
- kevin’s PLAYING in berlin (Kevin Du
- Wednesdays (The Pixel Hunt, ARTE France)
Honorable Mentions: The End of Gameplay (droqen), No Players Online (Beeswax Games, Black Lantern Collective), The House Dreams Along With Them (Jeffrey Nordin), Type Help (William Rous), _ΩMEGA_POINT (cathroon), Dreamcore (Montraluz, Tlön Industries), Threshold (Julien Eveillé, Critical Reflex)
Seumas McNally Grand Prize
- Baby Steps (Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy, Devolver Digital)
- Angeline Era (Melos Han-Tani, Marina Kittaka, Analgesic Productions, Analgesic Productions)
- Blippo+ (YACHT, Telefantasy Studios, Noble Robot, Panic)
- HORSES (Andrea Lucco Borlera, Santa Ragione)
- Titanium Court (AP Thomson)
- Perfect Tides: Station to Station (Three Bees, Three Bees)
Honorable Mentions: Eclipsium (Housefire, Critical Reflex), Time Flies (Playables, Time Flies), Skate Story (by Sam Eng, Devolver Digital), Skin Deep (Blendo Games, Annapurna Interactive), Ball X Pit (Kenny Sun & Friends, Devolver Digital), Demonschool (Necrosoft Games, Ysbryd Games), The Drifter (Powerhoof)
