The Indie RPG Awards were annual, creator-based awards for Indie role-playing games and supplements. They were established in 2002 by Andy Kitkowski. The final round of awards was given in 2017.
For the purposes of the Awards, there exists a following "definition" of an Indie role-playing game:
A game where the creator is the person who has written at least 50% of the actual game content. A game where the creator has full control of content and publishing. A game where the creator is the publisher, with full control over expenses and profits.
Categories The following categories for nominations have been used throughout the history of the awards: Indie Game of the Year - the main award for Indie Games. Indie Supplement of the Year - for best Supplement for an Indie Game. Best Free Game - for free Indie Games. Best Support - for the publisher has best supported a previously published game or supplement. Best Production - for best written and most attractive Indie Games. Most Innovative Game - for games that stretch the RPG experience in new ways.
Additional categories were awarded in the first years of the awards: Best Use of the d20 License - presented only in 2002 Indie RPG Zine of the Year - presented only in 2002 Best Synergy - a game with a synergistic relationship between the setting and the rules; presented only in 2002 and 2003. Indie RPG "Human of the Year" - for Indie RPG creators and supporters; presented only in 2002 and 2003. Andy's Choice Award - determined by the originator of the awards; presented only in 2002, 2003 and 2004. People's Choice Award - decided by popular vote for best game and best supplement; presented only in 2004.
Winners
2002 Indie Game of the Year: Dust Devils by Matt Snyder Indie Supplement of the Year: Charnel Gods by Ron Edwards Best Free Game: Nicotine Girls by Paul Czege Best Use of the d20 License: The Kid's Colouring Book o Critters - Celebrity Edition by M. Jason Parent Best Production: Children of the Sun by Lewis Pollack Best Support: The Riddle of Steel by Jacob Norwood Best Synergy: Dust Devils Most Innovative Game: Universalis by Ralph Mazza and Mike Holmes Indie RPG "Human of the Year": Ron Edwards Indie RPG Zine of the Year: The Shadowrun Supplemental Andy's Choice: Charnel Gods by Scott Knipe
2003 Indie Game of the Year: My Life with Master by Paul Czege Indie Supplement of the Year: JAGS Have-Not Best Free Game: FATE by Fred Hicks Best Production: My Life with Master Best Support: FATE Best Synergy: My Life with Master Most Innovative Game: My Life with Master Indie RPG "Human of the Year": Luke Crane (spelled as Power of the Year) Andy's Choice: FATE
2004 Indie Game of the Year: Dogs in the Vineyard by D. Vincent Baker Indie Supplement of the Year: Monster Burner by Luke Crane Best Free Game: The Shadow of Yesterday by Clinton R. Nixon People's Choice - Best Game: Dead Inside by Chad Underkoffler People's Choice - Best Supplement: Monster Burner Best Production: A/State by Malcolm Craig Best Support: Monster Burner Most Innovative Game: Dogs in the Vineyard Andy's Choice: Primetime Adventures by Matt Wilson
2005 Indie Game of the Year: Polaris by Ben Lehman Indie Supplement of the Year: Burning Sands: Jihad by Luke Crane Best Free Game: Perfect20 by Levi Kornelsen Best Production: Artesia by Mark Smylie Best Support: Truth & Justice by Chad Underkoffler Most Innovative Game: Polaris
2006 Indie Game of the Year: Spirit of the Century by Fred Hicks Indie Supplement of the Year: Dictionary of Mu by Judd Carlman Best Free Game: JAGS Revised by Marco Chacon Best Production: Burning Empires by Luke Crane Best Support: Burning Empires Most Innovative Game: Lacuna Part 1, second attempt by Jared Sorensen
2007 Indie Game of the Year: Grey Ranks by Jason Morningstar Indie Supplement of the Year: The Blossoms are Falling by Luke Crane Best Free Game: Classroom Deathmatch by Jake Diamond and Matt Schlotte Best Production: Reign by Greg Stolze Best Support: The Blossoms are Falling Most Innovative Game: Grey Ranks
2008 Indie Game of the Year: Mouse Guard Roleplaying Game by Luke Crane and David Petersen Indie Supplement of the Year: Don't Lose Your Mind by Benjamin Baugh Best Free Game: (tie) Sea Dracula by Jake Richmond and Nick Smith and Sufficiently Advanced by Colin Fredericks Best Production: Mouse Guard Best Support: Mouse Guard Most Innovative Game: Sweet Agatha by Kevin Allen Jr.
2009 Indie Game of the Year: Kagematsu by Danielle Lewon Indie Supplement of the Year: The Day after Ragnarok by Kenneth Hite Best Free Game: Lady Blackbird: Adventures in the Wild Blue Yonder by John Harper Best Production: Lady Blackbird: Adventures in the Wild Blue Yonder Best Support: Fiasco by Jason Morningstar Most Innovative Game: A Penny for My Thoughts by Paul Tevis
2010 Indie Game of the Year: Apocalypse World by D. Vincent Baker Indie Supplement of the Year: The Hot War Transmission by Malcolm Craig and Scott Dorward Best Free Game: Stars Without Number by Kevin Crawford Best Production: Freemarket by Luke Crane and Jared Sorensen Best Support: Apocalypse World Most Innovative Game: Apocalypse World
2011 Indie Game of the Year: Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple by Daniel Solis Indie Supplement of the Year: Fiasco Companion by Jason Morningstar and Steve Segedy Best Free Game: Anima Prime by Christian Griffen Best Production: Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple Best Support: Fiasco Companion Most Innovative Game: Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple
2012 Indie Game of the Year: Dungeon World by Sage LaTorra and Adam Koebel Indie Supplement of the Year: American Disasters (for Fiasco) by Jason Morningstar and Steve Segedy Best Free Game: Mythender by Ryan Macklin Best Production: Dungeon World Best Support: Dungeon World Most Innovative Game: Dog Eat Dog by Liam Burke
2013 Indie Game of the Year: Hillfolk by Robin D. Laws Indie Supplement of the Year: Adventures on Dungeon Planet by Johnstone Metzger Best Production: Torchbearer by Thor Olavsrud and Luke Crane Best Support: Hillfolk Most Innovative Game: The Quiet Year by Avery Alder
2014 Indie Game of the Year: The Clay That Woke by Paul Czege Indie Supplement of the Year: Deep Carbon Observatory by Patrick Stewart, Scrap Princess Best Free Game: Dream Askew by Avery Alder Best Production: A Red and Pleasant Land by Zak S. Best Support: Deep Carbon Observatory Most Innovative Game: The Clay That Woke
2015 Indie Game of the Year: Night Witches by Jason Morningstar Indie Supplement of the Year: Fiasco Playset Anthology by Bully Pulpit Games Best Free Game: Sign by Hakan Seyalioglu and Kathryn Hymes Best Production: Fall of Magic by Ross Cowman Best Support: World Wide Wrestling RPG by Nathan D. Paoletta Most Innovative Game: Fall of Magic
2016
Indie Game of the Year: Blades in the Dark by John Harper Indie Supplement of the Year: Microscope Explorer by Ben Robbins Best Free Game: Quill: A Letter-Writing Roleplaying Game for a Single Player by Scott Malthouse Best Production: Blades in the Dark by John Harper Best Support: Blades in the Dark by John Harper Most Innovative Game: #Feminism: A Nano-Game Anthology edited by Misha Bushyager, Lizzie Stark, and Anna Westerling
2017
Indie Game of the Year: The Watch by Anna Kreider and Andrew Medeiros Indie Supplement of the Year: Itras By: The Menagerie by Ole Peder Giaver and others Best Production:Timewatch by Kevin Kulp and others Best Support: Timewatch Most Innovative Game: Alas for the Awful Sea by Hayley Gordon, Vee Hendro
Notes
External links Indie RPG Awards website previous Indie RPG Awards website (archived)