The Indie Game Developer Network (IGDN) is a trade association for developers of indie role-playing games, board games, card games, and LARPs. They present the annual Indie Groundbreaker Awards at Gen Con. Their other programs include a scholarship to attend the game designer convention Metatopia, a mentorship program, and a peer coaching program.
Indie Groundbreaker Awards The Indie Groundbreaker Awards began in 2016 and are offered in 5 categories: Game of the Year, Best Art, Best Setting, Best Rules, and Most Innovative. They are judged by a rotating panel of game designers. After the Indie RPG Awards gave their final set of awards in 2017, IGDN's Indie Groundbreaker Awards took on their function in the tabletop role-playing game community of evaluating and recognizing achievements in independent game design.
Award Winners by Year
2016 AwardGameCreditsGame of the YearA Real Gamehttps://auramakesgames.itch.io/Aura BelleBest ArtFall of MagicRoss Cowman (Heart of the Deernicorn)Best SettingDownfallCaroline Hobbs (Less Than Three Games)Best RulesDeath of LegendsImaginary EmpireMost Innovative183 Dayshttps://www.drivethrucards.com/product/144510/183-DaysTiny Knives
2017 AwardGameCreditsGame of the YearSeven WondersPelgrane PressBest ArtFellowshipLiberi Gothica GamesBest SettingWar BirdsBest RulesMasks: A New GenerationMagpie GamesMost InnovativeThe Beast
2018 AwardGameCreditsGame of the YearBluebeard's BrideWhitney "Strix" Beltrán, Marissa Kelly, Sarah Doombringer (Magpie Games)Best ArtBluebeard's BrideWhitney "Strix" Beltrán, Marissa Kelly, Sarah Doombringer (Magpie Games)Best SettingAreciboEvil Hat ProductionsBest RulesDamn the Man, Save the MusicHannah ShafferMost InnovativeFeastSharang BiswasGroundbreaking SupplementHarlem UnboundChris Spivey
2019 AwardGameCreditsGame of the YearDialect: A Game About Language and How It DiesKathryn Hymes and Hakan Seyalıoğlu (Thorny Games)Best ArtBluebeard's Bride: Book of RoomsWhitney "Strix" Beltrán, Marissa Kelly, Sarah Doombringer (Magpie Games)Best SettingThe Way of PukonaEvil Hat ProductionsBest RulesGood Society (game)Storybrewers Roleplaying (Vee Hendro and Hayley Gordon)Most InnovativeVerdureSharang Biswas
2020 AwardGameCreditsGame of the YearCompanions' TaleLaura SimpsonBest ArtHumblewoodHit Point PressBest SettingAfterlife: Wandering SoulsAngry Hamster PublishingBest RulesMazes9th Level GamesMost InnovativeIf I Were a Lich, Manhttp://ifiwerealichman.comLucian Kahn
2021 AwardGameCreditsGame of the YearCrescendo Giocoso RitornelloThe Italian Chamber OrchestraBest ArtLutong Banwahttps://diwatamnl.itch.io/lutong-banwaDiwata ng ManilaBest SettingKaranduun - Make God BleedJoaquin Kyle SaavedraBest RulesSlayersSpencer CampbellMost InnovativeThis Discord Has Ghosts In ItWill Jobst and Adam Vass (World Champ Game Co.)
2022 AwardGameCreditsGame of the YearBrave ZenithGiuliano Roverato and Rodrigo MelchiorBest ArtA Fantastic Longing for AdventureTim HutchingsBest SettingArcon: City of Neon DaylightKienna Shaw and Jason CutroneBest RulesGUN&SLINGERNevyn HolmesMost InnovativeMy Body is a CageBatts
2023 AwardGameCreditsGame of the YearSlugblaster: Kickflip Over a Quantum Centipedehttps://www.dicebreaker.com/games/slugblaster/news/slugblaster-tabletop-rpg-kickstarterMikey HammBest ArtDinocarhttps://www.dicebreaker.com/categories/roleplaying-game/best-games/zine-month-2023-rpgsJulie-Anne MuñozBest Graphic DesignButter PrincessBrian Sago, graphic design by Mike MartensBest SettingGubat BanwaJoaquin Kyle SaavedraBest RulesSaltfish and AlmanacsStorybrewers Roleplaying (Vee Hendro and Hayley Gordon)Most InnovativeThe Sticker Gamehttps://www.dicebreaker.com/games/the-sticker-game/news/sticker-game-rpgCassi Mothwin and Joshua Peters
References