‘Balatro' Wins Game of the Year at Game Developers Choice Awards; ‘Consume Me' Takes Top Honor for Independent Games Festival
From LocalThunk and Playstack, 'Balatro' is a indie roguelike deckbuilding game that has a 'unique spin on the timeless card game Poker where players build unique decks with a variety of distinct cards to score points and defeat blinds within the roguelike gameplay.'
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During the 25th edition of annual awards show, which took place at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco amid the Game Developers Conference, 'Balatro' also won Best Debut, Innovation Award and Best Design.
PlayStation Studios-owned Team ASOBI's 'Astro Bot' was the runner-up in total wins for the night, taking Best Audio and Best Technology.
Other winners included 'Black Myth: Wukong' (Game Science), which won Best Visual Art, 'Metaphor: ReFantazio' (Studio Zero / ATLUS) which received Best Narrative, 'Life is Strange: Double Exposure' (Deck Nine Games / Square Enix) which won the Social Impact Award and 'Final Fantasy VII Rebirth' (Square Enix) which took the Audience Award.
Additionally, the GDCA honored writer and director Sam Lake with the Lifetime Achievement Award and Lucas Pope with the Pioneer Award.
Earlier in the evening, the 27th annual Independent Games Festival, which took place back to back with Game Developers Choice Awards at the Moscone Convention Center, 'Consume Me,' won the Seumas McNally Grand Prize for Best Independent Game. Described as a 'darkly humorous personal game' about creator Jenny Jiao Hsia's relationship with food, 'Consume Me' draws from her past experiences with dieting and disordered eating.
Previous IGF prize winners have included 'Venba,' 'Neon White,' 'TUNIC,' 'Return of the Obra Dinn' and 'Her Story.'
See the full list of the 2025 Game Developers Choice Award winners below.
Best DebutBalatro (LocalThunk / Playstack)
Best Visual ArtBlack Myth: Wukong (Game Science)
Best AudioAstro Bot (PlayStation Studios Team ASOBI / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Best NarrativeMetaphor: ReFantazio (Studio Zero / ATLUS)
Social Impact AwardLife is Strange: Double Exposure (Deck Nine Games / Square Enix)
Innovation AwardBalatro (LocalThunk / Playstack)
Best TechnologyAstro Bot (PlayStation Studios Team ASOBI / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Best DesignBalatro (LocalThunk / Playstack)
Audience AwardFinal Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix)
Game of the YearBalatro (LocalThunk / Playstack)
Pioneer AwardLucas Pope
Lifetime Achievement AwardSam Lake
And below are the winners of the 27th annual IGF Awards:
Excellence in Visual Art ($2,000)Hauntii (Moonloop Games / Firestoke)
Excellence in Audio ($2,000)Despelote (Julián Cordero, Sebastian Valbuena / Panic)
Excellence in Design ($2,000)Tactical Breach Wizards (Suspicious Developments)
Excellence in Narrative ($2,000)Caves of Qud (Freehold Games / Kitfox Games)
Nuovo Award ($2,000)Consume Me (Jenny Jiao Hsia, AP Thomson, Jie En Lee, Violet W-P, Ken 'coda' Snyder)
Best Student Game ($2,000)Slot Waste (Vinny Roca)
Audience Award ($2,000)The WereCleaner (The WereCleaner Team / USC Games)
alt.ctrl.GDC Award ($2,000)ChromaCorp (Art Center)
Seumas McNally Grand Prize ($10,000)Consume Me (Jenny Jiao Hsia, AP Thomson, Jie En Lee, Violet W-P, Ken 'coda' Snyder)
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