Before IndieDB.com revealed the winner of Indie-GOTY 2023, several honorable mentions were highlighted. IndieDB presented a quarterly ‘Year in Review’ montage as well as their Editor’s Choice and Best Upcoming award winners. As a matter of course, succeeding all entries in 2023, Lethal Company by Zeekerss came out as winner. Slay the Princess by Black Tabby Games and Occupy Mars: The Game by Pyramid Games, were 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Lethal Company was also Editor’s Choice for Best Co-op. Slay the Princess in the same light was chosen Best Narrative.
Next are the Indie of the Year 2023 finalists who made it into the top ten with their respective developer(s):
- Bob: A Thousand Lives by Putnai Casaba
- Shadows of Doubt by ColePowered, Fireshine Games
- Bzzzt by Karel Matejka aka KO.DLL
- Party Animals by Recreate Games
- dotAGE by CKC Games
- Sledders by Hanki Games, Bonus Stage Publishing
- Forgive Me Father 2 by Byte Barrel, Fulqrum Publishing
Editor’s Choice & Best Upcoming
Best Gameplay, Shadows of Doubt by ColePowered and Fireshine Games
Where Does the Time Go?, Sunkenland by Vector3 Studio
Best VR Game, Dungeons of Eternity by Othergate
Community Award, BIT.TRIP RERUNNER by Choice Provisions
Best Art Direction, Party Animals by Recreate Games and Source Technology
Most Creative, Dave the Diver by MintRocket
Best Multiplayer, Starship Troopers: Extermination by Offworld Industries
Best Singleplayer, Amnesia the Bunker by Frictional Games
Best Upcoming is player’s choice going to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl by GSC Game World to no surprise according to IndieDB. “Best Upcoming” represents the games players are most excited for in the next year and beyond. Similarly, Most Anticipated is Editor’s Choice and that award also went to GSC Game World. For a top ten list of finalists in the Best Upcoming category visit Indiedb.com.
Video Games considered “Indie” under IndieDB’s scope is a video game created by a team of 2 to 10 people with very little outside funding, if any. Development teams larger than that or with substantial funding or publishing assistance are only eligible for an IndieDB award if an exception is granted by IndieDB staff upon request.
