The SXSW Sydney Games Festival is back and heating up. Over a dynamic week, the festival brings together some of the boldest, most original and genre-defying titles from around the world, spotlighting the visionaries shaping the future of gaming.
Celebrations will culminate with the SXSW Sydney Game and Screen Awards kicking off at UTS Underground on Saturday, October 18th at 7pm. Expect a night of developers, dreamers, and avid players colliding in a party turned celebration to pay homage to the world’s greatest games.
From nimble indie startups to powerhouse studios, this award celebrates trailblazers who are reimagining what’s possible in gaming. Take a look at this year’s nominees, highlighting each category below…
SXSW Sydney Discovery Awards
Celebrating blockbuster titles from emerging developers or new studios featured at the SXSW Sydney Games Showcase.
Beyond the Board – Fragile Shapes Studio Compress(space) – B-Deshi Interactive Desktop Explorer – Recurring Dream Letters to Arralla – Little Pink Clouds PRŠÍ – Herdek Kolektiv SXSW Sydney Best International Game
Showcasing outstanding work from teams outside of Australia and New Zealand, the awards highlight the global consciousness that is redefining game design.
Auridia – Norseboar Games FACEMINER – Wristwork Goodnight Universe – Nice Dream Relooted – Nyamakop Stretchmancer – Triangle Wave SXSW Sydney Game of the Year
jewel in the crown. This award celebrates games that combine artistic mastery with technical brilliance – experiences that linger long after the credits roll.
Aether & Iron – Chaos Theory & Seismic Squirrel As Long As You’re Here – Autoscopia Interactive Gambonanza – Blukulélé Mixtape – Beethoven & Dinosaur Tavern Keeper – Greenheart Games SXSW Sydney People’s Choice Award
This is all you have. Vote for the game that stole your heart from the SXSW Sydney app. Voting closes at 5pm on October 18th, ahead of that evening’s awards ceremony.
Best Tabletop Game Award
At the Games Awards, the dice will be rolled and the winner of Best Tabletop Game will be announced after the wraps are judged during the festival.
SXSW Sydney Best Student Game Award
The category, which will be presented at the ICC Sydney Parkside Ballroom on Wednesday 15 October at 2:30pm, focuses on exceptional talent emerging from university programs in the Asia-Pacific region.
The winning team will also receive 12 hours of mentorship with Devolver Digital’s creative giants, giving them the opportunity to power their next big idea.
Candidates include:
Aberrate Inc. – Aberrate Team (Macquarie University) Bento Blocks – Sometimes Limited (Media Design School) Cloudlings – Howler (University of Queensland) Cyberpedia – Bitcrush (RMIT) Pistil – Sagehart Studio (RMIT) Soul Launder Inc. – P3.14 & Minions (King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi)
With fresh talent, fearless creativity, and some well-earned trophies at stake, SXSW Sydney’s gaming festival is more than just a festival of fun. It’s a love letter to interactive imagination itself.
SXSW Sydney 2025 will explore the ideas and innovations that will define our future, from the rapid rise of AI and the transformation of work to breakthroughs in quantum technology, cybersecurity, sustainability and the creative industries. The week-long festival, running from October 13 to 19, will feature more than 1,600 sessions and events, including more than 400 conference sessions, more than 150 professional development sessions, more than 300 live music performances, 95 film screenings, 150 games, and more than 400 brand activations across the city.
Final passes are on sale at sxswsydney.com.
