The 11th Annual Independent Games Festival

IGF Awards:
Wednesday, March 25th, 6:30pm
Moscone Convention Center, Esplanade Room

IGF Mobile Awards:
Tuesday, March 24th
Moscone Convention Center

IGF Pavilion:
On the GDC Expo Floor

"The Independent Games Festival, for me, stands for a number of things: the celebration and recognition of the achievements of independent developers, the legitimacy of independent gaming, and a high mark that we can all aim for as creative people."
- Derek Yu, Bit-Blot (Aquaria)

About the IGF

Think Services Game Group (producers of Game Developer magazine, Gamasutra.com, and the Game Developers Conference) established the Independent Games Festival in 1998 to encourage innovation in game development and to recognize the best independent game developers. Just as the Sundance Film Festival benefits the independent film community, the IGF creates a similar event for independent game developers in addition to the student population of game developers.

Located on the expo floor at the Game Developers Conference, and open to any members of the public or game professionals who have bought an Expo Pass to the show, the IGF Pavilion showcases every single finalist for that year's Festival in playable form. Members of the development team for each IGF finalist are on hand to discuss and demonstrate the title and talk to top game publishers and distributors attending the show.

The IGF Awards will take place on Wednesday evening of the Game Developers Conference, with thousands watching the awards presentation before the Game Developer's Choice Awards are presented. In its 11th year, the IGF has given away hundreds of thousands of dollars in prizes and major recognition to innovative, independently created video games from all over the world, from early pioneering titles such as Oasis, Alien Hominid, and Gish, through newer stand-outs including World of Goo, Audiosurf, Braid, and Everyday Shooter.

About IGF Mobile

Following the success of the first IGF Mobile, a sister event to the main IGF competition, the second year of the Independent Games Festival Mobile will feature independently developed handheld games for all mobile devices including cell phones, Apple's iPhone, Nintendo DS, Sony PSP, and Windows Mobile devices. More information is available on IGFMobile.com.

IGF Contest Overview

The Independent Games Festival event features the main IGF Competition itself and the IGF Student Showcase.

IGF Competition

The main IGF Competition will give out seven major awards:

* Seumas McNally Grand Prize ($20,000)
* Excellence In Visual Art ($2,500)
* Excellence In Audio ($2,500)
* Innovation Award ($2,500)
* Technical Excellence ($2,500)
* Best Web Browser Game ($2,500)
* Audience Award ($2,500)

There are five specifically named finalists for each award, except the Best Web Browser Game award, which has three finalists. All finalists will be invited to the IGF award ceremony at GDC 2009. The IGF Audience Award will be voted from the finalists in all other categories.

IGF Student Showcase

The IGF's Student Showcase will highlight a total of ten games this year:

* IGF Student Showcase Winner ($500)

In addition there will be a prize for best overall IGF Student Game awarded as part of the IGF Awards, with the finalists comprising all of the Student Showcase winners:

* Best Student Game ($2,500)

IGF 2009 Important Dates

July 1st, 2008 - Submissions are Open
November 1st, 2008 - Submission Deadline, Main Competition
November 15th, 2008 - Submission Deadline, Student Competition
January 5th, 2009 - Finalists Announced, Main Competition
January 19th, 2009 - Finalists Announced, Student Competition
March 23rd-27th, 2009 - Game Developer’s Conference 2009
March 25th-27th, 2009 - IGF Pavilion @ GDC
March 25th, 2009 - IGF 2009 Awards Ceremony

Questions?

If you have further questions, check the IGF FAQ page or contact the IGF Chairman.

IGF 2008

For IGF 2008's winners, click here.