Finalists announced for the 2025 Australian Game Developer Awards (AGDAs)
Wednesday 10 September, IGEA celebrates the finalists for the 2025 Australian Game Developer Awards (AGDAs). In a year of record game submissions, the creativity, innovation and talent within the Australian game development sector was again reinforced. Judging was tight across many categories, and several standout titles have been recognised in multiple award categories.
Congratulations to the 2025 AGDAs finalists
Game of the Year
- Mars First Logistics — Shape Shop
- The Drifter — Powerhoof
- PROXIMATE — Cain Maddox
- Shattered — PlaySide Studios
Excellence in Visual Art
- Cast n Chill — Wombat Brawler
- The Drifter — Powerhoof
- Mars First Logistics — Shape Shop
Excellence in Gameplay
- Mars First Logistics — Shape Shop
- PROXIMATE — Cain Maddox
- The Drifter — Powerhoof
Excellence in Narrative
- PROXIMATE — Cain Maddox
- Copycat — Spoonful of Wonder
- The Drifter — Powerhoof
Excellence in Sound Design
- The Drifter — Powerhoof
- PROXIMATE — Cain Maddox
- Tempopo — Witch Beam
Excellence in Music sponsored by APRA AMCOS
- Copycat — Spoonful of Wonder
- Tempopo — Witch Beam
- The Drifter — Powerhoof
Excellence in Accessibility sponsored by VicScreen
- Letters to Arralla — Little Pink Clouds
- Tempopo — Witch Beam
- Moonlight in Garland — Violet LeBeaux
Excellence in Mobile
- Feed the Deep — Luke Muscat
- Carmen Sandiego — Gameloft Brisbane
- Nyiyaparli Widi — Co-Designed and Technical Development by DEPT®
Excellence in Extended Reality
- Dumb Ways: Free For All — PlaySide Studios
- Starship Home — Creature
- Shattered — PlaySide Studios
Excellence in Impact
- Nyiyaparli Widi — Co-Designed and Technical Development by DEPT®
- Shattered — PlaySide Studios
- Copycat — Spoonful of Wonder
Excellence in Debut sponsored by Screen Queensland
- A Tiny Tale — Tinyware Games
- PROXIMATE — Cain Maddox
- Starship Home — Creature
Excellence in Ongoing sponsored by Sledgehammer Games
- RISK: Global Domination — SMG Studio
- Crossy Road — Hipster Whale
- Cult of the Lamb — Massive Monster
Ron Curry, CEO of IGEA said, “Again we are in awe of the creativity and diversity of games that were submitted for consideration to the 2025 AGDAs. The government funding support at both a federal and state level is empowering developers to create and deliver exceptional projects, stories and IP to delighted players across the world in somewhat challenging times. We congratulate all the entrants this year. Simply shipping a game is an incredible achievement in itself.”
The AGDAs will be held on the evening of Wednesday 8 October at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. We have new hosts joining us for 2025 – Jordan Raskopulos and Friend are hosting, with the role of the friend being played by Lee Naimo. Both are sure to bring the laughs and even some games expertise to the stage.
More details and tickets can be found at agdas.com.au
About the AGDAs
The Australian Game Developer Awards (AGDAs) are a national event celebrating outstanding games and individual achievements by the Australian game development community.
Since 2020 The AGDAs have been run by the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA) – the peak industry association representing the voice of Australian and New Zealand companies in the computer and video games industry.
For more information, please visit: https://agdas.com.au
Media spokespeople available
- Raelene Knowles, COO, IGEA
Please contact igea@doublejump.com.au to arrange an interview.
About IGEA
IGEA (Interactive Games & Entertainment Association) is the peak industry association representing the voice of Australian and New Zealand companies in the computer and video games industry. IGEA supports the games industry’s business and public policy interests through advocacy, research and education programs. For more information, please visit www.igea.net