The online game trade’s awards season was dominated this 12 months by adulation for French turn-based roleplaying recreation Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. It’s straightforward to see why so many individuals liked it, AI utilization and controversial standing as an “indie” recreation apart, however my private recreation of the 12 months was a a lot smaller venture that garnered loads much less consideration: Child Steps. Thankfully, at the least one awards present is lastly giving it the respect a bunch of us weirdos imagine it deserves.
The 2026 Impartial Video games Competition Awards launched its listing of nominees on January 8, showcasing the unimaginable work of builders exterior the AAA house. Child Steps managed to choose up nominations in 5 classes, together with Excellence in Audio, Excellence in Design, Excellence in Narrative, the Nuovo Award (for “experiences that make the awards jurors suppose in a different way about video games as a medium”), and the Seumas McNally Grand Prize.
Child Steps tells the story of Nate, a person transported from dwelling in squalor in his dad and mom’ basement to a magical world inhabited by long-dicked donkey males and Australians. Navigating this unusual setting, at the least on PlayStation 5, revolves round utilizing the controller’s triggers to independently management Nate’s ft by lifting them off the bottom, and the management keep on with have Nate lean in no matter route you propose on touring. Even easy strolling requires sustaining a rhythm, and issues get much more troublesome as you climb slippery slopes and awkward rockfaces.
I’m so blissful to see Child Steps get this type of recognition. Not solely does it advance the nascent style of physics-based “rage video games” virtually invented by co-developer Bennett Foddy (who beforehand made QWOP and Getting Over It), but it surely additionally manages to interrogate the very idea of difficult online game mechanics by way of each gameplay and narrative. Please play this recreation, and bear in mind, Child Steps doesn’t need you to rage, it desires you to like your self.
Offbeat native TV broadcast simulator Blippo+, surreal technique recreation Titanium Court docket, and the bafflingly controversial Horses additionally obtained a number of nominations. After seeing the Sport Awards, the Sport Builders Alternative Awards, and the DICE Awards focus nearly completely on Clair Obscur and different mainstream, AAA fare, it’s refreshing to know there are nonetheless exhibits devoted to plumbing the depths of the medium moderately than remaining at floor stage.
Moreover, this 12 months’s present incorporates a new class honoring video games made by girls and different gender-marginalized builders in collaboration with funding fund Wings Interactive. Every award comes bundled with a $2,000 bonus, aside from the grand prize which awards $20,000.
Right here’s the total listing of nominees:
Finest Pupil Sport
- BubbleBeast DigiDungeon (EchoLane)
- Kiloton (Jack Morehart)
- Poco (Whalefall, Micah Boursier)
- Prší (Herdek)
- Sip Fisher (Syphon Software program)
- SPRKLS.exe (PesiiDom)
Excellence in Audio
- Child Steps (Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy, Devolver Digital)
- BALL x PIT (Kenny Solar & Associates, Devolver Digital)
- Blippo+ (YACHT, Telefantasy Studios, Noble Robotic, Panic)
- Eclipsium (Housefire, CRITICAL REFLEX)
- Morsels (Furcula, Annapurna Interactive)
- Wheel World (Messhof, Annapurna Interactive)
Excellence in Design
- Angeline Period (Analgesic Productions)
- Child Steps (Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy, Devolver Digital)
- Öoo (NamaTakahashi, tiny cactus studio, Tsuyomi)
- Pores and skin Deep (Blendo Video games, Annapurna Interactive)
- Titanium Court docket (AP Thomson, Fellow Traveller)
- Time Flies (Playables, Panic)
Excellence in Narrative
- Child Steps (Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy, Devolver Digital)
- Excellent Tides: Station to Station (Three Bees)
- Promise Mascot Company (Kaizen Sport Works)
- Titanium Court docket (AP Thomson, Fellow Traveller)
- Kind Assist (William Rous)
- Wednesdays (The Pixel Hunt, ARTE France)
Excellence in Visible Arts
- Blippo+ (YACHT, Telefantasy Studios, Noble Robotic, Panic)
- CARIMARA: Beneath the forlorn limbs (Bastinus Rex, CRITICAL REFLEX)
- Eclipsium (Housefire, CRITICAL REFLEX)
- Loco Motive (Sturdy Video games, Chucklefish)
- Morsels (Furcula, Annapurna Interactive)
- Skate Story (Sam Eng, Devolver Digital)
Nuovo Award
- Child Steps (Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy, Devolver Digital)
- Blippo+ (YACHT, Telefantasy Studios, Noble Robotic, Panic)
- HORSES (Andrea Lucco Borlera, Santa Ragione)
- Mini Mini Golf Golf (Three Extra Years)
- Plum Street Tea Dream (Reveal Sport Studio)
- Titanium Court docket (AP Thomson, Fellow Traveller))
- kevin’s PLAYING in berlin (Kevin Du)
- Wednesdays (The Pixel Hunt, ARTE France)
WINGS Award
- Ambrosia Sky (Smooth Rains)
- Backpack Battles (PlayWithFurcifer, IndieArk)
- The Wandering Village (Stray Fawn Studio, Stray Fawn Publishing, Whisper Video games)
- Sure, Your Grace 2: Snowfall (Courageous at Evening)
- 13Z: The Zodiac Trials (Blended Realms Pte Ltd)
Seumas McNally Grand Prize
- Child Steps (Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy, Devolver Digital)
- Angeline Period (Analgesic Productions)
- Blippo+ (YACHT, Telefantasy Studios, Noble Robotic, Panic)
- HORSES (Andrea Lucco Borlera, Santa Ragione)
- Titanium Court docket (AP Thomson, Fellow Traveller)
- Excellent Tides: Station to Station (Three Bees)
The 2026 Impartial Video games Competition Awards is scheduled for Wednesday, March 11 at 6:30 p.m. PST. It will likely be broadcast dwell on Twitch.
