Indie Game Developer Network
{{Short description|Trade association for independent game designers}}
The Indie Game Developer Network (IGDN) is a trade association for developers of indie role-playing games, board games, card games, and LARPs.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-02 |title=The Gaming Shelf Celebrates the Indie Groundbreaker Awards |url=https://gizmodo.com/indie-groundbreaker-awards-kickstarter-rpgs-d-and-d-1849356431 |access-date=2023-03-27 |website=Gizmodo |language=en}} They present the annual Indie Groundbreaker Awards at Gen Con.{{Cite web |title=Indie Game Developer Network |url=https://www.igdnonline.com/ |access-date=2023-03-27 |website=Indie Game Developer Network |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Indie Game Developer Network |url=https://www.dicebreaker.com/companies/indie-game-developer-network |access-date=2023-03-27 |website=Dicebreaker |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Wieland |first=Rob |date=August 2, 2018 |title=THESE 5 INCREDIBLE INDIE RPGS ARE GROUNDBREAKING (AND AWARD-WINNING) |url=https://nerdist.com/article/these-5-incredible-indie-rpgs-are-groundbreaking-and-award-winning/?amp |website=Nerdist}} Their other programs include a scholarship to attend the game designer convention Metatopia, a mentorship program, and a peer coaching program.{{Cite web |last=Girdwood |first=Andrew |date=2022-09-11 |title=2022 IGDN Diversity Sponsorship opens applications and funding |url=https://www.geeknative.com/146234/2022-igdn-diversity-sponsorship-opens-applications-and-funding/ |access-date=2023-03-27 |website=Geek Native |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=Serena and the Power of Collaborative Indie Game Development |url=https://the-artifice.com/serena-collaborative-indie-game-development/ |access-date=2023-03-28 |website=the-artifice.com |date=26 July 2015 |language=en}}
Indie Groundbreaker Awards
The Indie Groundbreaker Awards began in 2016 and are offered in 5 categories: Game of the Year, Best Art, Best Setting, Best Rules, and Most Innovative. They are judged by a rotating panel of game designers. After the Indie RPG Awards gave their final set of awards in 2017,{{Cite web |title=Indie RPG Awards |url=https://www.indie-rpg-awards.com/index.shtml |access-date=2023-03-27 |website=www.indie-rpg-awards.com}} IGDN's Indie Groundbreaker Awards took on their function in the tabletop role-playing game community of evaluating and recognizing achievements in independent game design.
Award Winners by Year
2016
| class="wikitable sortable" style="margins:auto; width=95%; font-size: 95%;"
! width="33%" |Award ! width="33%" |Game ! width="33%" |Credits |
| Game of the Year
|A Real Gamehttps://auramakesgames.itch.io/ |Aura Belle |
| Best Art
|Fall of Magic{{cite web | url=https://heartofthedeernicorn.com/product/fall-of-magic-revised-edition/?v=7516fd43adaa | title=Fall of Magic – Heart of the Deernicorn }} |Ross Cowman (Heart of the Deernicorn) |
| Best Setting
|Caroline Hobbs (Less Than Three Games) |
| Best Rules
|Death of Legends{{cite web | url=https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/158403/Death-of-Legends | title=DriveThruRPG }} |Imaginary Empire |
| Most Innovative
|183 Dayshttps://www.drivethrucards.com/product/144510/183-Days |Tiny Knives |
2017
| class="wikitable sortable" style="margins:auto; width=95%; font-size: 95%;"
! width="33%" |Award ! width="33%" |Game ! width="33%" |Credits |
| Game of the Year |
| Best Art
|Liberi Gothica Games |
| Best Setting
|War Birds | |
| Best Rules
|Masks: A New Generation{{cite web | url=https://magpiegames.com/pages/masks | title=Masks }} |
| Most Innovative
|The Beast | |
2018
| class="wikitable sortable" style="margins:auto; width=95%; font-size: 95%;"
! width="33%" |Award ! width="33%" |Game ! width="33%" |Credits |
| Game of the Year
|Bluebeard's Bride{{cite web | url=https://magpiegames.com/pages/bluebeards-bride | title=Bluebeard }} |Whitney "Strix" Beltrán, Marissa Kelly, Sarah Doombringer (Magpie Games) |
| Best Art
|Bluebeard's Bride{{cite web | url=https://magpiegames.com/pages/bluebeards-bride | title=Bluebeard }} |Whitney "Strix" Beltrán, Marissa Kelly, Sarah Doombringer (Magpie Games) |
| Best Setting |
| Best Rules
|Damn the Man, Save the Music{{cite web | url=https://turtlebun.itch.io/damntheman | title=Damn the Man, Save the Music! By Turtlebun }} |Hannah Shaffer |
| Most Innovative
|Feast{{cite web | url=https://astrolingus.itch.io/feast | title=Feast by astrolingus }} |
| Groundbreaking Supplement
|Harlem Unbound{{cite web | url=https://www.chaosium.com/harlem-unbound-2nd-edition-pdf/ | title=Harlem Unbound - 2nd Edition - PDF }} |
2019
2020
| class="wikitable sortable" style="margins:auto; width=95%; font-size: 95%;"
! width="33%" |Award ! width="33%" |Game ! width="33%" |Credits |
| Game of the Year
|Companions' Tale{{cite web | url=https://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Companions-Tale-Print-PDF.html | title=Companions' Tale [Print+PDF] :: Print+PDF Bundles :: IPR }} |Laura Simpson |
| Best Art
|Humblewood{{cite web | url=https://hitpointpress.com/humblewood/ | title=Humblewood }} |
| Best Setting
|Afterlife: Wandering Souls{{cite web | url=https://www.angryhamsterpublishing.com/product/afterlife-wandering-souls/ | title=Afterlife: Wandering Souls [Book & PDF] | Angry Hamster Publishing | date=11 September 2019 }} |Angry Hamster Publishing |
| Best Rules
|Mazes{{cite web | url=https://www.9thlevel.com/mazes | title=Mazes | 9th Level Games }} |9th Level Games |
| Most Innovative |
2021
| class="wikitable sortable" style="margins:auto; width=95%; font-size: 95%;"
! width="33%" |Award ! width="33%" |Game ! width="33%" |Credits |
| Game of the Year
|Crescendo Giocoso Ritornello{{cite web | url=https://nessundove.itch.io/crescendo-giocoso-ritornello | title=Crescendo Giocoso Ritornello by NessunDove }} |The Italian Chamber Orchestra |
| Best Art
|Lutong Banwahttps://diwatamnl.itch.io/lutong-banwa |Diwata ng Manila |
| Best Setting
|Karanduun - Make God Bleed{{cite web | url=https://makapatag.itch.io/karanduun | title=Karanduun - Make God Bleed Edition by makapatag }} |Joaquin Kyle Saavedra |
| Best Rules
|Slayers{{cite web | url=https://gilarpgs.itch.io/slayers | title=Slayers by Gila RPGS }} |Spencer Campbell |
| Most Innovative
|This Discord Has Ghosts In It{{cite web | url=https://willjobst.itch.io/ghosts | title=This Discord Has Ghosts in It by will jobst, World Champ Game Co }} |Will Jobst and Adam Vass (World Champ Game Co.) |
2022
| class="wikitable sortable" style="margins:auto; width=95%; font-size: 95%;"
! width="33%" |Award ! width="33%" |Game ! width="33%" |Credits |
| Game of the Year
|Brave Zenith{{cite web | url=https://roll4tarrasque.itch.io/brave-zenith-playtest | title=Brave Zenith by Roll 4 Tarrasque }} |Giuliano Roverato and Rodrigo Melchior |
| Best Art
|A Fantastic Longing for Adventure{{cite web | url=https://timhutchings.itch.io/a-fantastic-longing-for-adventure | title=A Fantastic Longing for Adventure by timhutchings }} |Tim Hutchings |
| Best Setting
|Arcon: City of Neon Daylight{{cite web | url=https://kiennas.itch.io/arcon | title=Arcon by KiennaS, JustJasonPls }} |Kienna Shaw and Jason Cutrone |
| Best Rules
|GUN&SLINGER{{cite web | url=https://forktwenty.itch.io/gun-and-slinger | title=GUN&SLINGER by Nevyn Holmes }} |Nevyn Holmes |
| Most Innovative
|My Body is a Cage{{cite web | url=https://johnbattle.itch.io/my-body-is-a-cage | title=My Body is a Cage by Batts }} |Batts |
2023