SXSW Gaming Awards Winners

In its first year, the awards show hit the mark

By James Renovitch, 11:48PM, Sat. Mar. 8, 2014

Messhof's Nidhogg, winner of the Gamer's Voice Award

The main floor of the Long Center was nearly full as the show started on its maiden voyage.

SXSW Interactive Producer Shawn O'Keefe opened the show with a heartfelt tribute to Matthew Crump who died suddenly the weekend before the awards. Crump had already made a name for himself in the gaming industry before taking the position as the Gaming Expo and Awards coordinator. His death was a blow to SXSW and the gaming community as a whole. O'Keefe also announced that the Cultural Innovation Award would now fittingly bear Crump's name.

The hosts of the show, iJustine and SMOSH, then took the stage and did a fine job of supplying laughs while keeping things moving at a quick pace. The awards announcements were broken up by video clips from Rooster Teeth and other game-centric comedy outfits. Even performers from Cirque du Soleil got in on the act offering up their unique brand of high-flying circus performance live on stage.

Without further ado here are the winners of the 2014 SXSW Gaming Awards:

Game of the Year Award
The Last of Us – Naughty Dog

Excellence in Gameplay Award
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons – 505 Studios

Excellence in Art Award
Bioshock Infinite – Irrational Games

Excellence in Animation Award
Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch – NAMCO BANDAI

Excellence in Technical Achievement Award
Grand Theft Auto V – Rockstar Games

Excellence in Narrative Award
The Last of Us – Naughty Dog

Excellence in Design and Direction Award
Tearaway – Media Molecule

Excellence in Gaming Marketing Award
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag – Ubisoft

Excellence in SFX Award
The Last of Us – Naughty Dog

Excellence in Musical Score Award
The Last of Us – Naughty Dog

Convergence Award
Awarded to the 2013 indie or mainstream game that exemplifies excellence and pure crossover appeal through multiple mediums.
Injustice: Gods Among Us – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Matthew Crump Cultural Innovation Award
Papers, Please – 3909 LLC

Best Multiplayer Game Award
Super Mario 3D World – Nintendo

Texas Arts Achievement Award
This award went to a Texas-based studio or company for achievement in game development and awareness in our great state.
Galactic Café

SXSW Gamer’s Voice Award
This one was for indie games and is voted on by attendees of the Gaming Expo.
Nidhogg – Messhof

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