SXSW Announces Gaming Awards Winners

From Nintendo blockbusters to local faves

By James Renovitch, 10:00PM, Sat. Mar. 17, 2018

In a great year for video games, the SXSW Gaming Awards ceremony honored everything from the year's most-talked-about creations to Gamer's Voice Awards winners chosen by expo attendees.

Multiple SXSW Gaming Awards winner, including Video Game of the Year, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The same game that topped many of the best of the year lists also walked away with several awards. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was an undeniable leap for a series already notably great. Link's Nintendo brother Mario also walked away with a few nods.

Local winners include Battlesloths 2025: The Great Pizza Wars which took home the Gamer’s Voice Award Video Game. Former Austin studio Finji published the Most Fulfilling Community-Funded Game, Night in the Woods.

Here's the entire list of winners:

Excellence in SFX
Super Mario Odyssey

Excellence in Musical Score
NieR: Automata

Excellence in Technical Achievement
NieR: Automata

Excellence in Visual Achievement
Horizon Zero Dawn

Excellence in Animation
Cuphead

Excellence in Art
Cuphead

Excellence in Convergence
Star Wars Battlefront II

Excellence in Multiplayer
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds

Most Promising New Intellectual Property
Horizon Zero Dawn

Most Fulfilling Community-Funded Game Night in the Woods

Most Fulfilling Community-Funded Game
Night in the Woods

Excellence in Gameplay
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Excellence in Design
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Excellence in Narrative
What Remains of Edith Finch

Matthew Crump Cultural Innovation Award
Doki Doki Literature Club

Gamer’s Voice Award Video Game
Battlesloths 2025: The Great Pizza Wars

Gamer’s Voice Award Mobile Game
Tiny Bubbles

Gamer’s Voice Award Tabletop Game
Sol: Last Days of a Star

Gamer's Voice Award Virtual Reality Game
SUPERHOT VR

Trending Game of the Year
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds

Esports Game of the Year
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds

Tabletop Game of the Year
Gloomhaven

Virtual Reality Game of the Year
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

Mobile Game of the Year
Fire Emblem Heroes

Video Game of the Year
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

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