Beloved roleplaying musical Stray Gods has taken out the coveted Game of the Year award at the 2023 Australian Game Developer Awards (AGDAs), held as part of Melbourne International Games Week.
The game, which is developed by Melbourne outfit Summerfall Studios, features the involvement of Dragon Age lead writer David Gaider, and a star-studded cast and crew of actors and musicians including Austin Wintory, Montaigne, Troy Baker, Laura Bailey, and several others.
Read: Stray Gods wouldn’t exist without Buffy, and the Australian Government
GamesHub critic Christie McQualter said of the game, “From the moment I heard Laura Bailey start to sing ‘Adrift’, Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical had me, and it wouldn’t let go until I saw the credits roll.”
Stray Gods also took home the award for Excellence in Music and Accessibility. Elsewhere at the 2023 AGDAs, The Master’s Pupil took out the award for Art, Amarantus took out the award for Narrative, Moving Out 2 took out the award for Gameplay, and Gubbins took out the award for Sound Design.
Congratulations to all the winners and finalists. The full list of nominees and winners can be found below.
ADGAs 2023: Award Winners and Finalists
Excellence in Art
- Gubbins by Studio Folly
- Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical by Summerfall Studios
- The Master’s Pupil by Pat Naoum [WINNER]
Excellence in Gameplay
- Moving Out 2 by SMG Studio, Team17 [WINNER]
- Phantom Abyss by Team WIBY
- Vactics by The Lemur Conspiracy
Excellence in Narrative
- Amarantus by ub4q [WINNER]
- Frog Detective 3: Corruption at Cowboy County by Worm Club
- Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical by Summerfall Studios
Excellence in Sound Design
Excellence in Music
- Frog Detective 3: Corruption at Cowboy County by Worm Club
- Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical by Summerfall Studios [WINNER]
- Vactics by The Lemur Conspiracy
Excellence in Technical Design
- Moving Out 2 by SMG Studio, Team17
- My Little Pony: Mane Merge by Gameloft Brisbane
- Phantom Abyss by Team WIBY [WINNER]
Excellence in Accessibility
- Moving Out 2 by SMG Studio, Team17
- Spin Rhythm XD by Super Spin Digital
- Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical by Summerfall Studios [WINNER]
Excellence in Emerging Games
- Final Profit: A Shop RPG by Brent Arnold
- Partum Artifex by DalaKoala Games [WINNER]
- Rooftop Renegade by Melonhead Games
Excellence in Impactful Games
- Earthlingo by Earthlingo [WINNER]
- Sometimes by Elliot Cox
- The Flying Canoe by Threshold
Excellence in Mobile Games
- Gubbins by Studio Folly
- My Little Pony: Mane Merge by Gameloft Brisbane [WINNER]
- Words Collide by Lamington Games
Excellence in AR/VR Games
- Espire 2: Stealth Operatives by Digital Lode Immersive Media [WINNER]
- Sea of Islands by PHORIA, United Nations DPPA
- Spatial Fusion by PHORIA, Meta, Lusion, Zelig Sound
Excellence in Ongoing Games
- Crossy Road Castle by Hipster Whale
- Kinder World by Lumi Interactive
- Wylde Flowers by Studio Drydock [WINNER]
AGDAs 2023 Game of the Year
- Gubbins by Studio Folly
- Moving Out 2 by SMG Studio, Team17
- Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical by Summerfall Studios [WINNER]
- Vactics by The Lemur Conspiracy
Studio of the Year
- Playside Studios
Adam Lancman Award
- Trent Kusters, League of Geeks
MIGW Award
- O’Saurus Studios
Empower Award
- Caitlin Lomax
- Dylan Bennett
Rising Star Award
- Ryan Penning
