Australia’s best games recognised at 2024 awards night

Conscript, a horror-inspired game about the realities of war, won the top gong at the 2024 Australian Game Developer Awards (AGDAs) overnight.

Made by solo Victorian developer Jordan Mochi, Conscript won Game of the Year, Excellence in Art, and Excellence in Emerging at the industry awards show affectionately known as the AGDAs.

“The idea for Conscript came from my days at university studying history,” Mochi said after accepting the awards. “Originally, I had no idea what I wanted the game to be, but I knew I wanted to create a survival horror game.”

“From there, I began the ambitious task of teaching myself as many disciplines of game design as I could, from coding, to art, sound design, marketing, and so much more. To receive the Game of the Year Award for 2024 feels like such a momentous achievement and is a culmination of so many years of hard work.”

New South Wales team Chaos Theory Games won Studio of the Year, capping off the team’s efforts in launching Crab God, a game that won Excellence in Impact for raising awareness and funding for coral reef preservation efforts.

The 2024 AGDAs also recognised industry veteran Ross Symons, CEO of Big Ant Studios (Cricket 24, AFL 23), with the Adam Lancman Award for ongoing contributions to the local games industry.

Ben Armstrong and Chloe Appleby received the 2024 Rising Star Awards for their respective efforts in raising the profile of video games in Australia. Armstrong was recognised for his advocacy work for First Nations representation in the games industry, while Appleby drew praise for helping bring together the NSW industry through her curation work at the Powerhouse Museum.

Putting a cherry on top of the Games Connect Asia Pacific conference, the 2024 AGDAs saw plenty of celebration for the local industry. Congratulations to all the winners and nominees listed below.

AGDAs 2024 winners and nominees

Excellence in Art – Sponsored by Ultimate Studio

• Winner: CONSCRIPT by Catchweight Studio (VIC)
• KILL KNIGHT by PlaySide Studios (VIC)
• Wild Bastards by Blue Manchu, Maximum Entertainment (ACT)

Excellence in Gameplay

• Winner: Wild Bastards by Blue Manchu, Maximum Entertainment (ACT)
• Capes by Spitfire Interactive, Daedalic Entertainment (QLD)
• Max Mustard by Toast Interactive (QLD)

Excellence in Narrative

• Winner: Capes by Spitfire Interactive, Daedalic Entertainment (QLD)
• CONSCRIPT by Catchweight Studio (VIC)
• The Ruby Court by Dana McKay (VIC)

Excellence in Sound Design – Sponsored by APRA AMCOS

• Winner: Cozy Caravan by 5 Lives Studios, Supertonic (QLD)
• CONSCRIPT by Catchweight Studio (VIC)
• KILL KNIGHT by PlaySide Studios (VIC)

Excellence in Music – Sponsored by APRA AMCOS

• Winner: Diets & Deities by Larrikin Interactive (NT)
• Crab God by Chaos Theory Games, Firesquid (NSW)
• KILL KNIGHT by PlaySide Studios (VIC)

Excellence in Accessibility – Presented by VicScreen

• Winner: Bears In Space by Broadside Games, Ravenscourt (QLD)
• CONSCRIPT by Catchweight Studio (VIC)
• Diets & Deities by Larrikin Interactive (NT)

Excellence in Mobile

• Joint winner: Dumb Ways to Survive by Playside Studio, Netflix Games (VIC)
• Joint winner: Earn to Die Rogue by Not Doppler (NSW)
• Tingus Goose – Weird Idle Game by Sweaty Chair (NSW)

Excellence in Mixed Reality

• Winner: Max Mustard by Toast Interactive (QLD)
• Neon Squad Tactics by Tin Man Games (VIC)
• Umurangi Generation VR by ORIGAME DIGITAL (VIC)

Excellence in Impact

• Winner: Crab God by Chaos Theory Games, Firesquid (NSW)
• Beyond Blue VR by Chaos Theory Games, E-line Media (NSW)
• Diets & Deities by Larrikin Interactive (NT)

Excellence in Emerging – Sponsored by Screen Queensland

• Winner: CONSCRIPT by Catchweight Studio (VIC)
• Catto’s Post Office by In Shambles Studio (QLD)
• Pond Scum by Universal Weebs Unlimited PTY LTD (VIC)

Excellence in Live Service – Sponsored by Sledgehammer Games

• Winner: The Sims FreePlay by EA Firemonkeys Studio (VIC)
• Crossy Road by Hipster Whale (VIC)
• RISK: Global Domination by SMG Studio (NSW)

Game of the Year

• Winner: CONSCRIPT by Catchweight Studio (VIC)
• Diets & Deities by Larrikin Interactive (NT)
• KILL KNIGHT by PlaySide Studios (VIC)

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