- The Banner Saga – Versus Evil/Stoic Studio
- Destiny – Activision/Bungie
- Child of Light – Ubisoft/Ubisoft Montreal
- Transistor – Supergiant Games
- Valiant Hearts: The Great War – Ubisoft/Ubisoft Montpellier
Excellence in Multiplayer: Awarded to the title that exemplifies excellence in multiplayer gaming
- Destiny – Activision/Bungie
- Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare – Activision/Sledgehammer Games
- Super Smash Bros. Wii U – Nintendo
- Titanfall – Electronic Arts/Respawn Entertainment
- Towerfall Ascension – Matt Makes Games
Excellence in Convergence: Awarded to the title that exemplifies excellence and pure crossover appeal through multiple mediums
- Alien: Isolation – Sega/The Creative Assembly
- Disney Infinity 2.0 – Disney Interactive Studios/Avalanche Software
- FIFA 15 – EA Sports/EA Canada
- South Park: The Stick of Truth – Ubisoft/Obsidian Entertainment
- The Wolf Among Us – Telltale Games
Most Valuable Character
- Bigby Wolf (The Wolf Among Us) – Telltale Games
- Ellie (The Last of Us: Left Behind) – Sony Computer Entertainment/Naughty Dog
- The Goat (Goat Simulator) – Coffee Stain Studios
- Octodad (Octodad: Dadliest Catch) – Young Horses
- Red (Transistor) – Supergiant Games
Most Valuable Esports Team: Awarded to the Esports team that exemplifies excellence in competitive gaming
- Alliance
- Cloud9
- Evil Geniuses
- Fnatic
- SK Gaming
Most Valuable Online Channel: Awarded to the online channel that exemplifies excellence in online entertainment
- Cynical Brit
- Rooster Teeth
- SMOSH Games
- TheSyndicateProject
- VanossGaming
Most Valuable Add-On Content: Awarded to the title that exemplifies excellence in add-on content
- Bioshock Infinite: Burial at Sea Series – 2K Games/Irrational Games
- Dark Souls II: Crown of the King Series – Bandai Namco Games/From Software
- Diablo III: Reaper of Souls – Blizzard Entertainment
- The Last of Us: Left Behind – Sony Computer Entertainment/Naughty Dog
- World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor – Blizzard Entertainment
Most Anticipated Crowdfunded Game: Awarded to the title that exemplifies excellence as a crowdfunded game
- The Banner Saga – Versus Evil/Stoic Studio
- Divinity: Original Sin – Larian Studios
- Shovel Knight – Yacht Club Games
- Star Citizen – Cloud Imperium Games
- Wasteland 2 – inXile Entertainment
Matthew Crump Cultural Innovation Award: Awarded to the title that most challenges the "norm" of everyday gaming, and offers a culturally innovative view of a game world, character or gameplay
- Goat Simulator – Coffee Stain Studios
- The Last of Us: Left Behind – Sony Computer Entertainment/Naughty Dog
- Never Alone – E-Line Media/Upper One Games
- This War of Mine – 11 bit studios
- Valiant Hearts: The Great War – Ubisoft/Ubisoft Montpellier
Gamer's Voice Award: Awarded to the favorite game in the Indie Corner as decided exclusively by gamers on the SXSW Gaming Expo floor
- Apotheon – Alientrap Games
- Armikrog – Pencil Test Studios
- Assault Android Cactus – Witch Beam
- Cadence – Made With Monster Love
- Children of Morta – Dead Mage
- Chroma Squad – Behold Studios
- Darkest Dungeon – Red Hook Studios
- Extreme Exorcism – Golden Ruby Games
- Gemini – Echostone Games
- Grow – CriKeT Games
- Hyper Light Drifter – Heart Machine
- Ice-Bound – Down to the Wire
- Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes – Steel Crate Games
- Lurking – DigiPen Institute of Technology Singapore
- Noct- c3sk
- Nom Nom Galaxy – Q-Games
- Nova-111 – Funktronic Labs
- Push Me Pull You – House House
- ROCKETSROCKETSROCKETS – Radial Games
- Salt and Sanctuary – Ska Studios
- SoundSelf – Robin Arnott
- SpeedRunners – tinyBuild Games
- Stardust Vanguards – Zanrai Interactive
- That Dragon, Cancer – Numinous Games
- The Escapists – Team17 Digital
- The Flame in the Flood – The Molasses Flood
- White Night – Osome Studio
- XING: The Land Beyond – White Lotus Interactive
- Yomi's Gate – Spriteborne
- Zombie Night Terror – Jerome Levet
The submission process opened in August through the official Gaming Awards page and closed in December. Finalists for the SXSW Gaming Awards categories are selected and voted on by the SXSW Gaming Advisory Board, consisting of more than 40 gaming, comic and geek culture industry experts, and represent the game titles that demonstrate the best and most innovative of the year in each respective category. The game titles receiving the most votes will be honored at the SXSW Gaming Awards.
To be considered for the Gamer's Voice Award games must have had less than $1 million in funding; a working and playable demo; and be released by the end of 2015 or shortly thereafter.
Winners of the 2014 SXSW Gaming Awards included Nidhogg (Gamer's Voice Award), Bioshock Infinite (Excellence in Art), Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons (Excellence in Gameplay) and The Last of Us (Game of the Year).
About SXSW Gaming
SXSW Gaming is an integral part of the SXSW experience. This diverse and widely popular array of events combines well-loved elements of geek culture with the cross-console video game world. And it all happens in Austin, Texas , a true hotbed for the expanding gaming industry. With the
Gaming Awards , panels, a free expo, rocking parties and exceptional demos, no event bridges the gap between industry insiders and the general public quite like SXSW Gaming.
