Balatro finally snags a Game of the Year win at 2024 Indie Game Awards

As predicted going into the show, The Game Awards’ Game of the Year honor went to a AAA game that almost anyone could enjoy: Astro Bot was a safe-but-deserved pick. But Balatro, 2024’s hit roguelike deck-builder indie created by one-person dev team LocalThunk, felt like a true contender, considering the critical mass. The game went on to sweep TGAs’ indie categories, and it’s no surprise that in an arena dedicated to indie titles, it was also a dominant force. Balatro finally won a proper Game of the Year trophy at the 2024 Indie Game Awards.

Luckily, The 2024 Indie Game Awards, voted on by a smattering of publications, indie gamer personalities, and industry professionals, found room for a number of other titles — including some that were overlooked by The Game Awards. That meant accolades for 1000xResist, Animal Well, and Thank Goodness You’re Here. (But UFO 50 once again shut out? For shame!)

For anyone groaning over the blockbuster-minded TGA winners lineup, take some solace in the Indie Game Awards winners list below.

Game of the Year
Balatro (Playstack)

Best Debut Game
Little Kitty, Big City (Double Dagger Studio)

Accessibility
Another Crab’s Treasure (Aggro Crab)

Visual Design
Harold Halibut (Slow Bros.)

Best Music
Pacific Drive (Ironwood Studios)

Bite-sized Game
Thank Goodness You’re Here (Coal Supper)

Solo Development
Animal Well (Billy Basso)

Innovation
Cryptmaster (Akupara Games)

Emotional Impact
Neva (Nomada Studio)

Gameplay Design
Balatro (Local Thunk)

Community Management
Aggro Crab

Women-led Game
Mexico, 1921: a Deep Slumber (Mácula Interactive)

Narrative
1000xResist (Sunset Visitor)