Stephen Knightly (He/Him)

The Unsung Hero award is about recognizing those who have not been formally recognized but deserve to be for the extra effort they put into the industry or community that goes beyond a normal job. This award honors the work of an individual who has positively influenced the game development community or industry in New Zealand from behind the scenes.

Stephen has worked largely in the background for more than a decade and received very little recognition. He's given thousands of hours to the NZGDA, government bodies, and schools to advocate for our industry. He has participated in hundreds of interviews and given years of his time to put our industry and our people foremost in the mind of government and other business groups.

Taikawa Tamati-Elliffe (He/Him)

This Industry Pillar award is about recognizing existing members of our community or industry who grow and support game development in NZ. They are central to our community and have been contributing to our industry for a significant amount of time.

"Taikawa is responsible for Māori partnership and pathways at CODE (Centre of Digital Excellence) as well as being co-founder of Ngāti Gaming - a by Māori for Māori community seeking to empower people to use te reo Māori in games.

It is impossible to list all of the instances in which Taikawa has helped the community. Every week (including weekends!) he is curating or attending wānanga, hui and fostering relationships and whakawhanaungatanga for Māori in games and tech. To name a few, he has toured schools on the west coast of te wai pounamu showcasing games and esports as a career for kids, he has visited te hau ora whānau services speaking with and inspiring young māori to show them what a hopeful future can look like, he has hosted wānanga at Ōtākou marae for kids to make a game over a weekend game jam style.

This is all OUTSIDE of his day to day mahi where he is helping game developers in the industry connect with Māori and educate on how to appropriately use te ao Māori within their games. He has only been in the industry for a short amount of time and has achieved more than those who have been here for decades. I am so grateful to have him supporting us and can't wait to see him continue to flourish in the future."

DREDGE by Black Salt Games

DREDGE is a single-player fishing adventure with a sinister undercurrent. Sell your catch, upgrade your boat, and dredge the depths for long-buried secrets. Explore a mysterious archipelago and discover why some things are best left forgotten.

PC, Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4 / 5, Xbox One / S / X | Adventure, Lovecraftian, Fishing, Mystery

DREDGE by Black Salt Games

DREDGE is a single-player fishing adventure with a sinister undercurrent. Sell your catch, upgrade your boat, and dredge the depths for long-buried secrets. Explore a mysterious archipelago and discover why some things are best left forgotten.

PC, Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4 / 5, Xbox One / S / X | Adventure, Lovecraftian, Fishing, Mystery

Small Town Emo by Fnife Games

A story-driven GameBoy game about an emo teen in 2007 with a HUGE gay crush on his best friend! Explore, puzzle-solve and button mash your way through gratuitous dialogue in this GameBoy adventure about awkward teens!

PC, Browser, Gameboy Color | Walking Simulator, Adventure, Narrative Game

DREDGE by Black Salt Games

DREDGE is a single-player fishing adventure with a sinister undercurrent. Sell your catch, upgrade your boat, and dredge the depths for long-buried secrets. Explore a mysterious archipelago and discover why some things are best left forgotten.

PC, Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4 / 5, Xbox One / S / X | Adventure, Lovecraftian, Fishing, Mystery

Neon Knives by Cookiecrayon

Blend into the crowd, and take out the other. Trust no one.
Local multiplayer with a friend on the same keyboard.

PC, Mac, Browser | Multiplayer Action Stealth

Small Town Emo by Fnife Games

A story-driven GameBoy game about an emo teen in 2007 with a HUGE gay crush on his best friend! Explore, puzzle-solve and button mash your way through gratuitous dialogue in this GameBoy adventure about awkward teens!

PC, Browser, Gameboy Color | Walking Simulator, Adventure, Narrative Game

Animal Tracks by Spookysoft Games

Create sweet tunes out of animal sounds!
Ever heard a tūī, an elephant seal, and a cicada making music together? No-one has... until now!
Create the wildest super-group imaginable and save your tracks to the in-game library.

Browser | Sandbox / musical toy

Ovation by Looking Glass Workshop

Ovation is an engine building game in which you become one of the greatest classical composers of all time!
In Ovation, 1 to 4 players become real Western European composers from the late 18th and early 19th century competing to achieve the greatest legacy. As you gain experience, the single action you take each turn becomes more and more effective, helping you to build your legacy, allowing you to perform even greater pieces of music, and leading you to become a Maestro.

Tabletop game

Amarantus by ub4q

Roadtrip across the country. Confront a tyrant. The revolution will be messy—but the relationships will be messier.

PC, Mac | Visual Novel

The Ugly Club by Aspic Studios

You have just transferred to the University of Otago.
The Bird of the Year Ball -- the biggest night of the year -- is in three days.
Who will you bring as a date?

PC | Dating simulator, Education