The Spawnies Awards Winners Include Horizon, Elden Ring, and More

Game ZXC

Horizon: Forbidden West

By Adrian Monroe

Published Jan 31, 2023

The Spawnies Awards give recognition to new releases across the industry. This includes awards for Best Game, Best Indie Game, and Most Surprising Game, as well as awards for various aspects of new releases that may not have been highlighted before. 2022 was full of epic releases from long-running franchises, as well as new titles that made a splash in the industry. The Spawnies highlight the industry’s biggest games in unique ways, and may even introduce fans to fun titles they aren’t yet familiar with.

Many game awards honor games for their uniqueness, and even for the way they make players feel while playing them, but the Spawnies do this in a way that no other award show does. This award show is interactive, as this year, an audience voting system was a key factor in determining the games that were awarded. The awards are given to highlight the novel aspects of the game that exemplify the category. For instance, the “Snot Bubble Cry Award," which was given to the game As Dusk Falls, can help introduce gamers to an experience that they may not have otherwise sought out. As Dusk Fall's climatic narrative and character development is richer than nearly any other game in the industry, and the Spawnies recognize the game's unique emotional weight.

Many fan-favorites from 2022 also appear on the list, including Elden Ring, which won the Ease On Down The Road Award, being the Spawnies award for Best Adventure Game. Another title that was among award recipients was Horizon Forbidden West, which won the Brokago Heritage Award for showcasing characters from diverse backgrounds.

The Awards also feature lesser-known games that many consider underrated, such as PowerWash Simulator which won the award for the Most Surprising Game of 2022, Rollerdome which was given the One Shining Moment Award, and Sifu which was awarded Best Fighting Game. Sifu has won awards for being a high-quality fighting game before, but the Spawnies award titled “Water My Friend” is fitting for Sifu’s silver screen-inspired moves.

Many of the games on this list are very familiar to gamers. For instance, the character customization in Elden Ring, and spectacular gameplay earned it massive popularity among gamers, and many of the other titles have been recognized for their greatness before. What makes the Spawnies so great is it provides a fresh perspective on what sets these games apart from other games in the industry, and it recognizes games that other award shows may have missed.