At the 2025 Australian Game Developer Awards, "The Drifter" was honored with the Game of the Year award

At the 2025 Australian Game Developer Awards, Powerhoof's game, The Drifter, emerged as a significant winner, taking the Game of the Year accolade alongside awards for Excellence in Art, Narrative, and Sound Design.

This point-and-click adventure game was praised by judges as "a polished masterpiece that pushes the boundaries of the genre and epitomizes the excellence of Australian game development."

The puzzle game Tempopo by Witch Beam garnered awards for both Excellence in Music and Accessibility. Meanwhile, Massive Monster, the creators behind Cult of the Lamb, earned the title of Studio of the Year.

Antony Reed, who directs Epic Games in the ANZ & SEA regions, was honored with the Adam Lancman Award for his pivotal role and advocacy within the Australian games development industry.

In recognition of his efforts in fostering local development and organizing educational courses, Aiden Gyory from Adelaide received the Rising Star Award. Gyory is known for founding Catalyst Games and managing the Game Plus community space.

Additional accolades went to Luke Muscat's Feed the Deep, Copycat by Spoonful of Wonder, and the debut game Proximate from Cain Maddox.

Ron Curry, CEO of the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA), remarked, "The creativity and variety displayed by this year's awardees and nominees highlight the vibrancy of Australia's games sector. Our panel faced the challenge of selecting winners from many outstanding candidates."

Curry emphasized the ongoing support from governmental bodies, which enables Australian developers to create innovative games loved by gamers worldwide. The AGDAs celebrate this creativity, dedication, and the unique narratives that Australian developers contribute to the gaming industry.

A complete list of winners from this year's Australian Game Developer Awards is provided below:

Game of the Year: The Drifter (Powerhoof)
Excellence in Art: The Drifter
Excellence in Gameplay: Mars First Logistics (Shape Shop)
Excellence in Narrative: The Drifter
Excellence in Sound Design: The Drifter
Excellence in Music: Tempopo (Witch Beam)
Excellence in Accessibility: Tempopo
Excellence in Mobile: Feed the Deep (Luke Muscat)
Excellence in Extended Reality: Shattered (PlaySide Studios and Meta)
Excellence in Impact: Copycat (Spoonful of Wonder)
Excellence in Debut: Proximate (Cain Maddox)
Excellence in Ongoing: Risk: Global Domination (SMG Studio)
The Rising Star: Aiden Gyory
The Adam Lancman Award: Antony Reed
Studio of the Year: Massive Monster