Footage from the Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Parasite Technical Test has escaped from quarantine, revealing a number of details about the upcoming PvE shooter spin-off. Over the weekend, some users were spotted streaming the game on Twitch and Facebook Gaming, presumably breaking an NDA by doing so. The footage seen by IGN reveals a number of the game's features – although unfortunately, the player was "suspended for cheating" during the live stream, so we didn't get to see any of the multiplayer in action, just the Training Mode. The game's menus point to Parasite (or whatever subtitle it ends up using) leveraging Ubisoft Connect to maintain saves and progression across all platforms, as well as offering cross-play. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/06/10/rainbow-six-quarantine-reveal-trailer"] We got a small glimpse at the playable Operators, including Alibi, Lion, Vigil, Ela, Finka and Tachanka, who retain or reflect their abilities from Siege. Tachanka can deploy a Mounted LMG, and Alibi can use Prisma decoys to attract enemies. Once players pick an Operator they will see a loadout screen where they can customise their weapons with attachments and pick from a set of gadgets, including a Recon Drone, Body Armor and an Ammo Satchel. The player can also choose between a Stun Grenade, a Nitro Cell and a Scan Grenade during the loadout phase. A simulation introduces players to the game, and its main threat: Archæans. These are Parasite's hostile force, alien-looking creatures with "different behaviour and skills." Players will have to be careful when fighting them as if alerted they will summon more hostiles to attack the player or even alert a nest, which produces hostiles until it is destroyed. Stealth is suggested as a result, where players can sneak up to and take down a target with their REACT Blade, often to source a sample from the creature to complete an objective. As you'd expect, a lot of the mechanics are similar to Rainbow Six Siege, with players able to lean while aiming, shoot through walls and barricade windows. When hostiles are killed in a non-stealthy fashion or nests are alerted, they will spread a corrosive goo on the floor called Biofilm that is difficult for players to walk through, like the barbed wire in Siege. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/ubisoft-will-rely-less-on-aaa-games-in-the-future"] In each Incursion, players can proceed by completing objectives to gather intel, such as planting trackers on dormant nests. There is one objective available per each Sub-Zone in the incursion, and players move between Sub-Zones via an airlock which, once sealed, cannot be passed through to backtrack. Every Sub-Zone also has an Extraction Point where players can secure the intel gathered so far. This can also be avoided as players venture deeper into the Incursion, facing a riskier Sub-Zone instead of extracting to gain even better rewards. If players don't make it to extraction or the airlock, they will be considered MIA. Operators who are MIA will remain in the Sub-Zone they were lost in and can be rescued in a future Incursion, by being cut out of an Archæan tree. The tree will try to stop the player from rescuing the Operator, and players will need to shoot the tree's Anchor Points to fight the parasite and stop it from reabsorbing the host body, at which point the Operator will be lost. If the player succeeds in saving the Operator, they will have to be carried to the Extraction Point. Rainbow Six Quarantine was delayed due to the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic after being revealed during E3 2019, and scheduled for an Early 2020 release. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Media Molecule Studio Director Siobhan Reddy will receive BAFTA's highest honour, the BAFTA Fellowship during this week's BAFTA Games Awards. Reddy will be honoured with The BAFTA Fellowship, an award given to talented individuals to reward their creative contribution to the games industry. The award recognizes Reddy's "pioneering work on advocacy for diversity, inclusion and creative and collaborative working culture." Reddy joined Media Molecule when the studio was founded in 2006 and was named Studio Director in 2009. This means she has overseen the launch of every LittleBigPlanet game, as well as Tearaway and most recently, Dreams.   [caption id="attachment_2489600" align="alignnone" width="900"] Siobhan Reddy (Source: BAFTA)[/caption] “I am so incredibly honoured and moved to receive the BAFTA Fellowship Award. I have been privileged throughout my life and career with incredible support and encouragement," Reddy said. "I sincerely hope that my story, voice and support can be useful to others within the games industry. There is still so much to do, the Fellowship provides further motivation for me, and is real encouragement for all of us to care even more about inclusivity, diversity and building a work culture that celebrates creativity.” The BAFTA Games Awards will take place later this week on March 25th. The nominations were released earlier this month, with The Last of Us Part 2 earning 13 of them, setting a new record for the number of nominations for a single game. Over the years, many games industry legends have been recognized by the BAFTA Fellowship, including Fable creator Peter Molyneux, Grand Theft Auto creators Dan and Sam Houser, Monkey Island and Psychonauts alum Tim Schafer and Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/13/dreams-review"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

CW's Batwoman has cast Krypton's Wallis Day to take over the role of Kate Kane, the original Batwoman for the series that was played by Ruby Rose. Spoilers ahead for the latest episode of Batwoman! [caption id="attachment_248951" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Image Credit: Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images[/caption] As reported by THR, this casting news was revealed during the latest episode of Batwoman, as Day's Kate Kane was shown bandaged and being held hostage. She was shown alive yet unrecognizable due to the injuries from the plane crash that occurred at the start of season two. It's important to note that Kane is no longer Batwoman, and that Javicia Leslie - the first black actress to play the character in live-action role - will continue to be the series lead as Ryan Wilder. Rose left Batwoman in 2020, and reports stated that her decision may have been due to her dislike of the long working hours demanded by being the lead of a 20-episode season. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/11/snyder-cut-suicide-squad-gotham-knights-what-to-expect-from-dc-in-2021"] The decision was made initially to not recast the character, but showrunner Caroline Dries had been telegraphing her return and very much had no intention of her story simply disappearing. Furthermore, she wanted her to return to avoid the "bury the gays" TV trope that sees shows killing off gay and lesbian characters. "As a lesbian who's been working as a writer for the past 15 years, I’m well aware of the 'Bury Your Gays' trope and I have no interest in participating in it," said Dries in June, 2020. "That's why it's important to me as the showrunner to clarify any misinformation out there about Kate Kane and recasting Batwoman. Like you, I love Kate Kane — she's the reason I wanted to do the show. We'll never erase her. In fact, her disappearance will be one of the mysteries of season two. I don't want to give away any of our surprises, but to all our devoted fans, please know that LGBTQ+ justice is at the very core of what Batwoman is and we have no intention of abandoning that." The rest of the season looks to explore where Kane has been and how this experience has changed her. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/20/ruby-rose-leaving-batwoman-role-to-be-recast"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

CW's Batwoman has cast Krypton's Wallis Day to take over the role of Kate Kane, the original Batwoman for the series that was played by Ruby Rose. Spoilers ahead for the latest episode of Batwoman! [caption id="attachment_248951" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Image Credit: Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images[/caption] As reported by THR, this casting news was revealed during the latest episode of Batwoman, as Day's Kate Kane was shown bandaged and being held hostage. She was shown alive yet unrecognizable due to the injuries from the plane crash that occurred at the start of season two. It's important to note that Kane is no longer Batwoman, and that Javicia Leslie - the first black actress to play the character in live-action role - will continue to be the series lead as Ryan Wilder. Rose left Batwoman in 2020, and reports stated that her decision may have been due to her dislike of the long working hours demanded by being the lead of a 20-episode season. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/11/snyder-cut-suicide-squad-gotham-knights-what-to-expect-from-dc-in-2021"] The decision was made initially to not recast the character, but showrunner Caroline Dries had been telegraphing her return and very much had no intention of her story simply disappearing. Furthermore, she wanted her to return to avoid the "bury the gays" TV trope that sees shows killing off gay and lesbian characters. "As a lesbian who's been working as a writer for the past 15 years, I’m well aware of the 'Bury Your Gays' trope and I have no interest in participating in it," said Dries in June, 2020. "That's why it's important to me as the showrunner to clarify any misinformation out there about Kate Kane and recasting Batwoman. Like you, I love Kate Kane — she's the reason I wanted to do the show. We'll never erase her. In fact, her disappearance will be one of the mysteries of season two. I don't want to give away any of our surprises, but to all our devoted fans, please know that LGBTQ+ justice is at the very core of what Batwoman is and we have no intention of abandoning that." The rest of the season looks to explore where Kane has been and how this experience has changed her. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/20/ruby-rose-leaving-batwoman-role-to-be-recast"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Super Seducer 3: The Final Seduction, a game where you are said to "learn powerful skills for attracting beautiful women," has been banned from Steam as the platform "does not ship sexually explicit images of real people." Developer Richard La Ruina took to Twitter to share the news, saying Valve will not allow it to be released in any form. Furthermore, the Steam page is gone alongside the "61,700 wish lists." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-modern-pc-games-summer-2020-update&captions=true"] La Ruina shared the message he received from The Steam Team, in which Steam said its decision to remove Super Seducer 3 was final. "We have finished reviewing your latest build and we aren't going to be able to ship Super Seducer 3 on Steam. As we have mentioned previously, Steam does not ship sexually explicit images of real people," Steam wrote. "After multiple product resubmissions and product reviews, we feel we are at an impasse and therefore this decision is final. We do not have any additional feedback or details to share beyond what we have provided in previous conversations." La Ruina also explained how Steam rejected both the uncensored & censored (Twitch) versions, never gave any specifics as to what content they didn't like, blocked the Super Seducer 3 demo which was a censored Gym level, and said that "if I got an ESRB-M rating that would not affect their decision." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/17/the-biggest-games-coming-in-2021"] Despite La Ruina's promise to "take a butcher knife to the game and take weeks to make all kinds of edits," Steam still said "we are not going to sell the game or re-review it." This isn't the first time the Super Seducer series has found itself in this situation, as the first game was set to release on PlayStation 4 before Sony decided against it. Super Seducer: How to Talk to Girls and Super Seducer 2: Advanced Seduction Tactics are both still available for purchase on Steam. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Super Seducer 3: The Final Seduction, a game where you are said to "learn powerful skills for attracting beautiful women," has been banned from Steam as the platform "does not ship sexually explicit images of real people." Developer Richard La Ruina took to Twitter to share the news, saying Valve will not allow it to be released in any form. Furthermore, the Steam page is gone alongside the "61,700 wish lists." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-modern-pc-games-summer-2020-update&captions=true"] La Ruina shared the message he received from The Steam Team, in which Steam said its decision to remove Super Seducer 3 was final. "We have finished reviewing your latest build and we aren't going to be able to ship Super Seducer 3 on Steam. As we have mentioned previously, Steam does not ship sexually explicit images of real people," Steam wrote. "After multiple product resubmissions and product reviews, we feel we are at an impasse and therefore this decision is final. We do not have any additional feedback or details to share beyond what we have provided in previous conversations." La Ruina also explained how Steam rejected both the uncensored & censored (Twitch) versions, never gave any specifics as to what content they didn't like, blocked the Super Seducer 3 demo which was a censored Gym level, and said that "if I got an ESRB-M rating that would not affect their decision." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/17/the-biggest-games-coming-in-2021"] Despite La Ruina's promise to "take a butcher knife to the game and take weeks to make all kinds of edits," Steam still said "we are not going to sell the game or re-review it." This isn't the first time the Super Seducer series has found itself in this situation, as the first game was set to release on PlayStation 4 before Sony decided against it. Super Seducer: How to Talk to Girls and Super Seducer 2: Advanced Seduction Tactics are both still available for purchase on Steam. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Sony has shared a new Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade trailer that gives an extended look at the visual enhancements and new features made possible by the PS5. While the trailer is very similar to the one shown during the Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade reveal, we get to see more of the improved visuals directly compared to the PS4 version. Also showcased are such additions as better textures and lighting, fog effects, photo mode, faster load times, and more.

Get down here, Merc.

We've got an extended look at the visual enhancements and new features in Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, coming to PS5 on June 10: https://t.co/zdt8HIwe5j pic.twitter.com/1lv5YxFVTO — PlayStation (@PlayStation) March 21, 2021

There will also be a Graphics Optimization Mode that prioritizes displaying graphics at 4K resolution and a Performance Optimization Mode that prioritizes maintaining a 60fps framerate. A Normal (Classic) difficulty will also be added, and it makes FF7 Remake feel a bit more like the original with battles feeling more turn-based. Another glimpse of Yuffie's new episode is also shown, and gives fans a glimpse of the brand new story that will be part of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade. The trailer also reiterates that any who own Final Fantasy VII Remake on PS4 (except those who only have the PS Plus version) will be able to upgrade to this improved PS5 version for free. However, the PS5-exclusive Yuffie episode will cost extra for all owners of the original. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/02/25/final-fantasy-7-remake-intergrade-reveal-trailer"] Following Intergrade, which will be released on June 10, Final Fantasy 7 Remake's creative director Tetsuya Nomura confirmed that there will be no future DLC and that the team's focus will be on completing the next entry in the FF7 Remake saga. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Sony has shared a new Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade trailer that gives an extended look at the visual enhancements and new features made possible by the PS5. While the trailer is very similar to the one shown during the Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade reveal, we get to see more of the improved visuals directly compared to the PS4 version. Also showcased are such additions as better textures and lighting, fog effects, photo mode, faster load times, and more.

Get down here, Merc.

We've got an extended look at the visual enhancements and new features in Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, coming to PS5 on June 10: https://t.co/zdt8HIwe5j pic.twitter.com/1lv5YxFVTO — PlayStation (@PlayStation) March 21, 2021

There will also be a Graphics Optimization Mode that prioritizes displaying graphics at 4K resolution and a Performance Optimization Mode that prioritizes maintaining a 60fps framerate. A Normal (Classic) difficulty will also be added, and it makes FF7 Remake feel a bit more like the original with battles feeling more turn-based. Another glimpse of Yuffie's new episode is also shown, and gives fans a glimpse of the brand new story that will be part of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade. The trailer also reiterates that any who own Final Fantasy VII Remake on PS4 (except those who only have the PS Plus version) will be able to upgrade to this improved PS5 version for free. However, the PS5-exclusive Yuffie episode will cost extra for all owners of the original. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/02/25/final-fantasy-7-remake-intergrade-reveal-trailer"] Following Intergrade, which will be released on June 10, Final Fantasy 7 Remake's creative director Tetsuya Nomura confirmed that there will be no future DLC and that the team's focus will be on completing the next entry in the FF7 Remake saga. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

The winners of the SXSW Gaming Awards have been announced, with Hades and Deep Rock Galactic leading proceedings with two awards apiece. In partnership with IGN, SXSW presented its Gaming Awards trophies to category winners in a ceremony held on Saturday, March 20. Hades emerged as one of the frontrunners at the event, winning the prestigious Video Game of the Year award as well as an Excellence in Game Design accolade, which takes into consideration the best overall design concept, gameplay mechanics, and execution. Sci-fi co-op FPS Deep Rock Galactic also scored big at this year's ceremony, taking home awards in both categories in which it was nominated, which means that it picked up trophies for Indie Game of the Year and Excellence in Multiplayer. Both categories featured tough competition, with 9 other titles competing for the Indie Game of the Year accolade, including the likes of Bugsnax and Risk of Rain 2. With 43 nominees across 12 categories, there were plenty of other winners announced at the event. Awards were presented to The Search for Planet X, Half-Life: Alyx, The Last of Us Part II, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Ghost of Tsushima, DOOM Eternal, Microsoft Flight Simulator, and Dreams, which won the Matthew Crump Cultural Innovation award for its community focused creativity tools. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/17/hades-review"] The full list of winners from the SXSW 2021 Gaming Awards follows:

Video Game of the Year

Awarded to the game that exemplifies overall excellence and creates a distinct gaming experience across all platforms and genres.

• Hades (Supergiant Games) — WINNER
• Ghost of Tsushima (Sucker Punch Productions  / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• The Last of Us Part II (Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Moon Studios / Xbox Game Studios)
• DOOM Eternal (id Software / Bethesda Softworks)

Indie Game of the Year

Awarded to the indie game that exemplifies overall excellence and creates a distinct gaming experience across all platforms and genres.

• Bugsnax (Young Horses)
• Cloudpunk (Ion Lands)
• Raji: An Ancient Epic (Nodding Heads Games / Super.com)
• Ikenfell (Happy Ray Games / Humble Games)
• Monster Sanctuary (Moi Rai Games / Team17)
• Crown Trick (NExT Studios / Team17)
• Deep Rock Galactic (Ghost Ship Games / Coffee Stain Publishing) — WINNER
• The Last Campfire (Hello Games)
• Huntdown (Easy Trigger Games / Coffee Stain Publishing)
• Risk of Rain 2 (Hopoo Games / Gearbox Publishing)

Tabletop Game of the Year

Awarded to the game that exemplifies overall excellence and ingenuity of any tabletop game in any genre.

• Oceans (North Star Games)
• Fort (Leder Games)
• Calico (Flatout Games)
• The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine (KOSMOS)
• The Search for Planet X (Renegade Game Studios / Foxtrot Games) — WINNER

VR Game of the Year

Awarded to the VR game that exemplifies overall excellence in gameplay and design across any VR platform.

• The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners (Skydance Interactive)
• Half-Life: Alyx (Valve) — WINNER
• Star Wars: Squadrons (Motive Studios / Electronic Arts)
• Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond (Respawn Entertainment / Electronic Arts)
• Down the Rabbit Hole (Cortopia Studios / Beyond Frames Entertainment)

Excellence in Narrative

Awarded to the game with the best storyline and dialogue.

• Hades (Supergiant Games)
• Ghost of Tsushima (Sucker Punch Productions  / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• The Last of Us Part II (Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment) — WINNER
• Immortals Fenyx Rising (Ubisoft Quebec / Ubisoft)
• Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales (Insomniac Games /  Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Excellence in Game Design

Awarded to the game with the best overall design concept, gameplay mechanics, and best execution.

• Hades (Supergiant Games) — WINNER
• Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time (Toys for Bob / Activision)
• Desperados III (Mimimi Games / THQ Nordic)
• Watch Dogs: Legion (Ubisoft Toronto / Ubisoft)
• Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Moon Studios / Xbox Game Studios)

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/13/the-first-12-minutes-of-deep-rock-galactic-pc-gameplay"]

Matthew Crump Cultural Innovation Award

Awarded to the game that best challenges the "norm" of everyday gaming and offers a culturally innovative view of a game world, character, or gameplay.

• If Found… (Dreamfeel / Annapurna Interactive)
• The Last of Us Part II (Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Dreams (Media Molecule / Sony Interactive Entertainment) — WINNER
• Astro's Playroom (Team ASOBI! / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Tell Me Why (DONTNOD Entertainment / Xbox Game Studios)

Excellence in Score

Awarded to the game that best exemplifies artistic excellence in musical score and how it progresses the narrative of the game.

• Cyberpunk 2077 (CD Projekt Red / CD Projekt)
• DOOM Eternal (id Software / Bethesda Softworks)
• Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Moon Studios / Xbox Game Studios) — WINNER
• Final Fantasy VII Remake (SQUARE ENIX)
• Trials of Mana (Xeen / SQUARE ENIX)

Excellence in Multiplayer

Awarded to the game with the best player-to-player interaction experience.

• Star Wars: Squadrons (Motive Studios / Electronic Arts)
• VALORANT (Riot Games)
• Huntdown (Easy Trigger Games / Coffee Stain Publishing)
• Deep Rock Galactic (Ghost Ship Games / Coffee Stain Publishing) — WINNER
• Risk of Rain 2 (Hopoo Games, Gearbox Publishing)

Excellence in Animation, Art, & Visual Achievement

Awarded to the game with the most well-designed and stunning visuals, including animation effects and graphics.

• Assassin's Creed Valhalla (Ubisoft Montreal / Ubisoft)
• Ghost of Tsushima (Sucker Punch Productions  / Sony Interactive Entertainment) — WINNER
• Cloudpunk (Ion Lands)
• Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Moon Studios / Xbox Game Studios)
• Final Fantasy VII Remake (SQUARE ENIX)

Excellence in Audio Design

Awarded to the game with the most outstanding and impactful sound effects.

• Bugsnax (Young Horses)
• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 (Vicarious Visions / Activision)
• Star Wars: Squadrons (Motive Studios / Electronic Arts)
• Observer: System Redux (Bloober Team)
• DOOM Eternal (id Software / Bethesda Softworks) — WINNER

Excellence in Technical Achievement

Awarded to the game that pushed the capabilities of technology and programming furthest or most effectively.

• Genshin Impact (miHoYo)
• Ghost of Tsushima (Sucker Punch Productions  / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Dreams (Media Molecule / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Astro's Playroom (Team ASOBI! / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Microsoft Flight Simulator (Asobo Studio / Xbox Game Studios) — WINNER

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-and-worst-reviewed-games-of-2020&captions=true"] If you'd like to know more about SXSW's Video Game of the Year, check out IGN's review of Hades, praising the game for being a "one-of-a-kind rogue-lite that does a brilliant job of marrying its fast-paced action with its persistent, progressing story through a vividly reimagined Greek mythological underworld," which ultimately delivers an experience that you "never want to end." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

The winners of the SXSW Gaming Awards have been announced, with Hades and Deep Rock Galactic leading proceedings with two awards apiece. In partnership with IGN, SXSW presented its Gaming Awards trophies to category winners in a ceremony held on Saturday, March 20. Hades emerged as one of the frontrunners at the event, winning the prestigious Video Game of the Year award as well as an Excellence in Game Design accolade, which takes into consideration the best overall design concept, gameplay mechanics, and execution. Sci-fi co-op FPS Deep Rock Galactic also scored big at this year's ceremony, taking home awards in both categories in which it was nominated, which means that it picked up trophies for Indie Game of the Year and Excellence in Multiplayer. Both categories featured tough competition, with 9 other titles competing for the Indie Game of the Year accolade, including the likes of Bugsnax and Risk of Rain 2. With 43 nominees across 12 categories, there were plenty of other winners announced at the event. Awards were presented to The Search for Planet X, Half-Life: Alyx, The Last of Us Part II, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Ghost of Tsushima, DOOM Eternal, Microsoft Flight Simulator, and Dreams, which won the Matthew Crump Cultural Innovation award for its community focused creativity tools. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/17/hades-review"] The full list of winners from the SXSW 2021 Gaming Awards follows:

Video Game of the Year

Awarded to the game that exemplifies overall excellence and creates a distinct gaming experience across all platforms and genres.

• Hades (Supergiant Games) — WINNER
• Ghost of Tsushima (Sucker Punch Productions  / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• The Last of Us Part II (Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Moon Studios / Xbox Game Studios)
• DOOM Eternal (id Software / Bethesda Softworks)

Indie Game of the Year

Awarded to the indie game that exemplifies overall excellence and creates a distinct gaming experience across all platforms and genres.

• Bugsnax (Young Horses)
• Cloudpunk (Ion Lands)
• Raji: An Ancient Epic (Nodding Heads Games / Super.com)
• Ikenfell (Happy Ray Games / Humble Games)
• Monster Sanctuary (Moi Rai Games / Team17)
• Crown Trick (NExT Studios / Team17)
• Deep Rock Galactic (Ghost Ship Games / Coffee Stain Publishing) — WINNER
• The Last Campfire (Hello Games)
• Huntdown (Easy Trigger Games / Coffee Stain Publishing)
• Risk of Rain 2 (Hopoo Games / Gearbox Publishing)

Tabletop Game of the Year

Awarded to the game that exemplifies overall excellence and ingenuity of any tabletop game in any genre.

• Oceans (North Star Games)
• Fort (Leder Games)
• Calico (Flatout Games)
• The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine (KOSMOS)
• The Search for Planet X (Renegade Game Studios / Foxtrot Games) — WINNER

VR Game of the Year

Awarded to the VR game that exemplifies overall excellence in gameplay and design across any VR platform.

• The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners (Skydance Interactive)
• Half-Life: Alyx (Valve) — WINNER
• Star Wars: Squadrons (Motive Studios / Electronic Arts)
• Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond (Respawn Entertainment / Electronic Arts)
• Down the Rabbit Hole (Cortopia Studios / Beyond Frames Entertainment)

Excellence in Narrative

Awarded to the game with the best storyline and dialogue.

• Hades (Supergiant Games)
• Ghost of Tsushima (Sucker Punch Productions  / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• The Last of Us Part II (Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment) — WINNER
• Immortals Fenyx Rising (Ubisoft Quebec / Ubisoft)
• Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales (Insomniac Games /  Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Excellence in Game Design

Awarded to the game with the best overall design concept, gameplay mechanics, and best execution.

• Hades (Supergiant Games) — WINNER
• Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time (Toys for Bob / Activision)
• Desperados III (Mimimi Games / THQ Nordic)
• Watch Dogs: Legion (Ubisoft Toronto / Ubisoft)
• Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Moon Studios / Xbox Game Studios)

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/13/the-first-12-minutes-of-deep-rock-galactic-pc-gameplay"]

Matthew Crump Cultural Innovation Award

Awarded to the game that best challenges the "norm" of everyday gaming and offers a culturally innovative view of a game world, character, or gameplay.

• If Found… (Dreamfeel / Annapurna Interactive)
• The Last of Us Part II (Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Dreams (Media Molecule / Sony Interactive Entertainment) — WINNER
• Astro's Playroom (Team ASOBI! / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Tell Me Why (DONTNOD Entertainment / Xbox Game Studios)

Excellence in Score

Awarded to the game that best exemplifies artistic excellence in musical score and how it progresses the narrative of the game.

• Cyberpunk 2077 (CD Projekt Red / CD Projekt)
• DOOM Eternal (id Software / Bethesda Softworks)
• Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Moon Studios / Xbox Game Studios) — WINNER
• Final Fantasy VII Remake (SQUARE ENIX)
• Trials of Mana (Xeen / SQUARE ENIX)

Excellence in Multiplayer

Awarded to the game with the best player-to-player interaction experience.

• Star Wars: Squadrons (Motive Studios / Electronic Arts)
• VALORANT (Riot Games)
• Huntdown (Easy Trigger Games / Coffee Stain Publishing)
• Deep Rock Galactic (Ghost Ship Games / Coffee Stain Publishing) — WINNER
• Risk of Rain 2 (Hopoo Games, Gearbox Publishing)

Excellence in Animation, Art, & Visual Achievement

Awarded to the game with the most well-designed and stunning visuals, including animation effects and graphics.

• Assassin's Creed Valhalla (Ubisoft Montreal / Ubisoft)
• Ghost of Tsushima (Sucker Punch Productions  / Sony Interactive Entertainment) — WINNER
• Cloudpunk (Ion Lands)
• Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Moon Studios / Xbox Game Studios)
• Final Fantasy VII Remake (SQUARE ENIX)

Excellence in Audio Design

Awarded to the game with the most outstanding and impactful sound effects.

• Bugsnax (Young Horses)
• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 (Vicarious Visions / Activision)
• Star Wars: Squadrons (Motive Studios / Electronic Arts)
• Observer: System Redux (Bloober Team)
• DOOM Eternal (id Software / Bethesda Softworks) — WINNER

Excellence in Technical Achievement

Awarded to the game that pushed the capabilities of technology and programming furthest or most effectively.

• Genshin Impact (miHoYo)
• Ghost of Tsushima (Sucker Punch Productions  / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Dreams (Media Molecule / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Astro's Playroom (Team ASOBI! / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Microsoft Flight Simulator (Asobo Studio / Xbox Game Studios) — WINNER

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-and-worst-reviewed-games-of-2020&captions=true"] If you'd like to know more about SXSW's Video Game of the Year, check out IGN's review of Hades, praising the game for being a "one-of-a-kind rogue-lite that does a brilliant job of marrying its fast-paced action with its persistent, progressing story through a vividly reimagined Greek mythological underworld," which ultimately delivers an experience that you "never want to end." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.