Swedish Game Awards is Sweden's largest video game development competition. It has been held annually since 2002 and is organized by the student-driven, non-profit entrepreneurship association at the Royal Institute of Technology, Excitera. The competition's audience is students at Swedish universities and high schools, particularly those studying game development and software engineering. Funding is handled through partnerships with various software and game development companies, e.g. Digital Illusions CE and Sun Microsystems.
History Swedish Game Awards started in 2002 as a PC-only game competition under the name KTH Game Awards, and was targeted mainly at students in the Stockholm area. KTH Game Awards was founded by the KTH students Yashar Moradbakhti, Bartek Gudowski, Mikael Pommert and Andreas Harju. In 2004, KTH Game Awards was merged with another competition organized by Excitera, called the Excitera Mobile Award. This led to the creation of special class for mobile phone games. After its first iteration, the name was changed to Swedish Game Awards to reflect the increase in scope from local to national competition, as well as the fact that the competition had grown to be the largest of its kind in Sweden.Swedish Game Awards 2011 – History
In 2014 the competitions hosts changed from students of Royal Institute of Technology to students of Södertörn University (while still maintaining its cooperation with Excitera).
In 2015 the competition added the category Best Diversity Effort as a result of their co-operation with Diversi to reflect the games industry's increasing interest in variation of its developers and consumers. The final day of the competition also had its first livestream on YouTube by cooperating with students of Medieinstitutet to make the announcement of the winners available directly to the public. It also broke the previous record of submitted games in 2014 (which was 98) with 104 games.
The competition has gradually gained recognition from Swedish game development companies and universities as a way for students to show their game development capabilities and thus increase their chances of getting employment within the video game industry.
Competition Award History
Current Categories
Game of the Year 2026: Arc Raiders 2024: Traum 2023: Eclipsium 2022: Out of Sight 2021: The Tale of the Greenhouse 2020: - 2019: Adiasis 2018: Cateau 2017: Rope's Adventure 2016: Notes of Obsession 2015: Adventure on Clover island 2014: Defunct 2013: Epigenesis 2012: Secrets of Grindea 2011: Dead Meets Lead 2010: Dwarfs!? 2009: Bloodline Champions 2008: Magicka 2007: Puzzlegeddon 2006: Dawnspire: Prelude 2005: CrazyBall 2004: Saga of Ina 2003: Xazzon
Best Audio 2026: Arc Raiders 2017: Pick your potion 2016: Notes of Obsession 2015: Sons of Eye Championship 2014: Beat It
Best Art 2026: The Midnight Walk 2017: Pump the Frog 2016: Super Neon Drifter 2015: Adventure on Clover island 2014: Piggy
Best Game Design 2026: Arc Raiders 2017: Rope's Adventure 2016: Cryptogram 2015: Frog Climbers 2014: Cubetrip
Independent Game Of The Year 2026: Keep Driving
Best Multiplayer 2026: Split Fiction
Best Small Screen / Mobile Game 2026: Grand Mountain Adventure 2 2013: Dungeon Heroes 2012: Forlorn 2011: Block Breaker 2010: Phoenix Spirit 2008: Swarm by Kian Bashiri 2007: Magnotix 2006: Quantum 2005: Ice Cakes
Best Technology 2026: Arc Raiders 2017: Pick your Potion 2016: Cryptogram 2015: Rymdstenar 2014: Magnetic
Best Live Service 2026: Minecraft
Best Foreign Game Of The Year 2026: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Players' Game Of The Year 2026: Europa Universalis V 2017: Penny's Farm 2016: Lance A Lot 2015: Frog Climbers 2014: Flash and crash 2013: Fly or Die 2012: Build 'n' Break 2010: Eggnappers 2009: Conquer the Hood 2008: Boingo
Previous Categories Best Execution in Narrative 2018: 2017: Eyes Align 2016: Cryptogram 2015: Adal's Vikings 2014: Siege of Stockholm
Best Diversity Effort 2017: Softa med Oss: the last assignment 2016: Sam and Nicole 2015: Iris & Earl Best Execution 2013: Little Warlock 2012: --- 2011: --- 2010: Br00t4l Qwest 2009: Imperii 2008: Boingo
Best Mobile Execution 2018: Cosette's Cassettes
Best Innovation 2013: King of the Thrill 2012: Blobbz Online 2011: Zap the Bugs 2010: Block Tower Wars 2009: Carpet Wrestling 2008: Blueberry Garden 2007: Fret Nice 2006: Sumo 2005: Promqueen 2004: War, Siege & Conquest
Miscellaneous Awards 2015: Game of the Year Nominees: The Hungry Maw From Outer Space, Frog Climbers, Rymdresa 2013: Best Scenario: Grief 2011: Jury honour nomination: Unmechanical 2010: Best Web Game: Continuity 2009: Best XNA game: Bloodline Champions 2009: Best Java FX: Imperii 2007: Best XNA game: Gravitron Ultra 2007: Jury honour nomination: Streambolt Desero, Boiler, Raven Tale 2007: Best PC game runner up: Harvest: Massive Encounter 2007: Best mobile game runner up: Heximon 2006: Jury honour nomination: Deadbolt 2005: Sony Ericsson Mobile Java 3D Award: 3D Cube 2004: Jury honour nomination: Hockey
Current Competition
The 2014-2015 competition is organized by a team of Stockholm-based university students in various fields related to game design. In its 13th year, the Swedish Game Awards continues annually to draw greater numbers of entries from student-development teams across Sweden.
Rules
The parameters to the competition have remained relatively stable over the years, aimed toward providing a launching pad for talented, independent, student game developers to develop new and marketable games. The official rules are available at http://gameawards.se/competition/rules.
Event Timeline
The process of the Swedish Game Awards spans the majority of each academic year. Beginning in October with the SGA Kickoff, previous winners, current jury members, and corporate sponsors are invited to present their perspectives of the game industry and the Swedish Game Awards in particular to the upcoming year's participants. Also at this time, the various award categories are announced. The competition submissions are developed by independent teams during the year, culminating in a Jury Weekend and Grand Finale party in late May.
In the early months of the competition, the SGA Tour also occurs. During the tour, representatives from the Swedish Game Awards visit universities and technical schools across the country to engage with competition participants.
Partners
Main Partners King (company), DICE, Arrowhead Game Studios, Sweden Game Arena Autodesk
Gold Partners MAG Interactive
Silver Partners Paradox Interactive, Epic Games
Bronze Partners Rovio Entertainment, Avalanche Studios
Current Categories
Game of the Year
Best Audio
Best Art
Best Game Design
Independent Game Of The Year
Best Multiplayer
Best Small Screen / Mobile Game
Best Technology
Best Live Service
Foregin Game Of The Year
Players' Game Of The Year
Previous Competition
Previous Partners Here is a list of previous partners that have sponsored the Swedish Game Awards in some way in the past.
Previous Main Partners HP, Intel, ARM, Epic Games, King (company)
Previous Gold Partners DICE, Arrowhead Game Studios, Rovio Entertainment, Mali DEVELOPER CENTER
Previous Silver Partners Paradox Interactive, DICE, Wooga, Stardoll, Fondia, Grand Cru Games
Previous Bronze Partners Autodesk, Easy Studios, Junebud, Gamers Gate, Swedish National Defence College, Avalanche Studios, Bitsquid, Hansoft
Previous Event Partners EasyTryck.se
Previous Media Partners The Square (publication)
Previous Awards
Best Execution
Best Innovation
Best Mobile Game
Best Scenario
Best Serious Game
References
External links Swedish Game Awards - Official Site