The 2026 Taipei Game Show will officially kick off on January 29th, and the winners of the prestigious Indie Game Award 2026, which is highly anticipated by independent game developers worldwide, will be announced tonight (January 28th).
This year's competition reached a 12-year high, attracting 515 teams from 51 countries. Ultimately, "Folding Words," developed by the Japanese team TearyHand Studio, moved the judges to tears with its touching storyline and music, winning both the "Best Game" and "Best Sound Effects" awards. Taiwanese teams also performed admirably, excelling in the art and student game categories.
Japan's "Origami": A narrative masterpiece that brought the judges to tears.
"Zheyan," which won the Grand Prize, became the biggest winner of the year. This work, developed by TearyHand Studio, received unanimous praise from heavyweight judges including Shuhei Yoshida of Yosp, inc. and Daniel Robson, executive producer of IGN JAPAN.
The judging panel noted that the game's gameplay was ingenious, and the music and story were perfectly integrated, creating a strong sense of immersion. Many judges admitted during the judging process that they "cried while playing," and believed that this was an excellent game whose story would remain deeply imprinted in their hearts even after the game ended. Therefore, it unsurprisingly won the "Best Game" and "Best Sound Effects" awards.
Taiwan's Pride: Bread Fox and Dotted Frog Receive Recognition
Regarding the performance of the host team, Taiwan, this year they demonstrated strong capabilities in both visual appeal and creativity:
• Best Visual Art:The game "Alluta: The Bread Adventure of the Fox" developed by Shixiao Games won the award. This game, which combines action-adventure and management simulation, was praised by the judges as "a game that brings joy to players" thanks to its cute Japanese style and excellent character design.
• Best Student Game:SmellyFrog's "Against the Sky: Drifting Sky" won the award. Players control a pixelated frog on a magical 2D platform adventure. The simple and cute graphics, combined with nostalgic electronic sound effects and many heartwarming details, successfully captured the hearts of the judges.
A collection of internationally acclaimed works: horror shooting, old apartment buildings, and brick-breaking games.
Besides the Japanese and Taiwanese teams, the winning entries from other countries were also full of creativity:
• Best Storyline:Blue Backpack's "The Berlin Apartment" tells a touching story that transcends time by piecing together items from an old apartment.
• Best Innovation:Beeswax Games' "No Players Online" from Belgium simulates the visuals of early shooter games. Players solve puzzles in seemingly empty old servers, creating an excellent atmosphere that was described by the judges as "creepy even when nothing is happening."
• Best Game Design:BALL x PIT, developed by Kenny Sun & Friends in the United States, combines brick-breaking, base-building, and Roguelite elements, offering diverse gameplay and a fast-paced experience.
• Best mobile games:Concode's "Graytail" is a story-driven and beautifully styled adventure puzzle game.
All winning entries will be available for play at the Indie House section on the 4th floor of Hall 1 at Nangang Exhibition Center during TGS 2026 (January 29 – February 1).
Analysis of viewpoints
Now in its 12th year, the Indie Game Award has received over 500 entries, demonstrating its growing influence in the indie game community across Asia and the world.
Several trends can be observed from this year's award list: First, the return of "narrative experience." The grand prize winner, "Folding Words," and the best story, "The Berlin Apartment," both prove that even without the hyper-realistic visuals of a AAA game, a story can still move people if it can be told well through interactive mechanisms.
Secondly, the Taiwanese team's maturity in "art style" is evident. Whether it's the commercial-level sophistication of *Alluta* or the unique pixel art style of *Aruja's Great Adventure*, it demonstrates that Taiwanese developers possess international-level visual presentation skills. For gamers, when visiting the game expo in the next few days, besides checking out the new titles from major studios, don't miss the Indie House section, as it's often the birthplace of hidden gems.
