Indonesia and Malaysia Shine Bright at the SEA Game Awards 2023
Both countries secured a combined total of eight wins out of the twelve titles up for grabs.
The SEA Game Awards, an esteemed ceremony that is held annually to celebrate the exceptional achievements in the Southeast Asian gaming industry, came to an end last Friday at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
Kaigan Games, the creative minds behind the Simulacra series from Malaysia, took center stage by securing not just one but two prestigious awards - "Best Innovation" and "Best Technology" - for their latest title, Nullspace.
Yet, the spotlight isn't exclusive to them. Pendopo Studio's creation, Rendezvous, hailing from Indonesia, also stood out by earning two titles: the Grand Jury Award and Best Visual Art.
With over 200 game submissions from countries across Southeast Asia and internationally, here is the complete list of winners for the SEA Game Awards 2023:
Best Storytelling - A Space for the Unbound
A Space for the Unbound - Mojiken Studio from Indonesia
A Space for the Unbound is an adventure video game developed by Mojiken Studio from Indonesia. The game centers around the relationship between a boy and a girl with superpowers.
Best Student Game - Sedap!
The Best Student Game award is an award given to a game developed by students, which saw Nanyang Technological University, Singapore winning the title.
Developed by Singapore-based team Kopiforge, Sedap! is a two player co-op game where you have to gather ingredients and cook up foods based on Southeast Asian cuisines.
Best Technology and Best Innovation - Nullspace
This isn't Nullspace's first accolade; having previously secured the esteemed "Best In Play" award at the Game Developers Conference 2023. They have now added two more titles under their belt.
Best Game Design - The Land Beneath Us
The Land Beneath Us is a turn-based action game developed by Fairplay Studios from Thailand.
Best Audio Design - Chiyo
Chiyo is a first person, escape room styled, single player, puzzle game set with an Edo era Japan horror background, developed by Malaysian developer, Nimbus Games.
Grand Jury Award and Best Visual Art - Rendezvous
Rendezvous is a 2.5D cyber-noir pixel art action puzzle adventure game developed by Indonesian indie studio, Pendopo Creations.
Rising Star Award - Zombie Soup
Zombie Soup is a top-down shooter combined with hack-and-slash action that follows Ricky, a backpacker who is thrown into an unexpected adventure. This Malaysian game is developed by AeonSparx.
Best International Game - F1 23
To no one's surprise, F1 23 by EA Codemasters won gold in the Best International Game category, while Homeseek from Greece and The Devil Within: Satgat from South Korea each secured bronze and silver, respectively.
Audience Choice Award - UNPLUG
UNPLUG is a modern action-adventure game developed by an indie game studio based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Apart from the exciting game awards, the SEA GAME Awards also served as the venue for the Digital Content Creators Challenge (DC3). This program contributes to the backing of companies specializing in digital comics, interactive media, animation, and digital games.
Some of the winners include ESG Odyssey: A Green Quest in Interactive Media Category and Nusantara Adventures in Digital Games Category.
