Little Wolves takes top honors at the 2026 Indie Groundbreakers Awards

Over the weekend, the Indie Game Developer Network announced the winners of the 2026 Indie Groundbreakers Awards (styled as the 2025 awards), which, in the organization’s own words, “recognize[s] games (and game designers) who are creating new and exciting game designs that push the boundaries in innovation, in promoting diversity, and in expanding what it means to be ‘indie.’”

Tabletop RPGs are nominated to seven categories — Most Innovative, Best Rules, Best Writing, Best Art, Best Setting, Best Graphic Design, and Game of the Year — via a rotating panel of four judges who choose amongst a pool of open submissions. Qualification requirements include no digital games, no “physical games that do not have a storytelling component”, no second editions or reprints, and, most importantly, it must have been released since the last awards were held.

Little Wolves by Dinoberry Press snagged Game of the Year, beating out winners in other categories such as Spine and What Should We Have Tomorrow, along with two-player, card-based storytelling game The Time We Have, and the semi-cooperative pointcrawler, ChainxLink. Little Wolves cast players as titular shapeshifters exploring an enchanted forest where significant decisions leave Marks on their masks, both in the game and on the paper props created at the table. Design duo Nevyn Holmes and Julie-Anne “Jam” Muñoz delivered a pre-prepared acceptance speech that focused on the creative team who brought the book to life:

“There’s a lot of people for us to thank, but most importantly we need to thank the team of incredible people that came together to make Little Wolves what it is today. Without Fernando’s maps, Basil’s consultation, Sharpie’s illustrations, Grendel’s art of the queens, and Tyler’s editing, Little Wolves would not be near as amazing as it is. Thank you all for your amazing work, and thank you to everyone who’s supported this wonderful realm of folk tales and fae queens!”

You can see a full list of the nominees, along with information about judges and the selection process on IGDN’s website. We’ve pulled out the winners in their respective categories below.

Game of the Year

Little Wolves — Cover art by Jaen Butler Editing by Tyler Crumrine Game & world design by Julie-Anne Muñoz and Nevyn Holmes Cultural, Accessibility, and Sensitivity consultation (and writing) by Basil Wright Layout & artwork by Julie-Anne Muñoz Art by Grendel Menz, Damien Jairus Maps by Fernando Salvaterra

Most Innovative

Spine — By Asa Donald (Designer, Writer) Furt the Goblin (Developmental Editor) Holly Freiberg (Interior Art) Nala J. Wu (Prop Design)

Best Rules

Looking Presentable — By Robin Small

Best Writing

Digital Angel — By Sandro AD

Best Art

Thieves of the Tome — By George Philbrick - Design, Writing, Layout Tom Lowell - Cover Art, Interior Art Eric Swanson - Editing Rose Fallon - Copy Editing

Best Setting

We Wander Beneath Radiant Lights — By Kyle Tam - Author, JM Madamba - Editor, Neonrot - Layout, Jaen

Best Graphic Design

What Should We Have Tomorrow — By Aaron Lim (Game design, writing), Ella Lim (Layout), Thar Chandran (Cover and interior art), Mandy "4threset" Chan (Interior art)