Baby Steps Finally Gets Some Love After Clair Obscure Sweeps

The online game trade’s awards season was dominated this yr by adulation for French turn-based roleplaying sport Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. It’s simple to see why so many individuals liked it, AI usage and controversial status as an “indie” sport apart, however my private sport of the yr was a a lot smaller mission that garnered rather a lot much less consideration: Baby Steps. Thankfully, at the least one awards present is lastly giving it the respect a bunch of us weirdos imagine it deserves.

The 2026 Impartial Video games Pageant Awards launched its list of nominees on January 8, showcasing the unbelievable work of builders outdoors the AAA house. Child Steps managed to select up nominations in 5 classes, together with Excellence in Audio, Excellence in Design, Excellence in Narrative, the Nuovo Award (for “experiences that make the awards jurors suppose in a different way about video games as a medium”), and the Seumas McNally Grand Prize.

Baby Steps tells the story of Nate, a person transported from dwelling in squalor in his dad and mom’ basement to a magical world inhabited by long-dicked donkey males and Australians. Navigating this unusual setting, at the least on PlayStation 5, revolves round utilizing the controller’s triggers to independently management Nate’s ft by lifting them off the bottom, and the management follow have Nate lean in no matter route you propose on touring. Even easy strolling requires sustaining a rhythm, and issues get much more tough as you climb slippery slopes and awkward rockfaces.

I’m so blissful to see Child Steps get this sort of recognition. Not solely does it advance the nascent style of physics-based “rage video games” virtually invented by co-developer Bennett Foddy (who beforehand made QWOP and Getting Over It), but it surely additionally manages to interrogate the very idea of difficult online game mechanics by way of each gameplay and narrative. Please play this sport, and keep in mind, Child Steps doesn’t need you to rage, it needs you to like your self.

Offbeat native TV broadcast simulator Blippo+, surreal technique sport Titanium Court, and the bafflingly controversial Horses additionally acquired a number of nominations. After seeing the Game Awards, the Game Developers Choice Awards, and the DICE Awards focus virtually completely on Clair Obscur and different mainstream, AAA fare, it’s refreshing to know there are nonetheless exhibits devoted to plumbing the depths of the medium fairly than remaining at floor degree.

Moreover, this yr’s present encompasses a new class honoring video games made by girls and different gender-marginalized builders in collaboration with funding fund Wings Interactive. Every award comes bundled with a $2,000 bonus, aside from the grand prize which awards $20,000.

Right here’s the total listing of nominees:

Greatest Scholar Sport

BubbleBeast DigiDungeon (EchoLane)
Kiloton (Jack Morehart)
Poco (Whalefall, Micah Boursier)
Prší (Herdek)
Sip Fisher (Syphon Software program)
SPRKLS.exe (PesiiDom)

Excellence in Audio

Child Steps (Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy, Devolver Digital)
BALL x PIT (Kenny Solar & Pals, Devolver Digital)
Blippo+ (YACHT, Telefantasy Studios, Noble Robotic, Panic)
Eclipsium (Housefire, CRITICAL REFLEX)
Morsels (Furcula, Annapurna Interactive)
Wheel World (Messhof, Annapurna Interactive)

Excellence in Design

Angeline Period (Analgesic Productions)
Child Steps (Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy, Devolver Digital)
Öoo (NamaTakahashi, tiny cactus studio, Tsuyomi)
Pores and skin Deep (Blendo Video games, Annapurna Interactive)
Titanium Court docket (AP Thomson, Fellow Traveller)
Time Flies (Playables, Panic)

Excellence in Narrative

Child Steps (Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy, Devolver Digital)
Excellent Tides: Station to Station (Three Bees)
Promise Mascot Company (Kaizen Sport Works)
Titanium Court docket (AP Thomson, Fellow Traveller)
Sort Assist (William Rous)
Wednesdays (The Pixel Hunt, ARTE France)

Excellence in Visible Arts

Blippo+ (YACHT, Telefantasy Studios, Noble Robotic, Panic)
CARIMARA: Beneath the forlorn limbs (Bastinus Rex, CRITICAL REFLEX)
Eclipsium (Housefire, CRITICAL REFLEX)
Loco Motive (Sturdy Video games, Chucklefish)
Morsels (Furcula, Annapurna Interactive)
Skate Story (Sam Eng, Devolver Digital)

Nuovo Award

Child Steps (Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy, Devolver Digital)
Blippo+ (YACHT, Telefantasy Studios, Noble Robotic, Panic)
HORSES (Andrea Lucco Borlera, Santa Ragione)
Mini Mini Golf Golf (Three Extra Years)
Plum Highway Tea Dream (Reveal Sport Studio)
Titanium Court docket (AP Thomson, Fellow Traveller))
kevin’s PLAYING in berlin (Kevin Du)
Wednesdays (The Pixel Hunt, ARTE France)

WINGS Award

Ambrosia Sky (Comfortable Rains)
Backpack Battles (PlayWithFurcifer, IndieArk)
The Wandering Village (Stray Fawn Studio, Stray Fawn Publishing, Whisper Video games)
Sure, Your Grace 2: Snowfall (Courageous at Evening)
13Z: The Zodiac Trials (Combined Realms Pte Ltd)