On December 3, 2024, the German Developer Award (DEP) was presented at the historic Gürzenich in Cologne. Around 500 guests from the games industry as well as representatives from politics and society attended the festive event. The DEP is considered the oldest award for computer games from Germany, Austria and Switzerland and has been awarded since 2004. The event is organized by games.nrw e.V. and is supported by the commitment of the games industry. A 160-member honorary jury of experts from the games industry selects the winners of the coveted trophies.

The big highlight of the evening was the award for Enshrouded, the survival action role-playing game from Frankfurt-based studio Keen Games. The game not only won in the top category "Best German Game", but also received prizes for "Best Game Design" and "Best Technical Achievement". This made Keen Games the big winner at this year's awards ceremony and it was also honored as "Studio of the Year".

In addition to Enshrouded, the slice-of-life simulation Closer the Distance by Osmotic Studios was also among the winners of the evening. The Hamburg-based studio was honored for "Best Audio Design", "Best Story" and the "Innovation Award". Other winners of the evening included the indie game Dungeons of Hinterberg by Microbird from Vienna, the casual game CubeQuest - A QB Game by Stephan Göbel from Kassel and the graphically impressive Harold Halibut by Slow Bros. from Cologne.

The German Developer Award has been an important indicator of the performance of the German-speaking games industry for years. In his speech, Media Minister Nathanael Liminski emphasized the importance of the award-winning projects for the creativity and technical innovation of the industry. The state government of North Rhine-Westphalia has been promoting them for years and will continue to provide extensive financial support in the future, including one million euros next year for the development of video games to prevent disinformation and Islamist propaganda.

In conclusion, the award ceremony in the Gürzenich not only reflected the diversity of German-language game development, but also the commitment and innovative strength of the studios. From indie hits to technically sophisticated AAA titles, a wide variety of games were honored for their outstanding achievements.

What is the German Developer Award?
The German Developer Award is the oldest award for computer games from Germany, Austria and Switzerland and has been presented since 2004. It honors outstanding games and their developer studios.

Which awards has Enshrouded won?
Enshrouded won the awards for "Best German Game", "Best Game Design", "Best Technical Achievement" and "Studio of the Year".

Who organizes the German Developer Award?
The German Developer Award is organized by games.nrw e.V. and is supported by the commitment of the games industry. The jury consists of honorary experts from the games industry.

Which other games were awarded?
Among others, Closer the Distance by Osmotic Studios was awarded for "Best Audio Design" and "Best Story" and Dungeons of Hinterberg by Microbird for "Best Indie Game".

Where did the German Developer Award 2024 ceremony take place?
The award ceremony took place in the historic Gürzenich in Cologne and was hosted by Daniel Budiman and Lynne Glaner.