The Finnish Game Awards Gala
Celebrating Finnish game development
The Finnish Game Awards Gala, organized by Suomen Pelinkehittäjät ry in co-operation with Neogames Finland, is an opportunity for the local game branch to celebrate new innovative and successful game titles by local developers and award the industry’s best achievements of the past year.
Nominees are chosen by a jury and winners are voted by the members of Finnish Game Developer Studios Association. The awards gala, where winners are announced, takes place in the spring as a live, invite-only awards show, live streamed online.
The history of the Finnish Game Awards goes back to the late 1990’s. First local game awards were handed by local videogame magazine Pelit in 1998. In 2008-2013 the local industry awards were handled by Figma, an association of multimedia publishers. Finnish Game Developer Studios Association has coordinated the awards since 2014 in co-operation with Neogames, who handles the operation and production of the annual event.
The Finnish Games Awards 2026 - Stream
The Finnish Game Awards Gala was streamed live on May 21, 2026 – watch it here:
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Nomination Process
At the Finnish Game Awards gala, eligible nominees include all games commercially available on all platforms developed by Finnish game developer companies and released during the previous calendar year. The list of eligible games released during the past year is compiled by Neogames Finland. The nominees are confirmed by the board of the Finnish Game Developer Studios Association.
Early Access releases for PC games are accepted as eligible nominations. However, the same game cannot be nominated multiple times; if a game is nominated at the gala as an Early Access release, it cannot be nominated again after its official release. Beta releases for mobile games are not eligible for nomination. Only global launch releases for mobile games are accepted as nominations.
Selection of Winners and Awardees
The lists of nominees for the main category are chosen based on a member vote organized by the Finnish Game Developer Studios Association. The Finnish Game of the Year is awarded based on the vote, but the board might decide to have other suitable categories based on the vote. In the voting process, each member studio can allocate 1-5 points to nominee games, with the best game receiving 5 points, the next 4 points, and so on down to 1 point. All points must be allocated. The final lists of nominees, ranging from 5-10 nominees per list depending on the year and category, are formed based on the points gathered from the member vote. The board of the Finnish Game Developer Studios Association confirms the nominee lists.
Traditionally, the Finnish Game Developer Studios Association has also awarded recognitions at the gala outside of the nomination and voting process. Traditional recognitions include awards such as Best Creative Achievement of the Year, Finnish Rookie of the Year, and Power Player of the Year. Additional awards may also be distributed as needed over the years. The recipients of these recognitions are determined by the board of the Finnish Game Developer Studios Association. Other awards from various gaming industry associations and entities are also presented at the gala, and these may vary annually.
Finnish Game Awards winners
2025
Finnish Game of the Year 2025: Channel37 / The Last Caretaker
2nd place, Finnish Game of the Year 2025: Amistech Games / My Winter Car
3rd place, Finnish Game of the Year 2025: Kimmo Factor / Sektori
Vuoden 2025 vaikuttaja: Valtteri Lahti (aka Wanda)
Finnish Rookie of the Year: 2025 Kokoon Games
Best Creative Achievement of the Year 2025: Kimmo Factor / Sektori
Best IP expansion 2025: Colossal Order / Cities: Skylines II
Business Excellence Award 2025: Superecell / Clash Royale
2024
Finnish Game of the Year 2024 Mainframe Industries / Pax Dei
2nd place, Finnish Game of the Year 2024: Makea Games / Supermoves
3rd place, Finnish Game of the Year 2024: Fingersoft / LEGO Hill Climb Adventures, Ranela Games / Finnish Cottage Simulator, Supercell / Squad Busters
Vuoden 2024 vaikuttaja: Ilkka Paananen
Finnish Rookie of the Year 2024: Hanki Games
Best Creative Achievement of the Year 2024: Pools (Tensori)
2023
Finnish Game of the Year 2023: Remedy entertainment / Alan Wake 2
Vuoden 2023 vaikuttaja: Natasha Skult
Finnish Rookie of the Year 2023: Notovia
Best Creative Achievement of the Year 2023: Road to Vostok
2022
Finnish Game of the Year 2022: PAKO Highway
Vuoden 2022 vaikuttaja: Veli-Pekka Piirainen
Finnish Rookie of the Year 2022: One Trick Entertainment
Best Creative Achievement of the Year 2022: Skábma – Snowfall
Big Screen Game of the Year 2022: Undead Horde 2: Necropolis
Small Screen Game of the Year 2022: PAKO Highway
2021
Finnish Game of the Year 2021: Housemarque / Returnal
Vuoden 2021 vaikuttaja: Jani Kahrama / Pelimetsä, Taina Myöhänen / We in Games
Applied Game Award 2021: Psyon Gmaes / Full ADHD
Finnish Rookie of the Year 2021: Kitka Games
Best Creative Achievement of the Year 2021: HypeHype / HypeHype
Big Screen Game of the Year 2021: Housemarque / Returnal
Small Screen Game of the Year 2021: Tree Men Games / Pako 3
2020
Finnish Game of the Year 2020: Nolla Games / Noita
Finnish Rookie of the Year 2020: Boom Corp
Best Creative Achievement of the Year 2020: Iron Danger / Action Squad studios
Big Screen Game of the Year 2020: Nolla Games / Noita
Small Screen Game of the Year 2020: Metacore Games / Merge Mansion
2019
Finnish Game of the Year 2019 CONTROL: / Remedy Entertainment
Applied Game Award 2019: Pikku Kakkosen eskari / Pikku Kakkosen sovellustiimi
Vuoden 2019 vaikuttaja: Sonja Ängeslevä
Finnish Rookie of the Year 2019: Resistance Games
Best Creative Achievement of the Year 2019: Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince / Frozenbyte
Big Screen Game of the Year 2019: CONTROL / Remedy Entertainment
Small Screen Game of the Year 2019: Oceanhorn 2 / Cornfox & Brothers
2018
Finnish Game of the Year 2018: Brawl Stars / Supercell
Applied Game Award 2018: Lights On! / Turku Game Lab & Humak
Comeback of the Year 2018: Wreckfest / Bugbear
Vuoden 2018 vaikuttaja: Petri Hyökyranta / Rovio
Hercules of Bureaucracy 2018: Jari-Pekka Kaleva / Neogames
Best Creative Achievement of the Year 2018: Thief of thieves / Rival Games
Big Screen Game of the Year 2017: Tesla v. Lovecraft / 10tons
Small Screen Game of the Year 2018: Brawl Stars / Supercell
2017
Finnish Game of the Year 2017: Nex Machina / Housemarque
Applied Game Award 2017: Antidote / Psyon Games
Finnish Rookie of the Year 2017: Team Ocmo
Best Creative Achievement of the Year 2017: Lydia / Platonic Partnership
Big Screen Game of the Year 2017: Nex Machina / Housemarque
Small Screen Game of the Year 2017: Empires & Puzzles / Small Giant Games
2016
Finnish Game of the Year 2016: Clash Royale / Supercell
Applied Game Award 2016: Augmented Climbing Wall / Valo Motion Oy
Finnish Rookie of the Year 2016: Kopla Games
Sensation of the Year 2016: Suomen pelimuseo
Best Creative Achievement of the Year 2016: Alienation / Housemarque
Big Screen Game of the Year 2016: Quantum Break / Remedy Entertainment
Small Screen Game of the Year 2016: Clash Royale / Supercell
2015
Finnish Game of the Year 2015: Colossal Order / Cities: Skylines
Applied Game Award 2015: Afterlife Entertainment Oy (kehitys) & RealMatch Invest Oy (konseptointi) / Money Flow Challenge
Finnish Rookie of the Year 2015: Koukoi Games
Sensation of the Year 2015: Little Knight Arthur
Best Creative Achievement of the Year 2015: Trine 3: The Artifacts of Power
Big Screen Game of the Year 2015: Colossal Order / Cities: Skylines
Small Screen Game of the Year 2015: ZORG Entertainment / AG Drive
2014
Best Finnish Game of the Year 2014: Legend of Grimrock 2
Rookie of the Year 2014: Seriously, Ltd
Power Player of the Year 2014: Juho Kuorikoski
Sensation of the Year 2014: Finnish Game Jam ry
Best Big Screen Game of the Year 2014: Legend of Grimrock 2 by Almost Human
Best Small Screen Game of the Year 2014: Best Fiends by Seriously, Ltd
2013
Best Finnish Game of the Year 2013: Resogun / Housemarque
Rookie of the Year 2013: Facepalm Games / Swapper
Sensation of the Year 2013: Theory Interactive / Reset
