Smilegate's global game platform Stove announced the winners of the "2025 Stove Indie Awards" on the 11th.
The "2025 Stove Indie Awards" was prepared to select games and creators that achieved meaningful results among titles that launched in early access or officially through Stove Indie in the previous year. The winners were decided by combining user votes and internal review.
The top honor, "Game of the Year," went to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. The title earned high marks for its world-building, narrative, and gameplay polish, establishing itself as Stove Indie's flagship title. It also made the "TOP 10," and was recognized as a work consistently chosen by users.
The "TOP 10" included "Maid of the Storm," "Back-alley: Ghost Trace," "Artis Impact," "Contract X Romance," "French Connection," "Platina Lab," "Lonely Broadcast," "Drova - Forsaken Kin," and "Eternal Strands," among others.
In the user vote category, "Pour Me a Cup of Love!" was selected for "Heart-pounding Subculture," and "Best Localizer" went to the translators who worked on "Drova - Forsaken Kin." "Best Alliance" went to "Hospital X Life," and "Creator Spotlight" went to "Lonely Broadcast."
In the "Frontier" category, which evaluates experimental and challenging work, "Witch's Garden" took the honor, while "Stove Ambassador" recognized developer "Jangryang002," who helped attract overseas creators, and community contributor "DomDomGoon."
Stove said the awards confirmed that diverse creative attempts and achievements are continuing in the indie game ecosystem.