Taipei Game Show has announced the finalists for the Indie Game Award 2027, with 45 teams from 20 countries and regions advancing from 731 entries submitted by developers worldwide. The competition is being held in collaboration with PlayStation and recorded entries from 53 countries and regions, representing more than 40% growth over the previous year, according to the organizers.
The finalists include teams from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, China, Poland, Italy, Thailand, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Canada, Israel, the United States, Australia, India, Argentina, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, France, Germany and Hong Kong. Belarus and Madagascar entered the competition for the first time this year, the organizers said.
What the Indie Game Award 2027 finalists represent
The field will be judged across eight award categories, including the Grand Prix. The jury comprises game industry experts, professional media representatives and content creators from Taiwan and overseas. The supplied finalist listings include categories such as Best Narrative, Best Audio, Best Visual Art, Best Design, Best Innovation, Best Social Impact and Best Student Game.
Several finalists highlighted by Taipei Game Show include Japan’s Ratatan, which raised more than JPY 219 million in crowdfunding during development. Thailand’s Lost and Found Co. combines hidden-object gameplay with character-driven storytelling and office decoration. Other highlighted titles include NAME OF THE WILL, a hand-drawn psychological horror adventure from a US-based team, and Brazil’s GHOSTLESS, which addresses themes including artificial intelligence development, human identity, technology ethics and trust.
Taiwanese developers account for 10 of the teams advancing to the Final Phase. Among the listed Taiwanese titles are OPUS: Prism Peak, Rubinite and Selfie Worm. The organizers said OPUS: Prism Peak received perfect scores from an international media outlet, while Rubinite attracted interest from a Taiwanese venture capital fund. Selfie Worm was selected for Tokyo Game Show’s “Selected Indie 80” and named a finalist for “Sense of Wonder Night,” according to the announcement.
Showcase planned for Taipei Game Show
Winning games will be showcased at Taipei Game Show from January 21 to 24, 2027. Hands-on demos are scheduled for the Indie Game Award 2027 Winner’s Pavilion within INDIE HOUSE, giving visitors a designated location to view the winning entries during the consumer-facing portion of the event.
Taipei Game Show 2027 will take place at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center Hall 1. Its B2B Zone is scheduled for January 21 and 22, while the B2C Zone, including INDIE HOUSE and Board Game Wonderland, will run from January 21 to 24. The Asia Pacific Game Summit is also scheduled at the venue on January 21 and 22.
The organizers also said Taipei Game Show helped 35 Taiwanese indie studios exhibit at events in Japan, Brazil, South Korea and Canada this year. Additional participation is planned for events in Thailand, Lithuania and Canada. Exhibitor registration for INDIE HOUSE is scheduled to move to the waitlist stage on October 21.
For the Indie Game Award 2027, the finalist announcement sets the next stage of a competition that spans multiple regions and game formats. The complete finalist list is available through the Taipei Game Show website.
