From handheld devices like the Game Boy to immersive VR and AR headsets like the Meta Quest Pro, gaming has come an incredibly long way. The graphics have evolved exponentially and the storylines behind the action are labyrinthine. 

With so much to play and so many realms to step into, the Webby Awards was awestruck with the number of extraordinary projects we received this year. But there were standout moments in the amazing year this was for gaming. 

The 4th Annual Webby Games Industry Index has ranked the top five studios that soared past expectations for what games can achieve during the 26th Annual Webby Awards. They represent the best in gaming and their featured projects showcase the true talent that they possess. Explore the five studios that have left an undeniable mark on the industry.

*Companies are ranked in order of performance. Webby Award and People’s Voice wins were weighed more heavily in our calculations.

BY THE NUMBERS:

• This year, a single game is what got indie developers Humble Games and Witch Beam our top spot in the index. Unpacking won two Webby Awards and a People’s Voice Award, walking away with two nominations.
• Game design from the graphics, to the sound and visuals, were all given space at this year’s stage with It Takes Two, Hoa, Twelve Minutes, and Call of Duty: Vanguard all being honored for their design.

BEHIND THE RANKS:

1. Humble Games and Witch Beam

Humble Games is a small San Francisco-based game studio that was the result of independent developers coming together to create quality games. And Witch Beam is an independent studio based out of Brisbane, Australia creating gaming experiences for consoles and PC. Together, they created Unpacking, the game that snagged the most Webby and People Voice wins in gaming for its simple yet complex study of what our material belongings mean to us.  

BREAKING DOWN THE WINS

• Unpacking
  Developed by Humble Games in partnership with Witch Beam, Unpacking takes you through the very intimate experience of unpacking moving boxes and sorting through the belongings of a character you won’t ever meet in the game. You get to explore the significance of the items we carry with us through each move while listening to its delightfully nostalgic soundtrack and 8-Bit design.

2022 Winner and People’s Voice Winner of Best User Experience
2022 Winner of Family & Kids
2022 Nominee for Puzzle and Trivia
2022 Nominee for Best Game Design

2. Electronic Arts (EA)

EA is a well-known and celebrated studio that is the genius behind household games like Apex Legends, The Sims, Madden, and FIFA. They are a renowned leader in creating digital and gaming experiences driven by a passion for giving users innovative and immersive gameplay. Here are some of the games that we honored last year. 

BREAKING DOWN THE WINS

• It Takes Two
  A striking take on the classic model of two-player games, It Takes Two is a genre-bending adventure that follows two humans who’ve been turned into dolls by magic. The game thrusts the player into a miniature world filled with whimsy, nail-biting action, and challenging missions that are uniquely different from one another.

2022 Winner and People’s Voice Winner of Best Game Design
2022 People’s Voice Winner in Adventure

• Madden Ultimate Thanksgiving Day 2
  2022 Nominee for Sports in Virtual & Remote
• FIFA 22 Challenge
  2022 Nominee for Sports in Virtual & Remote
• Lost in Random
  2022 Nominee for Best Art Direction 
• Knockout City
  2022 Nominee for Best Social Gaming Experience 
• Apex Legends | Stories from the Outlands
  2022 Nominee for Series (Branded) 
• Mass Effect Legendary Edition
  2022 Honoree for Adventure
• EA SPORTS FIFA 22 
  2022 Honoree for Best Music/Sound Design 
• Battlefield™ 2042
  2022 Honoree for Best Game Design 2022 & Technical Achievement

View the full list of their Webby Award-winning work here.

3. PM Studios, inc.

Since 2008, PM Studios has been a leading studio in developing and publishing games that are centered on refining the user experience and building deeper relationships through their games. They’ve released wildly popular games like Blade Assault, Exophobia, Shadows of Adam, and Ikai. They’ve created game after game teeming with wonder and creativity, like their Webby Winning game Hoa.

BREAKING DOWN THE WINS

• Hoa
  Looking like it’s straight out of Studio Ghibli, Hoa is a puzzle game that takes the player on a journey with the main character Hoa as she travels through her intricate world. Hoa is a relaxing and gentle videogame featuring hand-painted art and a sublime original soundtrack.

2022 Winner of Best Music/Sound Design
2022 Winner and People’s Voice Winner for Best Art Direction

4. Annapurna Interactive

Since its inception in 2016 as an extension of Annapurna Pictures, Annapurna Interactive has released games that have become essential for gamers everywhere. Some of their noteworthy games include The Lost Wild, Stray, Solar Ash, and Outer Wilds. By working with gamers directly on actualizing their ideas, Annapurna has continued to put out games that have garnered massive attention. Here is some of the work that’s got them ours.

BREAKING DOWN THE WINS

• The Artful Escape
  Take a dive into the psychedelic world of teen guitar prodigy Francis Vendetti in The Artful Escape as he launches off on a technicolor adventure to discover his ultimate stage persona. The kaleidoscopic visuals and soundtrack of rich guitar riffs carry you through Francis’ journey to redefine his father’s legacy.

2022 Winner for Technical Achievement

• Twelve Minutes
  2022 Winner for Puzzle and Trivia
  2022 Nominee for Best Game Design 2022
  2022 Nominee for Best User Experience 2022

5. Activision

Since 1979, Activision has had an unmistakable impact in the gaming industry through their instantly recognizable games like Guitar Hero® and Crash Bandicoot®. Their games have become essential to gamers everywhere and have always held stories in them that are innovative, fun, and thrilling. Here’s some of their work that made waves during last year’s show. 

BREAKING DOWN THE WINS

• Call of Duty: Vanguard 
  Vanguard is the culmination of the more than a decade-long story of the hallmark game Call of Duty, stocked full of incredible graphics and gameplay jampacked with suspense. As the fifth season of this story, it’s up to the player to battle against some of the most notorious and vicious villains in Call of Duty history. 

2022 People’s Voice Winner for Best Social Gaming Experience
2022 Nominee for Best User Experience
2022 Honoree for Adventure
2022 Honoree for Best Game Design

Show that you’re creating some of the best games across the internet, like those honored in the 2022 Webby Games Index. To join their ranks, enter the 27th Annual Webby Awards before the Final Entry Deadline on Friday, December 16th.

READ THE FULL SERIES

The Webby Podcast Industry Index is part of our larger Webby Industry Index Series that showcases the companies who have made the highest caliber of work across their respective industries. Read the full series to see this year’s best Brands, Game Creators, Media Companies, Podcast Companies, Production Companies and Tech Companies.