Think Belgium is only known for its craft beer, waffles, and chocolate? Nope! This country from the Benelux region has a thriving game development scene, including a games awards event at the end of the year. So, on December 10th, the Belgian Game Awards brought the country’s developers, studios, and creative talent together to celebrate achievements in 14 categories. Organized by games.brussels and BelgianGames, the event highlighted the diversity of Belgium’s gaming ecosystem, from XR innovation to narrative-driven experiences.
We are so humbled and proud to announce that Koira won 3 awards last night at the Belgian Game Awards 😍🐶
Belgian Game of the Year
Best Narrative
Best Audio pic.twitter.com/iYKMvqFwT3— Koira OUT NOW🐶 Studio Tolima (@StudioTolima) December 11, 2025
The night’s top honor, Belgian Game of the Year, went to Koira by Studio Tolima. The title also locked in wins in Best Audio and Best Narrative, praised for its ability to evoke emotion without dialogue and for its musical storytelling.
Other noteworthy winners included Wall Town Wonders by Cyborn, which took Best XR Game of the Year for its creative use of immersive dollhouse-style exploration. A Long Goodbye by Polygoat won Best Applied Game, recognized for its poignant depiction of dementia through VR. In multiplayer, Wait What’s That? from Oisoi Studio made an impression with its creative 3D twist on Pictionary-style gameplay.
Visual artistry was celebrated with 30 Birds from Ram Ram Studio and Business Goose Studio, which fused Persian-inspired aesthetics with unique writing. Also, No Players Online by Beeswax Games earned Best Game Design, praised for its atmospheric mechanics and esoteric storytelling.
The awards also spotlighted emerging talent entering indie game development. What the Hack! from Howest/DAE won Best Student Game, demonstrating polish and creativity from a student team. STIP by Sixtyfour was named Most Anticipated Game, with its fourth-wall-breaking puzzle mechanics drawing attention ahead of release.
Community recognition came through the Audience Award, which went to OFF (Mortis Ghost + Fangamer), a cult RPG Maker title reintroduced to modern platforms. Beyond games, entrepreneurial and technical contributions were honored: Valem Studios was named Most Promising Start-up, Lugus Studios took Best Tech Provider, and BiteMe Games received Change-Maker of the Year for its innovative funding model.
Here’s the full listing of Belgian Game Awards categories, winners and nominees:
| Category | Winner | Other Nominees |
|---|---|---|
| Best XR Game of the Year | Wall Town Wonders (Cyborn) | A Long Goodbye (Polygoat), Detective VR (Valem Studio) |
| Best Applied Game | A Long Goodbye (Polygoat) | The Storyteller, Liftoff: Microdrones |
| Best Multiplayer | Wait What’s That? (Oisoi Studio) | Jester: A Foolish Ritual (FireFoot Studios), Midnight Mayhem (Gradient Games) |
| Best Visual Art | 30 Birds (Ram Ram Studio / Business Goose Studio) | Koira (Studio Tolima), Gloomy Eyes (Fishing Cactus / Atlas V / BeRevolution) |
| Best Audio | Koira (Studio Tolima) | OFF (Mortis Ghost + Fangamer), No Players Online (Beeswax Games) |
| Best Narrative | Koira (Studio Tolima) | 30 Birds (Ram Ram Studio / Business Goose Studio), OFF (Mortis Ghost + Fangamer) |
| Best Game Design | No Players Online (Beeswax Games) | Deck of Haunts (Mantis Games), Order 13 (Cybernetic Walrus) |
| Best Student Game | What the Hack! (Howest/DAE) | Needle Eye (Howest/DAE), Voice of the Ocean (Haute Ecole Albert Jacquard) |
| Most Anticipated Game | STIP (Sixtyfour) | Helix: Descent N Ascent (Badass Mongoose), Modulus (Happy Volcano), Curiosmos (Céline Veltman & the Silly Stars), Hello World: A Developer Story (Little Big Monkey Studio) |
| Belgian Game of the Year | Koira (Studio Tolima) | — |
| Audience Award | OFF (Mortis Ghost + Fangamer) | — |
| Most Promising Start-up | Valem Studios | FireFoot Studios, Polygon Valley |
| Best Tech Provider | Lugus Studios | Salty Lemon Entertainment, Carte Son |
| Change-Maker of the Year | BiteMe Games | Lugus Studios, Cybernetic Walrus |
The ceremony was accompanied by a Belgian Game Awards Steam event running December 4–12, giving international audiences access to nominees and winners, with front-page exposure between December 9–11. This digital showcase reinforced the awards’ role in promoting Belgian talent beyond national borders.
Overall, the Belgian Game Awards 2025 showed off the strength of Belgium’s developers in blending artistry, innovation, and community engagement. With Koira leading the way and a diverse set of winners across categories, the event spotlighted a thriving sector set for continued growth.
