The annual The Sport Awards ceremony is developing, and due to the wonderful titles we’ve obtained this yr, the competitors is tight. Host Geoff Keighley just lately had a Twitch stream the place he addressed questions from the general public and spoke a bit about why Dave the Diver has discovered itself within the Greatest Impartial Sport class.

As Keighley highlights, folks interpret the time period indie in another way. Whereas some may take into account a sport’s funds, others will have a look at the staff’s dimension, and it’s additionally doable to deal with the aesthetic or scale of the sport. Consequently, some have argued that Baldur’s Gate 3 is an indie sport, and even Loss of life Stranding which was created by an impartial studio regardless of receiving main funding from PlayStation.

Within the case of Dave the Diver, the sport is made by Mintrocket which is a small, South Korean group. The group is part of Nexon which is a really massive writer. Keighley explains that you possibly can argue each methods, as the sport might be thought-about indie in spirit, as it’s made by a small staff that seemingly had a comparatively small funds. Nonetheless, this doesn’t cancel the truth that it’s nonetheless from a bigger entity.

In the end, Keighley concludes that there aren’t any set guidelines, and The Sport Awards permits folks to “use their greatest judgment.” Though TGA judges have determined that it’s an indie title, that is actually not a viewpoint shared by all.

As Zoey Handley argues, the indie class must be accessible for smaller builders with out main monetary backing to nonetheless obtain the highlight. Dave the Diver‘s nomination probably alerts “that any main company can produce a sport with pixel artwork graphics to purchase away that recognition.” One can simply see how this might find yourself pushing genuinely small creators out of their very own class.

Geoff Keighley solutions your burning The Sport Awards questions

Keighley touched on a number of different matters as he addressed questions posed to him on Twitch. He confirmed that the safety shall be tightened this time round. That is to be anticipated, as troublemakers have discovered their method onto Keighley’s stage a number of occasions prior, together with at this yr’s Gamescom Opening Night time Dwell the place a troll ran on stage demanding GTA 6. Although he wouldn’t go into particulars for safety causes, he states the next: “we positively have plans and we’re making an attempt to do all we are able to to maintain me protected, but additionally everybody watching the present, the viewers, folks taking part within the present and every thing.”

He speaks about the potential of new classes being added to the occasion and confirms that it’s one thing that’s all the time being mentioned. Classes which have been proposed embody Greatest DLC and Greatest Remake, however Keighley explains that one of many issues is that there might not all the time be 5 or 6 nice remakes a yr to fill the class.

Keighley additionally mentions that there gained’t be any “world premier” title playing cards this yr. This doesn’t imply there gained’t be massive bulletins. As a substitute, due to the nebulous nature of the phrase “world premier,” they’d reasonably simply deal with all of it as nice gaming content material.

Curiously, he speaks a bit about his relationship with FromSoftware’s Hidetaka Miyazaki. He explains that he has labored with the Elden Ring director and that he’s very grateful for his contributions to Summer time Sport Fest. A viewer asks Keighley what the trophies are manufactured from. Curiously, Keighley explains that they’re “metal plated” and made in New Zealand.

For extra conventional indie titles, take a look at the Greatest Indie Debut class. As Keighley explains, this class usually options video games from small groups with minimal funding. These video games aren’t receiving assist from massive companies which maybe makes them indie within the purest sense.

The Sport Awards stream globally on December 7, 2023. You possibly can watch it on YouTube and Twitch.