EA, Rare and Klemens Strasser win GAConf Awards of IGDA

For many years, the IDGA, as the umbrella organisation for the global game development scene, has also been committed to improving the accessibility of games. This is driven by the IDGA Game Accessibility Special Interest Group (IDGA-GASIG), which organises the Game Accessibility Conference (GAConf) and the accompanying awards. These were announced at the end of January.

Prizes were awarded in a total of 20 categories. A panel of experts had previously drawn up a shortlist. From the GSA's point of view, it was particularly pleasing that Klemens Strasser, a solo developer from Austria, was among the winners. His title The Art of Fauna won in the Indie Excellence category. Strasser had previously won the Apple App Store Award 2025 and an Apple Design Award with The Art of Fauna. 

The winners of the GAConf Awards 2025:

• AAA Excellence: EA Sports FC 26
• AA Excellence: Atomfall
• Indie Excellence: The Art of Fauna 
• Best Deaf & Hard of Hearing Accessibility: Assassins Creed Shadows
• Best Motor/Mobility Accessibility: Doom: The Dark Ages
• Best Blind & Low Vision Accessibility: Hades 2 blind accessibility mod
• Best Cognitive Accessibility: Squeakross
• Best Mental Health Accessibility: Abiotic Factor
• Best Representation: Just Dance 2026
• Best Journalism: Diablo IV: Second Anniversary – Interview with Drew McCrory, by Antonio Martinez
• Best Academic Research: How Users Who are Blind or Low Vision Play Mobile Games: Perceptions, Challenges, and Strategies, by Zihe Ran et al
• Best Assistive Technology: Byowave Proteus Builder
• Best Accessibility Resource: Accessible Games Initiative
• Best Comms and Marketing: Atomfall accessibility overview trailer
• Most Improved: Hades 2 blind accessibility mod
• Greatest Accessibility Innovation: FC 26 high contrast in PVP
• Most Dedicated Publisher: Electronic Arts
• Most Dedicated Studio: Rare 
• MVP Award for Unsung Hero: Elisabeth Whyte
• The Advocacy Award: Elisabeth “Arevya” Sivertsen