SXSW Gaming Awards Final Nominees: Ember Lab’s ‘Kena: Bridge Of Spirits’ Leads 2022 List

deadline.com:

EXCLUSIVE: The final nominations for the 2022 SXSW Gaming Awards are in. Indie game developer Ember Lab boasts a strong showing with its debut title Kena: Bridge of Spirits leading the final nominees list.Now in its ninth year, the annual SXSW Gaming Awards seeks to celebrate the wide reach of gaming across art, design, music, gameplay and more across a total of 12 categories.

The 2022 virtual SXSW Gaming Awards are produced by Georgia-based Peach Maria Productions and executive produced by Laurie Lockliear.

The awards ceremony will be offered digitally as part of SXSW Online on March 12, 2022 at 7 p.m. CT, during the festival’s run from March 11-20.Kena: Bridge of Spirits nabbed a total of four nominations for the annual ceremony.

The 2021 action adventure game, which follows its titular young woman’s journey to help spirts transition to the after life and her quest to return her land to peace, is up for Indie Game of the Year, Excellence in Animation, Art, & Visual Achievement; Excellence in Narrative and Excellence in Original Score.Following Kena with three noms apiece are Deathloop, Inscryption, Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker, Forza Horizon 5 and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.