Shadow of Mordor Takes Home Top Prize At 15th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards

In a year where Game Informer had its most heated game of the year discussions in recent memory, a dark horse candidate surprised the field to take home three awards at the Game Developers Choice Awards.

Ustwo's mobile darling Monument Valley took home three prizes, for best handheld/mobile, best visual art, and the innovation award. The grand prize, however, went to Monolith's Shadow of Mordor.

Here is the full list of winners:

• Ambassador Award: Brenda Romero
• Pioneer Award: Dave Braben
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Hironobu Sakaguchi
• Best Technology: Destiny
• Best Audio: Alien: Isolation
• Best Narrative: Kentucky Route Zero
• Best Visual Art: Monument Valley
• Best Handheld/Mobile Game: Monument Valley
• Best Game Design: Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft
• Best Debut: The Banner Saga
• Innovation Award: Monument Valley
• Audience Award: Elite: Dangerous
• Game of the Year: Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor

Before the Choice Awards, Capybara Games president Nathan Vella took the stage for the second year in a row to hand out the Independent Game Festival awards. Here is the complete list of winners:

• Excellence In Visual Art: Metamorphabet
• Excellence In Audio: Ephemerid
• Excellence In Design: Outer Wilds
• Excellence In Narrative: 80 Days
• Nuovo Award: Tetrageddon Games
• Best Student Game: Close Your
• Audience Award: This War of Mine
• Seumas McNally Grand Prize: Outer Wilds