Since 2020, the Academy of Video Game Arts and Techniques has organized the Pégases ceremony to celebrate video games’ creative achievements and ecosystem, on the model of the “César du cinéma’’ (French equivalent to the Academy Awards). On March 7 at La Cigale, the fantasy puzzle game “Chants of Sennaar’’ dominated the competition. Developed by the independent Toulouse studio Rundisc, the game was awarded three prizes (Best Game, Best Independent Game and Best Game Design). Like the rest of the winners of the competition (excluding international and student categories), the production benefited from the CNC's support for video game creation, including the Support Fund for Video Game.
Another big winner of the evening: the adventure game “Unknown Soldiers: Brothers in Arms’’, developed by Ubisoft Montpellier. This story about World War I also won three awards: Best Mobile Game, Best Narrative, and the Game Beyond Entertainment Pégase which honors games carrying a social dimension. Still on Ubisoft's side, the Bordeaux studio was awarded the Audience Award for “Assassin’s Creed Mirage’’, while the Lyon studio (Ivory Tower) won the Pégase for Best Game As A Service for its work on “The Crew Motorfest’’. “En Garde!’’, the swashbuckling video game designed by Fireplace Games (Montpellier) was crowned Best Debut Game. Developed by Parisian students from the Isart Digital school, “Sikaria: A Silent Hunt’’ won the Pégase for Best Student Game. As for the remainder: “KarmaZoo’’ (Pasta Games; Paris) won the prize for Best Accessibility, “Headbangers: Rhythm Royale’’ (Glee-Cheese Studio; Royat) for Best Technical Achievement, “Jusant’’ (Don't Nod Entertainment; Paris) for Best Audio Achievement, and finally “Dordogne’’, the watercolor game developed by Un Je Ne Sais Quoi (Bègles), for Best Visual Achievement.
In the international categories, “Baldur’s Gate 3’’ from the Belgian studio Larian Studios was crowned Best International Game, the Danish game “COCOON’’ (Geometric Interactive) Best Independent Game and the Swedish production “Little Nightmares’’ (Tarsier Studios) Best Mobile Game.
Rachida Dati, France’s Culture Minister, honored the Pégases ceremony with her presence and awarded the Personality of the Year prize to Mickaël Newton, head of Social Innovation at Ubisoft and co-founder of the Loisirs Numériques association. In addition, French video game designer Muriel Tramis was awarded the Honorary Prize for her entire career.
The full list of winners
Best Game: “Chants of Sennaar’’ (Rundisc/Focus Entertainment)
Best Independent Game: “Chants of Sennaar’’ (Rundisc/Focus Entertainment)
Best Mobile Game: “Unknown Soldiers: Brothers in Arms’’ (Ubisoft Montpellier/Old Skull Games)
Best Debut Game: “En Garde!’’ (Fireplace Games)
Best Student Game: “Sikaria: A Silent Hunt’’ (Isart Digital)
Game Beyond Entertainment: “Unknown Soldiers: Brothers in Arms’’ (Ubisoft Montpellier/Old Skull Games)
Best Visual Achievement: “Dordogne’’ (Un Je Ne Sais Quelle/Umanimation/Focus Entertainment)
Best Audio Achievement: “Jusant’’ (Don’t Nod Entertainment)
Best Narrative: “Unknown Soldiers: Brothers in Arms’’ (Ubisoft Montpellier/Old Skull Games)
Best Game Design: “Chants of Sennaar’’ (Rundisc/Focus Entertainment)
Best Technical Achievement: « Headbangers: Rhythm Royale’’ (Glee-cheese Studio)
Best Accessibility: “KarmaZoo’’ (Pasta Games/Devolver)
Best Game As A Service: “The Crew Motorfest’’' (Ivory Tower/Ubisoft)
Best International Game: “Baldur’s Gate 3’’ (Larian Studios)
Best International Indie Game: “COCOON’’ (Geometric Interactive/Annapurna Interactive)
Best International Mobile Game: “Little Nightmares’’ (Tarsier Studios/Bandai Namco/Playdigious)
Audience Award: “Assassin’s Creed Mirage’’ (Ubisoft Bordeaux)
Personality of the Year: Mickaël Newton (Loisirs Numériques Association/ Ubisoft)
Honorary Prize: Muriel Tramis