Every year, the Irish Game Makers Association throws IMIRT, an awards ceremony that celebrates the most inventive, aesthetic and technologically innovative Irish games. The focus is on local Irish games and studios, promoting domestic talent and distributing awards in 12 categories to the very best games Ireland has to offer.
The publicity of the IMIRT Irish Game Awards, and their reputation in Ireland cannot be understated. It is a go-to place for all gamers, Irish or otherwise, who look for hidden gems and emerging studios.
Here, we will analyse the Irish Game Awards winners from 2025, delving into the background of the studios and games that took home awards and rating their offerings. The IMIRT is recognises excellence across the entire country, and these games, developed by homegrown talent, never fall short of expectations.
The Irish Game Makers Association always goes to extraordinary lengths to review new games, and the IMIRT recognises games that were released across a three-year period. For 2025, that means analysing everything that went live from 2022 onwards.
At GameDevelopers Review, we are highly familiar with all the established, indie and up and comers that make up Ireland’s bustling game developing industry. We talk about, analyse and review every gaming niche, theme and style, and deliver these insights to anyone who is passionate about Irish games. Below, we will analyse each award and discuss the games in more depth.
The centrepiece of the awards is always the Game of the Year, Rising Star, and Community Hero awards, which highlight the key contributions to the Irish gaming scene. But there are awards for virtually every aspect of gaming, from narrative awards to audio and game art.
Amber Isle, a shop management meets social simulator game, was the big winner of the night, snapping up 5 awards. Released in February 2025, the social simulation game features dinosaurs and a throng of prehistoric animals working in harmony to serve the island’s lone shop. Ambertail was lauded for the wholesome experience Amber Isle creates, which is brought to life with aesthetic visuals and creative quests and challenges.
Jamie Gavin, an independent, won the Rising Star award for his solo contributions. Most famous for his sci-fi horror game series, The Enigma Trilogy, he is a prominent figure in the Irish gaming community and one to watch for the future.
Axyz is a remarkable effort by Space Lion Studios, which is inspired by 90s puzzle games. The retro gravity switching game calls on players to use their spatial awareness and with dynamic levels and engaging graphics. It rightly won the Best Upcoming Gaming award.
Filthy Animals: Heist Simulator was runner-up for Best Game Art and Best Technical Achievement, and won the Game of the Year 2024 award. The chaotic game features a gang of mutant animals taking on heists, from robbing a local store to breaking into a bank, a military base, and all the way into outer space.
The first-person horror game is a true thriller, that keeps players engaged with what is best described as a classic Irish ghost story. The point and click mechanics of the game are fairly simple, without taking away anything from the compelling storyline that keeps players gripped from the moment they start.
This action game puts gamers to the test, demanding quick reflexes, forward thinking and beating tough challenges as players compete to become the Dodge Grandmaster. The attention to detail in this masterfully constructed game by Gretham is something of pure technical marvel.
The runner-up to the Best Debut and Game of the Year 2025, Dungeons and Naggins won the Best Analogue Game award. The game puts a new spin on Dungeons and Dragons, applying Irish humour and creating an engaging board game. Gamers flip card, gather loot, roll dice and take on bosses, and it can also serve as a drinking game.
Kearney is a small video games and tabletop games producer, but is also a prominent figure in Ireland’s game developer community. A board member of IMIRT since 2023, he has worked with Global Game Jam, cofounded 1GAM Galway Meetup, and was recognised at the IMIRT 2025 awards for his contributions to the Irish games community.