Video game Neva wins Best Character Animation at Annie Awards

The Catalan video game Neva, developed by Nomada Studio, has won the best character animation award in the video game category at the 52nd edition of the Annie Awards, the most prestigious accolades in the animation industry.

Neva triumphed over #BLUD, Asgard's Wrath 2, Diesel Legacy, and Senua's Saga: Hellblade II.

"It is crazy that we were at the ceremony. It is the second time we have won, as we have already won with our first video game, Gris. Still, we go through things that surprise me a lot," Conrad Roset, illustrator and Nomada Studio member, told the Catalan News Agency (ACN).

When asked about the nerves and expectations, Roset acknowledge that he believes the team will not win "to avoid getting excited," as the team never thinks they will take the award home.

"Lastly, we have won a lot of awards, and we are thrilled that our work has been recognized, especially this game, which took four years to develop with a 20-people team, so it is a great gift after this long journey," Roset said.

Hours before the interview, the company had shared a message on social media.

"We are beyond thrilled to share that Neva has won the Annie Award for Best Character Animation in a Video Game," the studio announced on 𝕏, formerly Twitter.

"Huge thanks to our amazing team and everyone who supported us on this journey. This one’s for you!" the message added.

The game was only shortlisted for this category, and the award comes just weeks after it won the Games for Impact prize at The Game Awards, the most important awards in the gaming industry.

"I believe what the jury values is our artisanal way of working," Conrad Roset said before explaining that they "draw by hand each frame of the video game, and artists have made all 2D drawings, and judges value craftsmanship and this unique way of working." 

"We develop very short games in length, but we work on them a lot, and we take care of every detail, and I believe this is what they are giving an award to, to our delicate way of working the games' details," Roset told ACN.

Neva is Nomada Studio's second video game, released on October 15. It follows Alba, the main character, as she embarks on a dangerous journey with a wolf, exploring themes of parent-child relationships.

The Barcelona-based studio first gained international recognition in 2018 with the success of Gris, its debut video game.

While Neva maintains a similar artistic style, it introduces more advanced gameplay mechanics, blending puzzle-solving with combat elements.