"Age of Wonders 4" has been announced as the winner of the Dutch Game Awards, earning recognition as the best Dutch game of the year. The triumphant game, along with other winners from the evening, is set to be included in the collection of the Beeld en Geluid museum as part of the nation's cultural heritage, marking a memorable accomplishment for game developer Triumph Studios.

Released on May 2, "Age of Wonders 4" offers an imaginative world filled with 4X-strategy and turn-based tactical battles. The awards jury praised the game for its innovative approach to the strategy genre and its successful mix of traditional and new mechanisms. They particularly highlighted the game's depth and complexity that add an epic scale to the gaming experience.

Triumph Studios had a successful night, also grabbing the title for "Best Studio". However, they weren't the only ones celebrating multiple victories. Adriaan de Jongh and Friends' "Secret Shuffle" received both the "Best Innovation" and "Best Game Design" awards. Furthermore, PlayStation studio Nixxes Software was honored with the "Best Technology" award for their PC port of Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered.

Some of the other winners included "Isonzo" by BlackMill Games for "Best Audio", "Klankkr8" by Game Tailors for "Best Applied Game", and "Kayak VR: Mirage" by Better Than Life for "Best Debut Game." The "Best Student Game" award went to "Iron Line" by Team Trainwreck.

Special Awards were also handed out during the night to studios, individuals or initiatives that have made significant contributions to the Dutch gaming industry in the background. Highlights included Esmee van 't Hoff of Wholesome Game receiving the Inclusion Award, Angie Smets of Guerrilla Games receiving the Career Achievement award, and Deloryan Games winning the Awesome Achievement award.

This was the 13th edition of the Dutch Game Awards, held at the Beeld en Geluid museum in Hilversum. The grand winner of the previous year was "Horizon Forbidden West", which managed to scoop up four awards.