Coyote & Crow RPG is a game that envisions a world where colonization never occurred and the indigenous people of North America controlled the land. The RPG was developed by a team of Native Americans, and stood out to the DJA committee to eventually take home the award bestowed upon them by last year's winner Ajit George and DJA committee head Matt Forbeck. Coyote & Crow LLC also recently published a push-your-luck style dice game called Naasii (see “Naasii“).

This year's nominees also included Linda Codega for games journalism, game designer Cole Wehrle, Journeys through the Radiant Citadel, and Rosenstrasse  (see “Nominees“). The Diana Jones Award for Excellence is Gaming is awarded to "...a game system or supplement, a magazine, a company, a designer, an event or convention, or any other entity that shows gaming at its absolute zenith."