The Game Awards is gaming’s biggest awards ceremony, held annually and broadcast globally. It recognises creative and technical excellence across multiple fields within the gaming industry and awards fantastic games accordingly. The winners are decided by a panel of experts from within the industry and this year’s nominees have now been announced. The categories and their nominees can be seen below, or you can head to The Game Award webpage.
Game of the Year
Delivering the absolute best experience across all creative and technical fields
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Super Mario Odyssey
- PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
- Persona 5
- Horizon Zero Dawn
Best Game Direction
For outstanding creative vision and innovation in game direction and design
- Wolfenstein II
- Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Super Mario Odyssey
- Horizon Zero Dawn
Best Narrative
For outstanding storytelling and narrative development in a game
- What Remains of Edith Finch
- NieR: Automata
- Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
- Wolfenstein II
- Horizon Zero Dawn
Best Art Direction
For outstanding creative and/or technical achievement in artistic design and animation
- Destiny 2
- Cuphead
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Persona 5
- Horizon Zero Dawn
Best Score / Music
For outstanding music, inclusive of score, original song and/or licensed soundtrack
- Destiny 2
- Cuphead
- NieR: Automata
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Super Mario Odyssey
- Persona 5
Best Audio Design
For outstanding in-game audio and sound design
- Destiny 2
- Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
- Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Super Mario Odyssey
Best Performance
For outstanding voice-over acting, motion and/or performance capture
- Melina Juergens – Hellblade
- Laura Bailey – Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
- Claudia Black – Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
- Brian Bloom – Wolfenstein II
- Ashly Burch – Horizon: Zero Dawn
Games for Impact
For a thought provoking game with a profound pre-social meaning or message
- Please Knock on My Door
- Night in the Woods
- Life is Strange: Before the Storm
- Bury Me, My Love
- What Remains of Edith Finch
- Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Best Ongoing Game
For outstanding development of ongoing content that evolves the player experience over time
- Warframe
- Rainbow Six: Siege
- Overwatch
- Grand Theft Auto Online
- Destiny 2
- PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
Best Mobile Game
For the best game playable on a dedicated mobile device
- Fire Emblem Heroes
- Super Mario Run
- Old Man’s Journey
- Monument Valley 2
- Hidden Folks
Best Handheld Game
For the best game playable on a dedicated portable gaming system
- Poochy and Yoshi’s Woolly World
- Monster Hunter Stories
- Metroid: Samus Returns
- Ever Oasis
- Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadow of Valentia
Best VR / AR Game
For the best game experience playable in virtual or augmented reality, irrespective of platform
- Superhot VR
- Star Trek: Bridge Crew
- Lone Echo / Echo Arena
- Farpoint
- Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Best Action Game
For the best game in the action genre focused on combat
- Prey
- Nioh
- Destiny 2
- Cuphead
- Wolfenstein II
Best Action/Adventure Game
For the best action/adventure game, combining combat with traversal and puzzle solving
- Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
- Assassin’s Creed: Origins
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Super Mario Odyssey
- Horizon Zero Dawn
Best Role Playing Game
For the best game designed with rich player character customisation and progression, including massively multiplayer experiences
- South Park: The Fracture But Whole
- Final Fantasy XV
- Divinity: Original Sin 2
- NieR: Automata
- Persona 5
Best fighting Game
For the best game designed primarily around head-to-head combat
- Tekken 7
- Nidhogg 2
- Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite
- Injustice 2
- ARMS
Best Family Game
For the best game appropriate for family play, irrespective of genre or platforms
- Splatoon 2
- Sonic Mania
- Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
- Super Mario Odyssey
Best Strategy Game
Best game focused on real time or turn-based strategy gameplay, irrespective of platform
- XCOM 2: War of the Chosen
- Tooth and Tail
- Total War: Warhammer II
- Halo Wars 2
- Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Best Sports / Racing Game
For the best traditional and non-traditional sports and racing game
- Project Cars 2
- Pro Evolution Soccer 2018
- NBA 2K18
- GT Sport
- Forza Motorsport 7
- FIFA 18
Best Multiplayer
For outstanding online multiplayer gameplay and design, including co-op and massively multiplayer experiences, irrespective of game genre
- Fortnite
- Call of Duty: World War II
- Splatoon 2
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
- Destiny 2
- PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
Most Anticipated Game
Awarded to an upcoming game that has shown significant ambition and promise
- The Last of Us Part II
- Red Dead Redemption Part II
- Monster Hunter: World
- Marvel’s Spider-Man
- God of War
Best Independent Game
For outstanding creative and technical achievement in a game made outside the traditional publisher system
- Pyre
- Night in the Woods
- Cuphead
- What Remains of Edith Finch
- Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Best Student Game
For the best student project created at the high school or college level
- Meaning
- Level Squared
- Impulsion
- Falling Sky
- Hollowed
- From Light
Trending Gamer
For a streamer, influencer or media member who has made an important impact on the industry this calender year
- Steven Spohn (AbleGamers)
- Mike Grzesiek (Shroud)
- Guy Beahm (Dr. Disrespect)
- Clint Lexa (Halfcoordinated)
- Andrea Rene (What’s Good Games)
Best eSports Game
For the best overall eSports experience to players (inclusive of tournaments, community support and content updates)
- Rocket League
- League of Legends
- DOTA 2
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
- Overwatch
Best eSports Player
The eSports player judged to be the most outstanding performer in 2017
- Kuro “KuroKy” Salehi Takhasomi
- Je-hong “ryujehong” Ryu
- Nikola “NiKo” Kovac
- Mercelo “coldzera” David
- Lee sang-hyoek “Faker”
Best eSports Team
The eSports team judged to be the most outstanding for performance in 2017
- Team Liquid
- SK Telecom 1
- Lunatic-Hai
- FaZe Clan
- Cloud 9
Best Debut Indie Game
Recognising a new independant studio that released its first game in 2017 (fan vote)
- Slime Rancher
- Mr. Shifty
- Hollow Knight
- Golf Story
- Cuphead
Best Chinese Game
Recognising the most popular game in China (fan vote)
- Monument Valley 2
- jx3 HD
- Gumballs
- ICEY
- King of Glory
The awards will be held on the 9th of December this year.
About the Author
Elliot Attard
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Beer aficionado, PC gamer, TV show binge-watcher, music lover, and elite member of high society - Elliot possesses all of the qualities needed to project his word thoughts straight into your eye holes.
