The Game Awards 2024: check out the nominees for the Best Game of the Year award

O The Game Awards 2024 revealed this Monday (18) the complete list of nominees in all categories of the award, considered the “Oscar of games”.

The awards ceremony will take place in December 12thbringing together the biggest titles and personalities in the electronic games industry. This edition promises to be one of the most exciting, with a wide variety of genres and developers competing for the main prizes.

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Highlights of nominees

Among the highlights, “Astro Bot” e “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth” lead the number of nominations, with seven categories each, including awards such as Best Direction, Best Narrative, Best Audio Design and Best Score and Music. These indications highlight the technical and artistic quality of the two games, demonstrating their critical recognition. Both are competing for the Best Game of the Year award, alongside “Balatro”, “Black Myth: Wukong”, “Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree” and “Metaphor: ReFantazio”.

The inclusion of the “Elden Ring” expansion generated some controversy, bringing the debate about the eligibility of DLCs and expansions for the ceremony’s top prize to the surface again. According to The Game Awards rules, additional content such as DLCs and expansions are eligible for all categories, including Game of the Year. This decision aims to recognize exceptional creative and technical work, regardless of release format.

Industry experts have mixed opinions on this policy. Some argue that high-quality expansions like “Shadow of the Erdtree” deserve recognition for their significant contribution to the original gameplay experience. They state that the work invested in an expansion can be as challenging and rewarding as developing a full game, especially when it brings new mechanics, narratives and elements that significantly expand the game’s universe.

Surprises in the list of nominees

Another surprise was the presence of “Metaphor: ReFantasia” among the nominees, marking a rare double participation of JRPGs in the Best Game of the Year category — in addition to it, “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth” is also in contention. This representation of games in the Japanese RPG genre reflects a year in which the diversification of styles was very prominent.

The inclusion of two JRPGs on the Best Game of the Year list is interesting, as these games have historically had a harder time reaching a wider Western audience. However, the narrative quality and engaging mechanics of these titles seem to have won over critics and players alike, ensuring their place among the best of the year.

In addition to the main category, 28 other categories were revealed, each with five to six candidates. Among them are awards such as Best Direction, Best Narrative and Innovation in Accessibility, which reward not only the quality of the games, but also the ability to engage players and promote inclusion.

Game of the Year Award Nominees

Check out the nominees for Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2024 below:

• Astro Bot
• Balatro
• Black Myth: Wukong
• Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
• Metaphor: ReFantasia

Voting is open to the public through the event’s official website, where you can choose your favorites and participate in one of the biggest celebrations in the gaming universe. Who will win the coveted title of Best Game of the Year?

To see the full list of nominees in all categories and watch the ceremony live, be sure to visit the official The Game Awards website. The live stream will be available on multiple platforms, including YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, TikTok, X/Twitter and Instagram. Be sure to check the broadcast times so you don’t miss any details of this unmissable event for game lovers.