Astro Bot Crowned Game of the Year at 2024 Game Awards

Astro Bot secured the highest honor at the video game industry’s most prominent awards ceremony. The “cute and colourful” PlayStation platformer was named Game of the Year at The Game Awards, surpassing Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Black Myth: Wukong, Metaphor: ReFantazio, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, and Balatro. Upon accepting the trophy, Nicolas Doucet, studio head of developer Team Asobi, appeared to acknowledge rival Nintendo. Astro Bot also claimed three additional awards: Best Family Game, Best Action/Adventure, and Best Game Direction. The poker-themed indie hit Balatro also had a successful night, winning three awards, including Best Mobile Game. The role-playing game Metaphor: ReFantazio likewise earned three awards, signifying a strong showing for Japanese game developers. Black Myth: Wukong, which draws inspiration from Chinese legends, once again demonstrated its immense popularity among fans by winning the publicly voted Player’s Voice Award. Conversely, Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth experienced a disappointing evening; despite being nominated in seven categories, it only took home the trophy for best music. Melina Juergens, from the Cambridge, UK-based studio Ninja Theory, received the best performance prize for her portrayal of the titular character in Hellblade 2: Senua’s Saga. Few events feature performances from both a full orchestra and Snoop Dogg. The rapper made an appearance to present the Best Ongoing Game Award to Helldivers 2 and performed a new song. Gaming’s biggest night would not be complete without some unexpected celebrity appearances. Harrison Ford joined Troy Baker on stage, the actor who plays Indiana Jones in the recent game based on the film series. The Game Awards, sometimes referred to as “the Oscars of gaming,” frequently faces criticism for dedicating more time to commercials and trailers for new games than to the actual presentation of awards. However, organizers reported that last year’s event attracted 118 million livestream viewers, and these previews are a significant draw for gaming fans. In recent years, larger publishers have increasingly chosen to save their most significant announcements for their own separate live events. As anticipated, no new information was revealed regarding Grand Theft Auto 6 or Nintendo’s next console, both among the most highly awaited upcoming releases. Nevertheless, this allowed for the unveiling of a brand new game from Naughty Dog, the PlayStation studio renowned for hits such as The Last of Us, Uncharted, and Crash Bandicoot. Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet debuted with a polished trailer set to “It’s a Sin” by the Pet Shop Boys. A sequel to Capcom’s Okami was also announced, and Polish developer CD Projekt Red confirmed that The Witcher 4 is in development. A common grievance about The Game Awards is its perceived failure to address broader industry issues. Against a backdrop of widespread global layoffs—a trend that has persisted this year—critics of the 2023 show advocated for winners to be given more time on stage to speak out. This year’s event introduced the Game Changers Award. The recipient, Amir Satvat, a director at Tencent Games in the US, established a personal project to assist recently laid-off game developers in finding new employment. In an emotional acceptance speech, he stated, “growing up, all I ever wanted was to be a part of the video game industry.” He also expressed gratitude to his parents, who, he mentioned, “taught me that my value lies in how I treat other people.” Larian Studios boss Swen Vincke, who presented the Game of the Year award after his team’s Baldur’s Gate 3 won the title last year, also received praise for his remarks. He criticized the pursuit of market share and “arbitrary sales targets,” lamenting the “lost art” of studios creating “a game they want to play themselves.” This year’s ceremony took place amidst an ongoing strike by video game actors concerning AI protections and working conditions. The acting union SAG-Aftra and Game Workers of Southern California announced plans to distribute leaflets outside the Peacock Theatre venue, where the ceremony is held, this year. Other controversies this year included the nomination of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree in the Game of the Year category. Some fans argued that the expansion pack—an add-on for Elden Ring, which was the 2022 Game of the Year—should not have been eligible. Furthermore, others expressed dissatisfaction when three of the five nominations for the Player’s Choice prize—the sole award determined entirely by fan votes—were given to free-to-play mobile games, including Genshin Impact. The remaining winners are decided by a panel of industry experts and a fan vote that contributes 10% to the final score. A total of 30 awards are distributed across a wide array of categories, including audio design, best independent game, and accessibility and innovation. The complete list of winners is available on The Game Awards website.