The leaves in southern Ontario have all but fallen. Hot Chocolate is a viable beverage choice once again, and not just the subject of a Baby Yoda meme. And so, that must mean that The Game Awards are upon us again.
It’s a big year for Arkane Studios as their smash-hit Death Loop has managed to… loop in a grand total of nine nominations — and in some of the top categories: Game of the Year, Best Game Direction, and Best Action Game.
For right now, I’m going to simply layout the categories and their nominees so that you know what they are, but keep a lookout on Console Creatures because the full crew will definitely be offering feedback, personal preferences, and maybe even some outlooks based upon the list in the next couple of weeks leading up to the gala event held at live December 9th from 7:00 p.m. t0 11:00 p.m. ET.
Here are the Most Nominated Publishers at #TheGameAwards this year, led by the combined Xbox + Bethesda with 20 nominations, and Sony Interactive Entertainment with 11. pic.twitter.com/FQT4utrCZy
— The Game Awards (@thegameawards) November 16, 2021
Game of the Year
Description: Recognizing a game that delivers the absolute best experience across all creative and technical fields.
- Deathloop
- It Takes Two
- Metroid Dread
- Psychonauts 2
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
- Resident Evil Village
Best Game Direction
Description: Awarded for outstanding creative vision and innovation in game direction and design.
- Deathloop
- It Takes Two
- Returnal
- Psychonauts 2
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Best Narrative
Description: For outstanding storytelling and narrative development in a game.
- Deathloop
- It Takes Two
- Life is Strange: True Colors
- Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
- Psychonauts 2
Best Art Direction
Description: For outstanding creative and/or technical achievement in artistic design and animation.
- Deathloop
- Kena: Bridge of Spirits
- Psychonauts 2
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
- The Artful Escape
Best Score/Music
Description: For outstanding music, inclusive of score, original song and/or licensed soundtrack.
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Deathloop
- Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139
- Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
- The Artful Escape
Best Audio Design
Description: Recognizing the best in-game audio and sound design.
- Deathloop
- Forza Horizon 5
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
- Resident Evil Village
- Returnal
Best Performance
Description: Awarded to an individual for voice-over acting, motion and/or performance capture.
- Erika Mori, Life is Strange
- Giancarlo Esposito, Far Cry 6
- Jason E. Kelley, Deathloop
- Maggie Robertson, Resident Evil Village
- Ozioama Akagha, Deathloop
Games for Impact
Description: For a thought-provoking game with a pro-social meaning or message.
- Before Your Eyes
- Boyfriend Dungeon
- Chicory: A Colorful Tale
- Life is Strange: True Colors
- No Longer Home
Best Ongoing Game
Description: Awarded to a game for outstanding development of ongoing content that evolves the player experience over time.
- Apex Legends
- Call of Duty: War Zone
- Final Fantasy XIV Online
- Fortnite
- Genshin Impact
Best Indie Game
Description: For outstanding creative and technical achievement in a game made outside the traditional publisher system.
- 12 Minutes
- Death’s Door
- Kena: Bridge of Spirits
- Inscryption
- Loop Hero
Best Debut Indie Game
Description: For the best debut game created by a new independent studio. [You don’t say!]
- Kena: Bridge of Spirits
- Sable
- The Artful Escape
- The Forgotten City
- Valheim
Best Mobile Game
Description: For the best game playable on a mobile device.
- Fantasian
- Genshin Impact
- League of Legends
- MARVEL Future Revolution
- Pokemon Unite
Best Community Support
Description: Recognizing a game for outstanding community support, transparency and responsiveness, inclusive of social media activity and game updates/patches.
- Apex Legends: Escape
- Destiny 2: Beyond Light
- Final Fantasy XIV Online
- Fortnite
- No Man’s Sky
Best VR/AR Game
Description: For the best game experience playable in virtual or augmented reality, irrespective of platform. [the more than just a game category!]
- Hitman III
- I Expect You to Die 2
- Lone Echo II
- Resident Evil 4
- Sniper Elite VR
Innovation in Accessibility
Description: Recognizing software and/or hardware that is pushing the medium forward by adding features, technology and content to help games be played and enjoyed by an even wider audience.
- Far Cry 6
- Forza Horizon 5
- Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
- The Vale: Shadow of the Crown
Best Action Game
Description: For the best game in the action genre focused primarily on combat.
- Back 4 Blood
- Chivalry II
- Deathloop
- Far Cry 6
- Returnal
Best Action/Adventure Game
Description: For the best action/adventure game, combining combat with traversal and puzzle solving. [Now with adventure!]
- Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
- Metroid Dread
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
- Resident Evil Village
- Psychonauts 2
Best RPG
Description: For the best game designed with rich player character customization and progression, including massively multiplayer experiences.
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Monster Hunter Rise
- Scarlet Nexus
- Shin Megami Tensei V
- Tales of Arise
Best Fighting Game
Description: For the best game designed primarily around head-to-head combat.
- Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles
- Guilty Gear -Strive-
- Melty Blood: Type Lumina
- Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl
- Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown
Best Family Game
Description: For the best game appropriate for family play, irrespective of genre or platform.
- It Takes Two
- Mario Party Superstars
- New Pokémon Snap
- Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
- WarioWare: Get It Together!
Best Sports/Racing Game
Description: For the best traditional and non-traditional sports and racing game.
- F1 2021
- Fifa 22
- Hot Wheels Unleashed
- Forza Horizon 5
- Riders Republic
Best SIM/Strategy Game
Description: Best game focused on real time or turn-based simulation or strategy gameplay, irrespective of platform.
- Age of Empires IV
- Evil Genius 2: World Domination
- Humankind
- Inscryption
- Microsoft Flight Simulator
Best Multiplayer Game
Description: For outstanding online multiplayer gameplay and design, including co-op and massively multiplayer experiences, irrespective of game genre or platform.
- Back 4 Blood
- It Takes Two
- Knockout City
- Monster Hunter Rise
- New World
- Valheim
Content Creator of the Year
Description: For a streamer or content creator who has made an important and positive impact on the community in 2021.
- Dream
- Fuslie
- Gaules
- Ibai
- TheGrefg
Best Esports Athlete
Description: The esports athlete judged to be the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2021, irrespective of game.
- Chris “Simp” Lehr
- Heo “ShowMaker” Su
- Magomed “Collapse” Khalilov
- Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev
- Tyson “TenZ” Ngo
Best Esports Coach
Description: The esports coach judged to be the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2021.
- Airat “Silent” Gaziev
- Andrey “ENGH” Sholokhov
- Andrii “B1ad3” Horodenskyi
- James “Crowder” Crowder
- Kim “kkOma” Jeong-gyun
Best Esports Event
Description: Recognizing an event (across single or multiple days) that delivered a best-of-class experience for participants and the broadcast audience.
- The International 2021
- 2021 League of Legends World Championship
- Valorant Champions Tour: Stage 2 Masters
- PGL Major Stockholm 2021
- PUBG Mobile Global Championship 2020
Best Esports Game
Description: For the game that has delivered the best overall esports experience to players (inclusive of tournaments, community support and content updates), irrespective of genre or platform.
- Call of Duty
- CS: GO
- DOTA2
- League of Legends
- Valorant
Best Esports Team
Description: Recognizing a specific esports team (not the full organization) judged the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2021.
- Atlanta FaZe, Call of Duty
- DWG KIA, League of Legends
- NAVI, CS: GO
- Team Spirit, DOTA2
- Sentinels, Valorant
Most Anticipated Game
Description: Recognizing an announced game that has demonstrably illustrated potential to push the gaming medium forward.
- Elden Ring
- God of War: Ragnarok
- Horizon Forbidden West
- The Sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Starfield
Phew! That’s it! That’s the list! I feel as though I’ve been stuck in some sort of loop. The selection of the nominations is based on the thoughts of 103 of the leading media and influencer outlets from across the globe, but it’s us, the everyday fans, who get to make the last call! So be sure to vote to start right now!
The Game Awards 2021 air on December 9, 2021, at 8:00 PM ET.
