Astro Bot wins Game of the Year
sonyAstro Bot took home the top prize at the video game industry’s biggest awards show.
The cute and colorful PlayStation platformer was named Game of the Year at The Game Awards, beating out Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, Black Myth: Wukong, Refantazio Elden Ring: Shadow of the Trees, and Balatro.
Nicolas Doucet, studio head of developer Team Asobi, accepted the trophy in what appeared to be a nod to rival Nintendo.
Astro Bot also won three other awards: Best Family Game, Best Action/Adventure Game, and Best Game Direction.
Card games, role-playing games and ancient Chinese mythology
Local ThunkIt was also a great night for poker-themed indie game Balatro, which won three awards including Best Mobile Game.
Role-playing game Metaphor: ReFantazio also picked up three awards, making it a strong night for Japanese game developers.
“Black Myth: Wukong”, based on a Chinese legend, was once again warmly welcomed by fans and won the Players’ Voice Award voted by the public.
It was a disappointing night for Final Fantasy 7 Reborn, which was nominated in seven categories but only took home the Best Music trophy.
Melina Juergens from Ninja Theory, a studio in Cambridge, England, won the Best Performance Award for her starring role in Ninja Theory. “Hellblade 2: Senua’s Legend”.
Indiana Jones meets Indiana Jones
There aren’t many events where you can see a full orchestra and Snoop Dogg perform.
The rapper stopped by to present Helldivers 2 with the Best Continuing Game award and performed a new song.
It wouldn’t be gaming’s biggest night without some surprising celebrity appearances.
Harrison Ford takes the stage with Troy Baker the man who plays indiana jones In recent games based on the movie series.
Naughty Dog launches into space
naughty dogThe Game Awards, sometimes called the “Oscars of gaming,” are often criticized for spending more time showing ads and trailers for new games rather than handing out awards.
However, organizers claimed last year that the event attracted 118 million live viewers, and these previews were one of the biggest draws for gaming fans.
In recent years, larger publishers have tended to keep their biggest announcements to their own separate live events.
As expected, there’s no new information about Grand Theft Auto 6 or Nintendo’s next-gen console, two of the most anticipated upcoming games.
But it does leave room for a brand new game from Naughty Dog, a studio known for hits like The Last of Us, Uncharted, and Crash Bandicoot.
Interstellar: Prophets of Heresy , debuts a beautiful trailer mixed with Pet Shop Boys’ “It’s a Sin.”
A sequel to Capcom’s Okami has also been revealed, with Polish developer CD Projekt Red confirming that The Witcher 4 is in development.
game changer
A common complaint about The Game Awards is that it often fails to acknowledge wider issues within the games industry.
Critics of the 2023 awards show are calling for winners to be given more time to have their say on stage amid widespread layoffs around the world – a trend that is continuing this year.
This year’s event features the Game Changer Award.
The winner was Tencent Games US director Amir Satvat, who set up a personal project to help recently unemployed game developers find new jobs.
In an emotional acceptance speech, he said “Growing up, all I ever wanted was to be a part of the video game industry.”
He also thanked his parents, who he said “taught me that my worth lies in how I treat others.”
This year’s ceremony took place against the backdrop of a strike by video game actors over artificial intelligence protections and working conditions.
Agency union SAG-Aftra and Southern California gaming workers announce plans Planning to distribute flyers Outside the Peacock Theatre, where this year’s awards ceremony will take place.
Other controversies this year include Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree being nominated in the Game of the Year category.
Some fans believe that the expansion pack, the additional content for Elden Ring, the 2022 Game of the Year, is not eligible.
Others were upset when three of the five nominations for the Players Choice Awards, the only awards voted entirely by fans, went to free-to-play mobile games, including Genshin Impact.
The remaining winners are determined by a panel of industry experts and fan votes, which account for 10% of the final score.
There are 30 awards in total across a variety of categories including Audio Design, Best Indie Game, and Accessibility and Innovation.
The full list of winners is at Game Awards Website.
