The gaming community’s eyes are locked on The Game Awards 2024, which will be held on December 12 at L.A.’s Peacock Theater. The official TGA website states, “The Game Awards aims to recognize the best creative and technical work each year, irrespective of the format of that content’s release. ” This year’s lineup has generated substantial discussion among gaming communities worldwide.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Astro Bot are crushing it with seven nominations each. Real talk – Sony Interactive Entertainment is flexing hard with 16 total nominations. Square Enix and Xbox aren’t far behind though, each snagging 12 nods, while SEGA’s sitting pretty with 11. Fun fact: TGA’s global jury includes over 130 media outlets, making this arguably the most comprehensive gaming awards process.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard received one nomination in Innovation in Accessibility. Despite an 82 on Metacritic (which beats GOTY nominee Black Myth: Wukong’s score), BioWare’s latest missed categories like Best Narrative and Best RPG. For context, Dragon Age: Inquisition won GOTY at the first-ever Game Awards in 2014.
Speaking of notable nominations, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is making TGA history. Never before has DLC scored four nominations including Game of the Year. Industry analysts are already discussing this development. “The convergence of gaming and mainstream media is creating new opportunities for storytelling and audience engagement,” notes one analyst watching the space, leading to discussions about DLC competing directly with full releases.
The adaptation game is expanding rapidly. Netflix and Amazon are prominently featuring their gaming adaptations – Arcane, Fallout, and Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft are all competing in Best Adaptation. Geoff Keighley himself emphasized this growing trend: “The Game Awards aims to recognize the best creative and technical work each year, irrespective of the format of that content’s release.”
Let’s talk about the indie scene real quick. Balatro, a one-person card game project, managed to secure five nominations. That’s an impressive achievement for an independent developer. The indie categories are competitive – Animal Well, Lorelei, and the Laser Eyes, Neva, and UFO 50… these smaller studios are making their mark on the industry.
EA Sports College Football 25’s absence from Sports/Racing has been noted by observers. The Sim/Strategy category doesn’t include Satisfactory and Tactical Breach Wizards, despite their strong review scores and dedicated fan communities. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom wasn’t nominated for its music.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II secured four nominations, demonstrating strong recognition from the jury. Black Myth: Wukong earned a GOTY nomination alongside its other accolades. These nominations reflect the jury’s careful consideration this year.
The performance category’s bringing the heat though. Briana White in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Hannah Telle crushing it in Life is Strange: Double Exposure, Humberly González making waves in Star Wars Outlaws, Luke Roberts giving us chills in Silent Hill 2, and Melina Juergens owning Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2.
The Most Anticipated category is generating excitement – Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Ghost of Yōtei, GTA VI, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and Monster Hunter Wilds. These titles represent some of gaming’s most awaited upcoming releases.
When it comes to keeping communities happy, the nominees know what’s up. Baldur’s Gate 3, Final Fantasy XIV, Fortnite, Helldivers 2, and No Man’s Sky all cut Best Community Support. These games maintain active engagement with their players.
Worth noting – this is TGA’s 10th-anniversary show. What started as Geoff Keighley’s initiative has evolved into gaming’s biggest night, streaming free across 30+ platforms including YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok Live. Beyond the trophy handouts, the show will feature game announcements and world premieres, as confirmed by the organizers.
The show’s come a long way since 2014. Back then, Dragon Age: Inquisition took the top prize. Now we’re looking at a GOTY category that includes everything from independent games to DLC. The Game Awards continues to evolve alongside the gaming industry, adapting its recognition categories to reflect the diverse forms of gaming content.
Complete Nominations List: The Game Awards 2024 – 10th Anniversary Ceremony [All categories and nominations as listed by the official announcement on November 22, 2024]
Game of the Year:
- Astro Bot (Team Asobi/SIE)
- Balatro (LocalThunk/Playstack)
- Black Myth: Wukong (Game Science)
- Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree (FromSoftware/Bandai Namco)
- Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth (Square Enix)
- Metaphor: ReFantazio (Studio Zero/Atlus/Sega)
Developer Stats & Studio Breakdown:
- Sony Interactive Entertainment: 16 total nominations
- Square Enix & Xbox: 12 nominations each
- SEGA: 11 nominations
- Team Asobi & Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth: 7 nominations each
- Studio Zero’s Metaphor: ReFantazio: 6 nominations
- LocalThunk’s Balatro: 5 nominations
- Game Science & FromSoftware: 4 nominations each
Technical Achievement Categories
Best Game Direction:
- Astro Bot (Team Asobi/SIE)
- Balatro (LocalThunk/Playstack)
- Black Myth: Wukong (Game Science)
- Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree (FromSoftware/Bandai Namco)
- Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth (Square Enix)
- Metaphor: ReFantazio (Studio Zero/Atlus/Sega)
Best Narrative:
- Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth (Square Enix)
- Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio/Sega)
- Metaphor: ReFantazio (Studio Zero/Atlus/Sega)
- Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II (Ninja Theory/Xbox Game Studios)
- Silent Hill 2 (Bloober Team/Konami)
Best Art Direction:
- Astro Bot (Team Asobi/SIE)
- Black Myth: Wukong (Game Science)
- Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree (FromSoftware/Bandai Namco)
- Metaphor: ReFantazio (Studio Zero/Atlus/Sega)
- Neva (Nomada Studio/Devolver)
Audio Engineering Excellence
Best Score and Music:
- Astro Bot (Team Asobi/SIE)
- Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth (Square Enix)
- Metaphor: ReFantazio (Studio Zero/Atlus/Sega)
- Silent Hill 2 (Bloober Team/Konami)
- Stellar Blade (Shift Up/SIE)
Best Audio Design:
- Astro Bot (Team Asobi/SIE)
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Treyarch/Raven/Activision/Xbox)
- Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth (Square Enix)
- Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 (Ninja Theory/Xbox Game Studios)
- Silent Hill 2 (Bloober Team/Konami)
Performance & Accessibility
Best Performance:
- Briana White – Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
- Hannah Telle – Life is Strange: Double Exposure
- Humberly González – Star Wars Outlaws
- Luke Roberts – Silent Hill 2
- Melina Juergens – Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
Innovation in Accessibility:
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Treyarch/Raven/Activision/Xbox)
- Diablo IV (Blizzard/Xbox)
- Dragon Age: The Veilguard (BioWare/EA)
- Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (Ubisoft Montpellier/Ubisoft)
- Star Wars Outlaws (Massive Entertainment/Ubisoft)
Genre-Specific Categories
Best Action Game:
- Black Myth: Wukong (Game Science)
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Treyarch/Raven/Activision/Xbox)
- Helldivers 2 (Arrowhead Game Studios/SIE)
- Stellar Blade (Shift Up/SIE)
- Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 (Saber Interactive/Focus Entertainment)
Best Action/Adventure:
- Astro Bot (Team Asobi/SIE)
- Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (Ubisoft Montpellier/Ubisoft)
- Silent Hill 2 (Bloober Team/Konami)
- Star Wars Outlaws (Massive Entertainment/Ubisoft)
- The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (Grezzo/Nintendo)
Best RPG:
- Dragon’s Dogma 2 (Capcom)
- Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree (FromSoftware/Bandai Namco)
- Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth (Square Enix)
- Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio/Sega)
- Metaphor: ReFantazio (Studio Zero/Atlus/Sega)
Best Fighting Game:
- Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO (Spike Chunsoft/Bandai Namco)
- Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising (Arc System Works/Cygames)
- Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics (Capcom)
- MultiVersus (Player First Games/WB Games)
- Tekken 8 (Bandai Namco)
Community & Ongoing Support
Games for Impact:
- Closer the Distance (Osmotic Studios/Skybound Games)
- Indika (Odd Meter/11 Bit Studios)
- Neva (Nomada Studio/Devolver)
- Life is Strange: Double Exposure (Deck Nine/Square Enix)
- Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II (Ninja Theory/Xbox Game Studios)
- Tales of Kenzera: Zau (Surgent Studios/EA)
Best Ongoing Game:
- Destiny 2 (Bungie/SIE)
- Diablo IV (Blizzard/Xbox)
- Final Fantasy XIV (Square Enix)
- Fortnite (Epic Games)
- Helldivers 2 (Arrowhead Game Studios/SIE)
Best Community Support:
- Baldur’s Gate 3 (Larian)
- Final Fantasy XIV (Square Enix)
- Fortnite (Epic Games)
- Helldivers 2 (Arrowhead Game Studios/SIE)
- No Man’s Sky (Hello Games)
Independent Game Excellence
Best Independent Game:
- Animal Well (Shared Memory/Bigmode)
- Balatro (LocalThunk/Playstack)
- Lorelei and the Laser Eyes (Simogo/Annapurna Interactive)
- Neva (Nomada Studio/Devolver)
- UFO 50 (Mossmouth)
Best Debut Indie:
- Animal Well (Shared Memory/Bigmode)
- Balatro (LocalThunk/Playstack)
- Manor Lords (Slavic Magic/Hooded Horse)
- Pacific Drive (Ironwood Studios/Kepler Interactive)
- The Plucky Squire (All Possible Futures/Devolver)
Platform-Specific Excellence
Best Mobile Game:
- AFK Journey (FARLIGHT/Lilith Games)
- Balatro (LocalThunk/Playstack)
- Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket (Creatures Inc/TPCI)
- Wuthering Waves (Kuro Games)
- Zenless Zone Zero (miHoYo)
Best VR/AR:
- Arizona Sunshine Remake (Vertigo Games)
- Asgard’s Wrath 2 (Sanzaru Games/Oculus Studios)
- Batman: Arkham Shadow (Camouflaj/Oculus Studios)
- Metal: Hellsinger VR (Lab 42/The Outsiders/Funcom)
- Metro Awakening (Vertigo Games)
More Stories
Additional Categories
Best Family Game:
- Astro Bot (Team Asobi/SIE)
- Princess Peach: Showtime! (Good-Feel/Nintendo)
- Super Mario Party Jamboree (Nintendo Cube/Nintendo)
- The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (Grezzo/Nintendo)
- The Plucky Squire (All Possible Futures/Devolver)
Best Sim/Strategy:
- Age of Mythology: Retold (World’s Edge/Forgotten Empires/Xbox Game Studios)
- Frostpunk 2 (11 Bit Studios)
- Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess (Capcom)
- Manor Lords (Slavic Magic/Hooded Horse)
- Unicorn Overlord (Vanillaware/Sega/Atlus)
Best Sports/Racing:
- F1 24 (Codemasters/EA Sports)
- EA Sports FC 25 (EA Vancouver/EA Romania/EA Sports)
- NBA 2K25 (Visual Concepts/2K)
- Top Spin 2K25 (Hangar 13/2K)
- WWE 2K24 (Visual Concepts/2K)
Best Multiplayer:
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Treyarch/Raven/Activision/Xbox)
- Helldivers 2 (Arrow Game Studios/SIE)
- Super Mario Party Jamboree (Nintendo Cube/Nintendo)
- Tekken 8 (Bandai Namco)
- Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 (Saber Interactive/Focus Entertainment)
Media Adaptations & Future Releases
Best Adaptation:
- Arcane (Riot/Fortiche/Netflix)
- Fallout (Bethesda/Kilter Films/Amazon MGM Studios)
- Knuckles (Sega/Paramount)
- Like a Dragon: Yakuza (Sega/Amazon MGM Studios)
- Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft (Crystal Dynamics/Legendary/Netflix)
Most Anticipated Game:
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (Kojima Productions/SIE)
- Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions/SIE)
- Grand Theft Auto VI (Rockstar Games)
- Metroid Prime 4: Beyond (Retro Studios/Nintendo)
- Monster Hunter Wilds (Capcom)
Esports Excellence
Content Creator of the Year:
- CaseOh
- IlloJuan
- Techno Gamerz
- TypicalGamer
- Usada Pekora
Best Esports Game:
- Counter-Strike 2 (Valve)
- DOTA 2 (Valve)
- League of Legends (Riot Games)
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (Moonton)
- Valorant (Riot Games)
Best Esports Athlete:
- 33 (Neta Shapira)
- Aleksib (Aleksi Virolainen)
- Chovy (Jeong Ji-hoon)
- Faker (Lee Sang-hyeok)
- ZyWoO (Mathieu Herbaut)
- ZmjjKk (Zheng Yongkang)
Best Esports Team:
- Bilibili Gaming (League of Legends)
- Gen.G (League of Legends)
- NAVI (Counter-Strike)
- T1 (League of Legends)
- Team Liquid (DOTA 2)
Event Details:
- Date: December 12, 2024
- Venue: Peacock Theater, Los Angeles
- Streaming: Available free across 30+ platforms including Twitch, YouTube, and TikTok Live
- Voting Jury: 130+ media publications and outlets
The nominations do tell the gaming industry’s technical advancement, creative diversity, and growing influence across entertainment media and present the vision of where it is headed.