by SymphonieJust like every year for the past decade, the gaming world is eagerly awaiting the annual awards ceremony honoring the best achievements in the industry. The next Game Awards will be live-streamed from Los Angeles on December 12. From Black Myth: Wukong to Shadow of the Erdtree and Metaphor ReFantazio, triple-A titles appear to have the edge among all nominees. However, challengers like Balatro and Astro Bot could steal the spotlight.
Last year, the role-playing sensation Baldur’s Gate 3 came out on top of strong competition, which included as many acclaimed titles as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Claiming an impressive six awards, the Game of the Year 2023 solidified its position as the standout winner of the ceremony.
An Uncertain GOTY Race
This year looks much more uncertain on the GOTY front, with one particular nomination sparking heated debate. Despite its many additions to the Lands Between and its gameplay depth, Shadow of the Erdtree seems out of place for many gamers. The largest expansion ever developed by FromSoftware sticks out among original titles, prompting many observers to call for the creation of an entirely separate Best Expansion category.
The backlash led The Game Awards to clarify its stance on its official selection criteria, specifying that the ceremony aims to “recognize the best technical work” regardless of the format of said content. In practice, this broad definition may include everything from remakes and expansion packs to new game seasons. Shadow of the Erdtree could become the first DLC to be crowned Game of the Year – succeeding Elden Ring, which bagged the GOTY award two years prior.
Critical Views on Black Myth: Wukong
Critics have looked much less favorably on another contender. Earning an underwhelming 81 Metascore on Metacritic, Black Myth: Wukong is one of the lowest-rated GOTY nominees in the show’s decade-long history. Only Dragon Age: Inquisition dipped lower in 2014 with an 85 on Metacritic. Despite these average scores, the action RPG developed by China-based studio Game Science has been one of the biggest success stories of 2024 in the gaming sphere. The Chinese AAA phenomenon broke several records, reaching up to 2.4 million concurrent players on global gaming platforms. That said, the controversy surrounding the game, which highlighted the ongoing culture war in the gaming world, might be to its detriment.
Astro Bot: A Frontrunner?
Meanwhile, many critics and gamers are making the case for Astro Bot to take the cake. If aggregate review scores were to decide on the outcome of the upcoming Game Awards, Team Asobi’s platformer would win by a landslide. This acclaimed title is up for seven prizes, just like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Another solid frontrunner, the sequel to Final Fantasy VII Remake has seen its sales jump by a whopping 268% following its nomination. Coming from the same creative minds behind the Persona franchise, Metaphor ReFantazio experienced a massive 172% uptick.
Balatro: The Indie Underdog
After an unexpected GOTY nomination that surprised even its solo developer, the indie standout Balatro also doubled its player count. This poker roguelike competes for five trophies, trailing only Astro Bot and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. The work of Canadian studio LocalThunk reinvents poker by blending roguelike elements with deckbuilding mechanics. Its mobile release amplified its widespread appeal, further enhanced by addictive gameplay that has gotten over 2 million players hooked.
Possibly the underdog to watch out at the 2024 Game Awards, Balatro joins a wave of recent games that have revitalized the card gaming genre. Titles like Zet Zillions, Inscryption, and Wildfrost have redefined the landscape with bold narrative approaches and inventive gameplay. These creative entries have arguably sparked renewed interest in platforms hosting online card games.
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Players’ Voice Voting
While Balatro might not win the jury over, this indie gem may still win public favor. Exclusively picked by the community, the 30 Players’ Voice nominees have just been revealed. This packed lineup includes heavy-hitters like Helldivers 2 and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, but also controversial snubs like Dragon Age: The Veilguard and Palworld. Voting is now open and will close less than a week from now.
