When searching for games to add to your collection, it’s always good to check-in with the five major industry award shows. The following games received “Game of the Year” honors in 2018:
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The Game Awards: God of War
GDC Awards: God of War
DICE Awards: God of War
SXSW Gaming Awards: God of War
BAFTA Games Awards: God of War
A complete list of all winners and nominees can be found below.
The Game Awards
The winners of The Game Awards are chosen by an international panel of journalists and awarded each December. (thegameawards.com)
Game of the Year
Recognizing a game that delivers the absolute best experience across all creative and technical fields.
- Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey (Ubisoft Quebec / Ubisoft)
- Celeste (Matt Makes Games)
- WINNER: God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Monster Hunter: World (Capcom)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Best Game Direction
Awarded to a game studio for outstanding creative vision and innovation in game direction and design.
- A Way Out (Hazelight Studios / EA)
- Detroit: Become Human (Quantic Dream / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- WINNER: God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Best Narrative
For outstanding storytelling and narrative development in a game.
- Detroit: Become Human (Quantic Dream / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Life Is Strange 2: Episode 1 (Dontnod Entertainment / Square Enix)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- WINNER: Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Best Art Direction
For outstanding creative and/or technical achievement in artistic design and animation.
- Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey (Ubisoft Quebec / Ubisoft)
- God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Octopath Traveler (Square Enix / Acquire / Nintendo)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
- WINNER: Return of Obra Dinn (3909)
Best Score/Music
For outstanding music, inclusive of score, original song and/or licensed soundtrack.
- Celeste (Lena Raine)
- God of War (Bear McCreary)
- Spider-Man (John Paesano)
- Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom (Joe Hisaishi)
- Octopath Traveler (Yasunori Nishiki)
- WINNER: Red Dead Redemption 2 (Woody Jackson)
Best Audio Design
Recognizing the best in-game audio and sound design.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (Treyarch Studios / Activision)
- Forza Horizon 4 (Playground Games / Turn 10 Studios / Microsoft Studios)
- God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- WINNER: Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Best Performance
Awarded to an individual for voice-over acting, motion and/or performance capture.
- Bryan Dechart, Detroit: Become Human (As Connor)
- Christopher Judge, God of War (As Kratos)
- Melissanthi Mahut, Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey (As Kassandra)
- WINNER: Roger Clark, Red Dead Redemption 2 (As Arthur Morgan)
- Yuri Lowenthal, Spider-Man (As Peter Parker)
Games for Impact
For a thought provoking game with a profound pro-social meaning or message.
- 11-11 Memories Retold (Digixart / Aardman Animations / Bandai Namco Entertainment)
- WINNER: Celeste (Matt Makes Games)
- Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive)
- Life Is Strange 2: Episode 1 (Dontnod Entertainment / Square Enix)
- The Missing: JJ Macfield and the Island of Memories (White Owls / Arc System Works)
Best Ongoing Game
Awarded to a game for outstanding development of ongoing content that evolves the player experience over time.
- Destiny 2 (Bungie / Activision)
- WINNER: Fortnite (Epic Games)
- No Man’s Sky (Hello Games)
- Overwatch (Blizzard)
- Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege (Ubisoft Montreal / Ubisoft)
Best Mobile Game
For the best game playable on a dedicated mobile device.
- Donut County (Ben Esposito / Annapurna Interactive)
- WINNER: Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive)
- Fortnite (Epic Games)
- PlayeUnknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile (Lightspeed & Quantum / Tencent Games)
- Reigns: Game of Thrones (Nerial / Developer Digital)
Best VR/AR Game
For the best game experience playable in virtual or augmented reality, irrespective of platform.
- WINNER: Astro Bot: Rescue Mission (SIE Japan Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Beat Saber (Beat Games)
- Firewall Zero Hour (First Contact Entertainment / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Moss (Polyarc Games)
- Tetris Effect (Resonair / Enhance)
Best Action Game
For the best game in the action genre focused on combat.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (Treyarch / Activision)
- WINNER: Dead Cells (Motion Twin)
- Destiny 2: Forsaken (Bungie / Activision)
- Far Cry 5 (Ubisoft Montreal / Ubisoft)
- Mega Man 11 (Capcom)
Best Action/Adventure Game
For the best action/adventure game, combining combat with traversal and puzzle solving.
- Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey (Ubisoft Quebec / Ubisoft)
- WINNER: God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Eidos Montreal / Crystal Dynamics / Square Enix)
Best Role Playing Game
For the best game designed with rich player character customization and progression, including massively multiplayer experiences.
- Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age (Square Enix / Square Enix)
- WINNER: Monster Hunter: World (Capcom)
- Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom (Level 5 / Bandai Namco Entertainment)
- Octopath Traveler (Square Enix / Acquire / Nintendo)
- Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire (Obsidian Entertainment / Versus Evil)
Best Fighting Game
For the best game designed primarily around head-to-head combat.
- BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle (Arc System Works)
- WINNER: Dragon Ball FighterZ (Arc System Works / Bandai Namco Entertainment)
- Soul Calibur VI (Bandai Namco Studios / Bandai Namco Entertainment)
- Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition (Dimps / Capcom)
Best Family Game
For the best game appropriate for family play, irrespective of genre or platform.
- Mario Tennis Aces (Camelot Software Planning / Nintendo)
- Nintendo Labo (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
- WINNER: Overcooked 2 (Ghost Town Games / Team 17)
- Starlink: Battle For Atlas (Ubisoft Toronto / Ubisoft)
- Super Mario Party (NDCube / Nintendo)
Best Strategy Game
Best game focused on real time or turn-based strategy gameplay, irrespective of platform.
- Battletech (Harebrained Schemes / Paradox Interactive
- Frostpunk (11 Bit Studios)
- WINNER: Into the Breach (Subset Games)
- The Banner Saga 3 (Stoic Studio / Versus Evil)
- Valkyria Chronicles 4 (Sega CS3 / Sega)
Best Sports/Racing Game
For the best traditional and non-traditional sports and racing game.
- FIFA 19 (EA Vancouver / EA Sports)
- WINNER: Forza Horizon 4 (Playground Games / Turn 10 Studios / Microsoft Studios)
- Mario Tennis Aces (Camelot Software Planning / Nintendo)
- NBA 2K19 (Visual Concepts / 2K Sports)
- Pro Evolution Soccer 2019 (PES Productions / Konami)
Best Multiplayer
For outstanding online multiplayer gameplay and design, including co-op and massively multiplayer experiences, irrespective of game genre.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (Treyarch / Activision)
- Destiny 2: Forsaken (Bungie / Activision)
- WINNER: Fortnite (Epic Games)
- Monster Hunter: World (Capcom)
- Sea of Thieves (Rare / Microsoft Studios)
Best Independent Game
For outstanding creative and technical achievement in a game made outside the traditional publisher system.
- WINNER: Celeste (Matt Makes Games)
- Dead Cells (Motion Twin)
- Into the Breach (Subset Games)
- Return of the Obra Dinn (3909)
- The Messenger (Sabotage Studio)
Best Student Game
Awarded the best student project created at the high school or college level.
- WINNER: Combat 2018 (Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences)
- Dash Quasar (UC Santa Cruz)
- JERA (Digipen Bilbao)
- LIFF (ISTART Digital)
- RE: Charge (MIT)
Best Esports Game
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.
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (Valve)
- DOTA 2 (Valve)
- Fortnite (Epic Games)
- League of Legends (Riot Games)
- WINNER: Overwatch (Blizzard)
Best Debut Indie Game (Fan Voted)
Recognizing a new independent studio that released its first game in 2018.
- Donut County (Ben Esposito / Annapurna Interactive)
- Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive)
- Moss (Polyarc Games)
- WINNER: The Messenger (Sabotage Studio)
- Yoku’s Island Express (Villa Gorilla)
Game Developers Choice Awards
The winners of the Game Developers Choice Awards (GDC Awards) are chosen by a panel of developers from North America and awarded each year during the Game Developers Conference. (gamechoiceawards.com)
Game of the Year
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
- Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Celeste (Matt Makes Games)
- WINNER: God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Game of the Year: Honorable Mentions
Tetris Effect (Monstars and Resonair / Enhance), Super Smash Bros Ultimate (Bandai Namco Studios & Sora / Nintendo), Into the Breach (Subset Games), Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey (Ubisoft Quebec / Ubisoft), Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive), Monster Hunter: World (Capcom)
Innovation Award
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
- Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive)
- WINNER: Nintendo Labo (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
- Tetris Effect (Monstars and Resonair / Enhance)
- Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909)
Innovation Award: Honorable Mentions
Minit (Kitty Calis, Jan Willem Nijman, Jukio Kallio, and Dominik Johann / Devolver Digital), Celeste (Matt Makes Games), God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Astro Bot: Rescue Mission (SIE Japan Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Moss (Polyarc), A Way Out (Hazelight Studios / Electronic Arts)
Best Debut
- Moss (Polyarc)
- WINNER: Florence (Mountains)
- Gris (Nomada Studio / Devolver Digital)
- Yoku’s Island Express (Villa Gorilla)
- The Messenger (Sabotage)
Best Debut: Honorable Mentions
Beat Saber (Beat Games), Moonlighter (Digital Sun), Two Point Hospital (Two Point Studios), Far: Lone Sails (Okomotive)
Best Design
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Celeste (Matt Makes Games)
- WINNER: Into the Breach (Subset Games)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
- God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Best Design: Honorable Mentions
Frostpunk (11 Bit studios), Minit (Kitty Calis, Jan Willem Nijman, Jukio Kallio, and Dominik Johann / Devolver Digital), Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909), Astro Bot: Rescue Mission (SIE Japan Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Monster Hunter: World (Capcom)
Best Mobile Game
- Alto’s Odyssey (Snowman)
- WINNER: Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive)
- Reigns: Game of Thrones (Nerial / Devolver Digital)
- Holedown (Grapefrukt Games)
- Donut County (Ben Esposito / Annapurna Interactive)
Best Mobile Game: Honorable Mentions
Furistas Cat Cafe (Runaway), The Room: Old Sins (Fireproof Studios), Pocket Run Pool (Zach Gage), Alphabear 2 (Spry Fox), Twinfold (Kenny Sun)
Best VR/AR Game
- Budget Cuts (Neat Corporation)
- WINNER: Beat Saber (Beat Games)
- Tetris Effect (Monstars and Resonair / Enhance)
- Moss (Polyarc)
- Astro Bot: Rescue Mission (SIE Japan Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Best VR/AR Game: Honorable Mentions
Jurassic World Alive (Ludia), In Death (Sólfar Studios), Tendar (Tender Claws), Firewall Zero Hour (First Contact Entertainment / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Deracine (FromSoftware / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Best Visual Art
- WINNER: Gris (Nomada Studio / Devolver Digital)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Best Visual Art: Honorable Mentions
Battlefield V (EA DICE / Electronic Arts), Tetris Effect (Monstars and Resonair / Enhance), Dragon Ball FighterZ (Arc System Works / Bandai Namco Entertainment), Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey (Ubisoft Quebec / Ubisoft), Below (Capybara Games)
Best Narrative
- Florence (Mountains/Annapurna Interactive)
- God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- WINNER: Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Best Narrative: Honorable Mentions
Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey (Ubisoft Quebec / Ubisoft), Detroit: Become Human (Quantic Dream / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Celeste (Matt Makes Games), Life is Strange 2 (Dontnod Entertainment / Square Enix), Where the Water Tastes Like Wine (Dim Bulb Games and Serenity Forge / Good Shepherd Entertainment)
Best Audio
- WINNER: Celeste (Matt Makes Games)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
- God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Tetris Effect (Monstars and Resonair / Enhance)
Best Audio: Honorable Mentions
Beat Saber (Beat Games), Wandersong (Greg Lobanov / Humble Bundle), Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909), Battlefield V (EA DICE / Electronic Arts), Forza Horizon 4 (Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios / Microsoft Studios)
Best Technology
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey (Ubisoft Quebec / Ubisoft)
- Forza Horizon 4 (Turn 10 Studios and Playground Games / Microsoft Studios)
- God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- WINNER: Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Best Technology: Honorable Mentions
Sea of Thieves (Rare / Microsoft Studios), Far Cry 5 (Ubisoft Montreal and Ubisoft Toronto / Ubisoft), Battlefield V (EA DICE / Electronic Arts), Detroit: Become Human (Quantic Dream / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909)
DICE Awards
The winners of the DICE Awards are chosen by the members of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences and awarded each year during the DICE Summit. (interactive.org)
Game of the Year
- WINNER: God of War (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Sony Santa Monica)
- Into the Breach (Subset Games)
- Spider-Man (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Insomniac Games)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
- Return of the Obra Dinn (3909 / Lucas Pope)
Portable Game of the Year
- Dandara (Raw Fury / Long Hat House)
- Donut County (Annapurna Interactive / Ben Esposito)
- Dragalia Lost (Nintendo / Cygames and Nintendo)
- WINNER: Florence (Annapurna Interactive / Mountains)
- Oddmar (Mobge)
Action Game of the Year
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (Treyarch / Activision)
- WINNER: Celeste (Matt Makes Games)
- Destiny 2: Forsaken (Activision / Bungie and High Moon Studios)
- Far Cry 5 (Ubisoft / Ubisoft Montreal)
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Square Enix / Eidos Montreal)
Adventure Game of the Year
- Detroit: Become Human (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Quantic Dream)
- WINNER: God of War (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Sony Santa Monica)
- Spider-Man (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Insomniac Games)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
- Return of the Obra Dinn (3909 / Lucas Pope)
Family Game of the Year
- Astro Bot: Rescue Mission (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Japan Studio)
- Kirby: Star Allies (Nintendo / HAL Laboratory and Nintendo EPD)
- Lego DC Super-Villains (WB Games / TT Games)
- Starlink: Battle For Atlas (Ubisoft / Ubisoft Toronto)
- WINNER: Unravel Two (Electronic Arts / ColdWood Interactive)
Fighting Game of the Year
- BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle (Arc System Works)
- Dragon Ball FighterZ (Bandai Namco / Arc System Works)
- Soul Calibur VI (Bandai Namco)
- WINNER: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Nintendo / Nintendo, Sora, and Bandai Namco)
Racing Game of the Year
- F1 2018 (Codemasters)
- WINNER: Forza Horizon 4 (Microsoft Studios / Playground Games)
- Wreckfest (THQ Nordic / Bugbear Entertainment)
Online Game of the Year
- Destiny 2: Forsaken (Activision / Bungie and High Moon Studios)
- WINNER: Fortnite (Epic Games)
- Laser League (505 Games / Roll7)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
- Sea of Thieves (Microsoft Studios / Rare)
Role-Playing Game of the Year
- Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey (Ubisoft / Ubisoft Quebec)
- Draon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age (Square Enix)
- WINNER: Monster Hunter: World (Capcom)
- Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom (Bandai Namco / Level-5)
- Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire (Versus Evil / Obsidian Entertainment)
Sports Game of the Year
- FIFA 19 (EA Sports / EA Vancouver and EA Bucharest)
- WINNER: Mario Tennis Aces (Nintendo / Camelot and Nintendo)
- MLB The Show 18 (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Sony San Diego)
Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year
- Bad North (Raw Fury / Plausible Concept)
- Frostpunk (11 Bit Studios)
- WINNER: Into the Breach (Subset Games)
- Northgard (Shiro Games)
- RimWorld (Ludeon Studios)
Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game
- WINNER: Celeste (Matt Makes Games)
- Florence (Annapurna Interactive / Mountains)
- Into the Breach (Subset Games)
- Minit (Devolver Digital / Kitty, JW, Jukio, and Dom)
- Return of the Obra Dinn (3909 / Lucas Pope)
Outstanding Achievement in Character
- Kassandra – Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey (Ubisoft / Ubisoft Quebec)
- Atreus – God of War (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Sony Santa Monica)
- WINNER: Kratos – God of War (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Sony Santa Monica)
- Peter Parker / Spider-Man – Spider-Man (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Insomniac Games)
- Arthur Morgan – Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Outstanding Achievement in Game Design
- WINNER: God of War (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Sony Santa Monica)
- Into the Breach (Subset Games)
- Spider-Man (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Insomniac Games)
- Return of the Obra Dinn (3909 / Lucas Pope)
- Subnautica (Unknown Worlds Entertainment)
Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction
- Florence (Annapurna Interactive / Mountains)
- WINNER: God of War (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Sony Santa Monica)
- Spider-Man (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Insomniac Games)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
- Return of the Obra Dinn (3909 / Lucas Pope)
Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition
- Detroit: Become Human (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Quantic Dream)
- Forgotten Anne (Square Enix Collective / ThroughLine Games)
- WINNER: God of War (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Sony Santa Monica)
- Spider-Man (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Insomniac Games)
- Tetris Effect (Enhance / Monstars and Resonair)
Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design
- Battlefield V (Electronic Arts / EA DICE)
- Detroit: Become Human (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Quantic Dream)
- WINNER: God of War (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Sony Santa Monica)
- Spider-Man (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Insomniac Games)
- Moss (Polyarc)
Outstanding Achievement in Story
- Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey (Ubisoft / Ubisoft Quebec)
- Florence (Annapurna Interactive / Mountains)
- WINNER: God of War (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Sony Santa Monica)
- Spider-Man (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Insomniac Games)
- Return of the Obra Dinn (3909 / Lucas Pope)
Outstanding Technical Achievement
- Astro Bot: Rescue Mission (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Japan Studio)
- Battlefield V (Electronic Arts / EA DICE)
- God of War (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Sony Santa Monica)
- Spider-Man (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Insomniac Games)
- WINNER: Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Outstanding Achievement in Animation
- God of War (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Sony Santa Monica)
- Gris (Devolver Digital / Nomada Studio)
- Moss (Polyarc)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
- WINNER: Spider-Man (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Insomniac Games)
Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction
- Detroit: Become Human (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Quantic Dream)
- WINNER: God of War (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Sony Santa Monica)
- Gris (Devolver Digital / Nomada Studio)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
- Spider-Man (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Insomniac Games)
Immersive Reality Technical Acievement
- Astro Bot: Rescue Mission (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Japan Studio)
- Beat Saber (Beat Games)
- Dr. Grordbort’s Invaders (Magic Leap / Weta Workshop and Magic Leap)
- WINNER: Tonandi (Magic Leap / Magic Leap Studios and Sigur Ros)
- Torn (Aspyr Media)
Immersive Reality Game of the Year
- Astro Bot: Rescue Mission (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Japan Studio)
- WINNER: Beat Saber (Beat Games)
- Moss (Polyarc)
- Sprint Vector (Survios)
- Transference (Ubisoft / Ubisoft Montreal and SpectreVision)
SXSW Gaming Awards
The winners of the SXSW Gaming Awards are chosen by an advisory board of “industry experts” with input from a public vote. The SXSW Gaming Awards are awarded each year during the SXSW Interactive conference. (sxsw.com)
Video Game of the Year
Awarded to the game that exemplifies overall excellence and creates a distinct gaming experience across all platforms and genres.
- Celeste (Matt Makes Games)
- WINNER: God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Bandai Namco Studios / Sora / Nintendo)
Mobile Game of the Year
Awarded to the game that exemplifies overall excellence and creates a unique gaming experience on any handheld device.
- Alto’s Odyssey (Team Alto)
- WINNER: Donut County (Ben Esposito / Annapurna Interactive)
- Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive)
- Fortnite (Epic Games)
- Marvel Strike Force (FoxNext Games LA / FoxNext)
VR Game of the Year
Awarded to the VR game that exemplifies overall excellence in gameplay and design across any VR platform.
- Astro Bot: Rescue Mission (ASOBI / Sony Computer Entertainment)
- WINNER: Beat Saber (Beat Games)
- Moss (Polyarc Games)
- Sprint Vector (Survios)
- Tetris Effect (Resonair / Monstars / Enhance)
Most Evolved Game
Awarded to the game that was enhanced with the best additional content after its original release.
- Destiny 2: Forsaken (Bungie)
- Fortnite (Epic Games)
- WINNER: No Man’s Sky: Next (Hello Games)
- Overwatch (Blizzard)
- Pokemon Go (Niantic / The Pokemon Company)
Most Promising New Esports Game
Awarded to the online game that has the best competitive scene, or potential to grow one, and most entertainment value.
- NBA 2K19 (NBA 2K League / 2K Games)
- Dragon Ball FighterZ (Arc System Works / Bandai Namco)
- WINNER: Fortnite (Epic Games)
- Gwent: The Witcher Card Game (CD Projekt Red / CD Projekt)
- Soul Calibur VI (Bandai Namco Studios / Bandai Namco)
Tabletop Game of the Year
Awarded to the game that exemplifies overall excellence and ingenuity of any tabletop game in any genre.
- Brass: Birmingham (Roxley Game Laboratory)
- Everdell (Starling Games)
- Keyforge: Call of the Archons (Fantasy Flight Games)
- WINNER: Root (Leder Games)
- Western Legends (Kolossal Games)
Trending Game of the Year
Awarded to the game that consistently entertained and kept us watching on social platforms with its humor, stories, and more.
- Beat Saber (Beat Games)
- Celeste (Matt Makes Games)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Monster Hunter: World (Capcom)
- WINNER: Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Matthew Crump Cultural Innovation Award
Awarded to the game that best challenges the “norm” of everyday gaming and offers a culturally innovative view of a game world, character, or gameplay.
- 11-11: Memories Retold (Digixart / Aardman Animations / Bandai Namco)
- WINNER: Celeste (Matt Makes Games)
- Monster Prom (Beautiful Glitch / Those Awesome Guys)
- The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit (Dontnod Entertainment / Square Enix)
- Where the Water Tastes Like Wine (Johnnemann Nordhagen / Good Shepherd Entertainment)
Excellence in Narrative
Awarded to the game with the best storyline and dialogue.
- Celeste (Matt Makes Games)
- WINNER: Detroit: Become Human (Quantic Dream / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive)
- God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Excellence in Design
Awarded to the game with the best overall design concept and best execution.
- Donut County (Ben Esposito / Annapurna Interactive)
- WINNER: God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Into the Breach (Subset Games)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
- Return of the Obra Dinn (3909)
Excellence in Gameplay
Awarded to the game with the best gameplay mechanics.
- Beat Saber (Beat Games)
- Dead Cells (Motion Twin)
- God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- WINNER: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Bandai Namco Studios / Sora / Nintendo)
Most Fulfilling Community-Funded Game
Awarded to the game that was primarily produced via crowdfunding platforms and had excelled beyond the expectations set before it.
- WINNER: CrossCode (Radical Fish Games / Deck13 Interactive)
- Monster Prom (Beautiful Glitch / Those Awesome Guys)
- Moonlighter (Digital Sun / 11 bit studios)
- Root (Leder Games)
- Wandersong (Greg Lobanov / Humble Bundle)
Most Promising New Intellectual Property
Awarded to a new property that risked creating something fresh and that excelled within its genre or category for the year.
- Ashen (A44 / Annapurna Interactive)
- WINNER: Beat Saber (Beat Games)
- Dead Cells (Motion Twin)
- Gris (Nomada Studio / Devolver Digital)
- Octopath Traveler (Square Enix / Acquire / Nintendo)
Excellence in Multiplayer
Awarded to the game with the best player-to-player interaction experience.
- Destiny 2: Forsaken (Bungie)
- WINNER: Fortnite (Epic Games)
- Monster Hunter: World (Capcom)
- Overcooked 2 (Ghost Town Games / Team17)
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Bandai Namco Studios / Sora / Nintendo)
Excellence in Convergence
Awarded to the game that excels in crossover to other entertainment mediums such as film, music, toys, animation, sports and more.
- Dragon Ball FighterZ (Arc System Works / Bandai Namco)
- FIFA 19 (Electronic Arts)
- Jurassic World Evolution (Frontier Developments)
- WINNER: Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Star Trek: Fleet Command (Interplay Entertainment / Scopely)
Excellence in Art
Awarded to the game with the most expressive and creative artistic style.
- Gris (Nomada Studio / Devolver Digital)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- WINNER: Octopath Traveler (Square Enix / Acquire / Nintendo)
- Return of the Obra Dinn (3909)
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Bandai Namco Studios / Sora / Nintendo)
Excellence in Animation
Awarded to the game with the most outstanding animations.
- Detroit: Become Human (Quantic Dream / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Dragon Ball FighterZ (Arc System Works / Bandai Namco)
- God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- WINNER: Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Excellence in Visual Achievement
Awarded to the game with the most well-designed and stunning visuals.
- Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey (Ubisoft Quebec / Ubisoft)
- Detroit: Become Human (Quantic Dream / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- WINNER: God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Gris (Nomada Studio / Devolver Digital)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Excellence in Technical Achievement
Awarded to the game that pushed the capabilities of technology and programming.
- Astro Bot: Rescue Mission (ASOBI / Sony Computer Entertainment)
- Detroit: Become Human (Quantic Dream / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- WINNER: Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Excellence in Musical Score
Awarded to the game that best exemplifies artistic excellence in musical score and how it progresses the narrative of the game.
- Celeste (Matt Makes Games)
- Gris (Nomada Studio / Devolver Digital)
- Octopath Traveler (Square Enix / Acquire / Nintendo)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
- WINNER: Tetris Effect (Resonair / Monstars / Enhance)
Excellence in SFX
Awarded to the game with the most outstanding and impactful sound effects.
- Battlefield V (EA DICE / Electronic Arts)
- Forza Horizon 4 (Playground Games / Turn 10 Studios / Microsoft Studios)
- God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- WINNER: Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
- Tetris Effect (Resonair / Monstars / Enhance)
British Academy Games Awards
The winners of the British Academy Games Awards (BAFTA Games Awards) are chosen by a jury of “industry experts” and awarded each year in the Spring. (bafta.org)
Best Game
- Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey (Ubisoft Quebec / Ubisoft)
- Astro Bot: Rescue Mission (SIE Japan Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Celeste (Matt Makes Games / Matt Makes Games)
- WINNER: God of War (Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games / Rockstar Games)
- Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909)
Best British Game
- 11-11: Memories Retold (Digixart, Aardman, and Bandai Namco / Bandai Namco)
- WINNER: Forza Horizon 4 (Playground Games / Microsoft Studios)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games / Rockstar Games)
- The Room: Old Sins(Fireproof Games / Fireproof Games)
- Overcooked 2 (Ghost Town Games and Team 17 / Team 17)
- Two Point Hospital (Two Point Studios / Sega)
Best Mobile Game
- Alto’s Odyssey (Team Alto / Snowman)
- Brawl Stars (Supercell / Supercell)
- Donut County (Ben Esposito / Annapurna Interactive)
- WINNER: Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive)
- Reigns: Game of Thrones (Nerial / Devolver Digital)
- The Room: Old Sins (Fireproof Games / Fireproof Games)
Original Property
- Dead Cells (Motion Twin / Motion Twin)
- Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive)
- WINNER: Into the Breach (Subset Games / Subset Games)
- Moss (Polyarc / Polyarc)
- Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909)
- Subnautica (Unknown Worlds Entertainment / Unknown Worlds Entertainment)
Debut Game
- Beat Saber (Beat Games / Beat Games)
- Cultist Simulator (Weather Factory / Humble Bundle)
- Donut County (Ben Espositio / Annapurna Interactive)
- Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive)
- Gris (Nomada Studio / Devolver Digital)
- WINNER: Yoku’s Island Express (Villa Gorilla / Team 17)
Performer
- Christopher Judge (Kratos in God of War)
- Danielle Bisutti (Freya in God of War)
- WINNER: Jeremy Davies (The Stranger in God of War)
- Melissanthi Mahut (Kassandra of Sparta in Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey)
- Roger Clark (Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption 2)
- Sunny Suljic (Atreus in God of War)
Artistic Achievement
- Detroit: Become Human (Quantic Dream / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Gris (Nomada Studio / Devolver Digital)
- God of War (Santa Monica Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Spider-Man – Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games / Rockstar Games)
- WINNER: Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909)
Audio Achievement
- Battlefield V (EA Dice / Electronic Arts)
- Detroit: Become Human (Quantic Dream / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- WINNER: God of War (Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games / Rockstar Games)
- Tetris Effect (Monstars and Resonair / Enhance)
Game Design
- Astro Bot: Rescue Mission (SIE Japan Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Celeste (Matt Makes Games / Matt Makes Games)
- God of War (Santa Monica Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Into the Breach Justin Ma, Matthew Davis (Subset Games / Subset Games)
- Minit (JW, Kitty, Jukio, and Dom / Devolver Digital)
- WINNER: Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909)
Game Innovation
- Astro Bot: Rescue Mission (SIE Japan Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Celeste (Matt Makes Games / Matt Makes Games)
- Cultist Simulator Alexis Kennedy, Lottie Bevan (Weather Factory / Humble Bundle)
- Moss (Polyarc / Polyarc)
- WINNER: Nintendo Labo (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
- Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909)
Narrative
- Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive)
- Frostpunk (11 Bit Studios / 11 Bit Studios)
- WINNER: God of War (Santa Monica Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games / Rockstar Games)
- Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909)
Multiplayer
- WINNER: A Way Out (Hazelight / EA Originals)
- Battlefield V (EA Dice / Electronic Arts)
- Overcooked 2 (Ghost Town Games and Team 17 / Team 17)
- Sea of Thieves (Rare / Microsoft Studios)
- Super Mario Party (NDCube / Nintendo)
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Nintendo, Bandai Namco, and Sora / Nintendo)
Music
- Celeste (Lena Raine – Matt Makes Games / Matt Makes Games)
- Far Cry 5 (Ubisoft Montreal / Ubisoft)
- Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive)
- WINNER: God of War (Bear McCreary, Keith Leary, Peter Scaturro – Santa Monica Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Gris (Nomada Studios / Devolver Digitial)
- Tetris Effect (Hydelic, Noboru Mutoh, Takako Ishida – Monstars and Resonair / Enhance)
Family
- Lego The Incredibles (TT Games / WB Games)
- WINNER: Nintendo Labo (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
- Overcooked 2 (Ghost Town Games and Team17 / Team17)
- Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu! and Pokemon: Let’s Go Eevee! – Game Freak/The Pokémon Company and Nintendo
- Super Mario Party (NDCube / Nintendo)
- Yoku’s Island Express (Villa Gorilla / Team 17)
Game Beyond Entertainment
- 11-11: Memories Retold (Digixart, Aardman, and Bandai Namco / Bandai Namco) Entertainment
- Celeste (Matt Makes Games / Matt Makes Games)
- Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive)
- Life Is Strange 2 (Dontnod Entertainment / Square Enix)
- WINNER: My Child Lebensborn (Sarepta Studio / Teknopilot and Sarepta Studio)
- Nintendo Labo (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
Evolving Game
- Destiny 2: Forsaken (Bungie / Activision)
- Elite Dangerous: Beyond (Frontier / Frontier)
- WINNER: Fortnite (Epic Games / Epic Games)
- Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment / Blizzard Entertainment)
- Sea of Thieves (Rare / Microsoft Studios)
- Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege (Ubisoft Montreal / Ubisoft)