The Game Awards 2021

Game of the Year
– Recognizing a game that delivers the absolute best experience across all creative and technical fields

Deathloop (Arkane Studios / Bethedsa)
It Takes Two (Hazelight Studios / EA)
Metroid Dread (Mercury Steam / Nintendo)
Psychonauts 2 (Double Fine / Xbox Game Studios)
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Insomnic Games / SIE)
Resident Evil Village (Capcom)

Best Game Direction
– Awarded for outstanding creative vision and innovation in game direction and design

Deathloop (Arkane Studios / Bethesda)
It Takes Two (Hazelight Studios / EA)
Returnal (Housemarque / SIE)
Psychonauts 2 (Double Fine / Xbox Game Studios)
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Insomnic Games / SIE)

Best Narrative
– For outstanding storytelling and narrative development in a game

Deathloop (Arkane Studios / Bethesda)
It Takes Two (Hazelight Studios / EA)
Life Is Strange 2: True Colors (Deck Nine / Square ENIX)
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (EDIOS Montreal / Square ENIX)
Psychonauts 2 (Double Fine / Xbox Game Studios)

Best Art Direction
– For outstanding creative and/or technical achievement in artistic design and animation

The Artful Escape (Beethoven & Dinosaur / Annapurna)
Deathloop (Arkane Studios / Bethesda)
Kena: Bridge of Spirits (Ember Lab)
Psychonauts 2 (Double Fine / Xbox Game Studios)
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Insomnic Games / SIE)

Best Score & Music
– For outstanding music, inclusive of score, original song and/or licensed soundtrack

The Artful Escape (Johnny Galvatron & Josh Abrahams, composers)
Cyberpunk 2077 (Przybylowicz, Adamcryz, Leonard-Morgan, composers)
Deathloop (Tom Salta, composer)
Marvel’s Guradians of the Galaxy (Richard Jacques, composer)
NIER Replicant VER.1.22474487139 (Keiichi Okabe, composer)

Best Audio Design
– Recognizing the best in-game audio and sound design
(Awarded during Pre-Show)

Deathloop (Arkane Studios / Bethesda)
Forza Horizon 5 (Playground Games / Xbox Game Studios)
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Insomnic Games / SIE)
Resident Evil Village (Capcom)
Returnal (Housemarque / SIE)

Best Performance
– Awarded to an individual for voice-over acting, motion and/or performance capture

Erika Mori as Alex Chen (Life is Strange 2: True Colors)
Giancarlo Esposito as Anton Castillo (Far Cry 6)
Jason Kelley as Cort Vahn (Deathloop)
Maggie Robertson as Lady Dimitrescu (Resident Evil Village)
Ozioma Akagha as Julianna Blake (Deathloop)

Games for Impact
– For a thought-provoking game with a pro-social meaning or message (Awarded during the Pre-Show)

Before Your Eyes (Goodbyeworld Games / Skybound Games)
Boyfriend Dungeon (Kitfox Games)
Chicory: A Colorful Tale (Lobanow, Dean-Jones, Raine, Berger, A Shell In The Pit / Finji)
Life Is Strange: True Colors (Deck Nine / Square ENIX)
No Longer Home (Humble Groove, Lee, Davidson, Lombardo, Rainsberry / Fellow Traveler)

Best Ongoing
– Awarded to a game for outstanding development of ongoing content that evolves the player experience over time

APEX Legends (Respawn / EA)
Final Fantasy XIV Online (Square ENIX)
Fortnite (Epic Games)
Genshin Impact (MIYOHO)
Call of Duty: Warzone (Infinity Ward / Raven / Activision)

Best Indie
– For outstanding creative and technical achievement in a game made outside the traditional publisher system

12 Minutes (Luis Antonio / Annapurna)
Death’s Door (Acid Nerve / Devolver Digital)
Inscryption (Daniel Mullins Games / Devolver)
Kena: Bridge of Spirits (Ember Lab)
Loop Hero (Four Quarters / Devolver)

Best Mobile Game
– For the best game playable on a mobile device

Fantasian (Mistwalker)
Genshin Impact (MIYOHO)
League of Legends: Wild Rift (Riot Games)
Marvel Future Revolution (Netmarble)
Pokemon Unite (Timi Studio Group / The Pokemon Company)

Best Community Support
– Recognizing a game for outstanding community support, transparency and responsiveness, inclusive of social media activity and game updates/patches

APEX Legends (Respawn / EA)
Destiny 2 (Bungie)
Final Fantasy XIV (Square ENIX)
Fortnite (Epic Games)
No Man’s Sky (Hello Games)

Innovation In Accessibility
– 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 (Ubisoft Toronto / Ubisoft)
Forza Horizon 5 (Playground Games / Xbox Game Studios)
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (EIDOS Montreal / Square ENIX)
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Insomnic Games / SIE)
The Vale: Shadow of the Crown (Creative Bytes Studios / Falling Squirrel)

Best VR / AR
– For the best game experience playable in virtual or augmented reality, irrespective of platform

Hitman 3 (IO Interactive)
I Expect You To Die 2 (Schell Games)
Lone Echo II (Ready At Dawn / Oculus Studios)
Resident Evil 4 (Armature Studio / Capcom / Oculus Studios)
Sniper Elite VR (Coatsink / Just Add Water / Rebellion Developments)

Best Action Game
– For the best game in the action genre focused primarily on combat

Back 4 Blood (Turtle Rock / WB Games)
Chivalry II (Torn Banner Studios / Tripwire Interactive)
Deathloop (Arkane Studios / Bethesda)
Far Cry 6 (Ubisoft Toronto / Ubisoft)
Returnal (Housemarque / SIE)

Best Action / Adventure
– For the best action/adventure game, combining combat with traversal and puzzle solving

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (EIDOS Montreal / Square ENIX)
Metroid Dread (MercurySteam / Nintendo)
Psychonauts 2 (Double Fine / Xbox Game Studios)
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Insomnic Games / SIE)
Resident Evil Village (Capcom)

Best Role Playing
– For the best game designed with rich player character customization and progression, including massively multiplayer experiences

Cyberpunk 2077 (CD Projekt Red)
Monster Hunter Rise (Capcom)
Scarlet Nexus (Bandai Namco)
Shin Megami Tenshi V (Atlus / Sega)
Tales of Arise (Bandai Namco)

Best Fighting
– For the best game designed primarily around head-to-head combat

Demon Slayer – Kimetsu No Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles (Aniplex / Sega)
Guilty Gear – Strive – (ArcSystemWorks)
Melty Blood: Type Lumina (French-Bread / Delightworks)
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl (Ludosity / Fair Play Labs / Gamemill)
Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown (Sega)

Best Family
– For the best game appropriate for family play, irrespective of genre or platform

It Takes Two (Hazelight Studios / EA)
Mario Party Superstars (Nocube / Nintendo)
New Pokemon Snap (Bandai Namco / The Pokemon Company / Nintendo)
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury (Nintendo)
Warioware: Get It Together! (Intelligent Systems / Nintendo)

Best Sim / Simulation
– Best game focused on real time or turn-based simulation or strategy gameplay, irrespective of platform

Age of Empires IV (Relic Entertainment / Xbox Game Studios)
Evil Genius 2: World Domination (Rebellion Developments)
Humankind (Amplitude Studios / Sega)
Inscryption (Daniel Mullins Games / Devolver)
Microsoft Flight Simulation (Asobo Studio / Xbox Game Studios)

Best Sports / Racing
– For the best traditional and non-traditional sports and racing game

F1 2021 (Codemasters / EA Sports)
FIFA 2022 (EA Vancouver / EA Sports / EA Romania)
Forza Horizon 5 (Playground Games / Xbox Games Studios)
Hot Wheels Unleashed (Milestone)
Riders Republic (Ubisoft Annecy / Ubisoft)

Best Multiplayer
– For outstanding online multiplayer gameplay and design, including co-op and massively multiplayer experiences, irrespective of game genre or platform

Back 4 Blood (Turtle Rock / WB Games)
Knockout City (Velan / EA)
It Takes Two (Hazelight Studios / EA)
Monster Hunter Rise (Capcom)
New World (Amazon Games)
Valheim (Iron Gate Studio / Coffee Stain)

Content Creator of the Year
– For a streamer or content creator who has made an important and positive impact on the community in 2021

Dream
Fuslie
Gaules
Ibai
Grefg

Best Debut Indie
– For the best debut game created by a new independent studio

The Artful Escape (Beethoven & Dinosaur / Annapurna)
The Forgotten City (Modern Storytelling / Dear Villagers)
Kena: Bridge of Spirits (Ember Labs) (Awarded along with Best Indie)
Sable (Shedwork / Raw Fury)
Valheim (Iron Gate Studio / Coffee

Best Anticipated Game
– Recognizing an announced game that has demonstrably illustrated potential to push the gaming medium forward

Elden Ring (From Software / Bandai Namco)
God of War Ragnakok (Sony Santa / SIE)
Horizon Forbidden West (Guerrilla / SIE)
The Sequel To The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo)
Starfield (Bethesda Game Studios / Bethesda)

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

Call of Duty (Activision)
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (Valve)
DOTA 2 (Valve)
League of Legends (Riot Games)
Valorant (Riot Games)

Best Esports Athlete
– The esports athlete judged to be the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2021, irrespective of game
(Awarded during Pre-Show)

Chris “Simp” Lehr
Heo “Showmaker” Su
Magomed “Collapse” Khalilov
Oleksandr “S1mple” Kostyliev
Tyson “Tenz” Ngo

Best Esports Team
– Recognizing a specific esports team (not the full organization) judged the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2021
(Awarded during Pre-Show)

Altanta Faze (COD)
DWG KIA (LOL)
Natus Vincere (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive)
Sentinels (Valorant)
Team Spirit (DOTA 2)

Best Esports Coach
– The esports coach judged to be the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2021
(Awarded during Pre-Show)

Airat “Silent” Gaziev
Andrey “Enhg” Sholokhov
Andrii “B1ad3” Horodenskyi
James “Crowder” Crowder
Kim “kkOma” Jeong-Gyun

Best Esports Event
– Recognizing an event (across single or multiple days) that delivered a best-of-class experience for participants and the broadcast audience
(Awarded during Pre-Show)

2021 League of Legends World Championship
The International 2021
PGL Major Stockholm 2021
PUBG Mobile Global Championship 2020
Valorant Champions Tour: Stage 2 Masters

Tunic (Finji)
March 16, 2022

Shown during Pre-Show

King of Fighters 15 – KOF 15 (SNK)
Februray 17, 2022

Shown during Pre-Show

The Texas Chain Massacre (Gun / Sumo Nottingham)

Game Announcement

Shown during Pre-Show

Homeworld 3 (Blackbird Interactive / Gearbox Publishing)

Shown during Pre-Show

The Expanse: A TellTale Series (TellTale Games)

Shown during Pre-Show

Babylon’s Fall (Square ENIX)
March 3, 2022

Shown during Pre-Show

Chivalry II Upcoming Updates (Torn Banner Studios)

Shown during Pre-Show

Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak (Capcom)
Summer 2022

Shown during Pre-Show

Thirsty Suitors (Annapurna Interactive)
2022

Shown during Pre-Show

Evil West (Focus Entertainment / Flying Wild Hog)

Gameplay Trailer

Shown during Pre-Show

Have A Nice Death (Perfect World Entertainment)

Game Announcement

Shown during Pre-Show

Planet of Lana (Wishfully / Thunderful)

Shown during Pre-Show

Persona 4 Arena Ultramax (Atlus)
March 17, 2022

Shown during Pre-Show

Hellblade II: Senua’s Saga
Gameplay World Premiere Trailer (Ninja Theory)

Star Wars Eclipse (Quantic Dream / Lucas Film Games)

Game Announcement

Wonder Woman (Monolith / Warner Bros Games)

Game Announcement

Alan Wake II (Remedy Entertainment)
2023

Game Announcement

Sonic The Hedgehog 2
Movie Trailer

Horizon II: Forbidden West (Guerrilla Games)
February 18, 2022

Gameplay Trailer

Destiny 2: The Witch Queen (Bungie)

Game Announcement

Splitterhead (Bokeh Game Studio)

Game Announcement

Nightingale (Inflexion Games)

Game Announcement

Somerville (Jumpship)

Game Announcement

Cuphead DLC (Delicious Last Course)
June 30, 2022

Announcement

Sonic Frontiers (Sega)
Holiday 2022

Game Announcement

Tchia
Spring 2022

Gameplay Trailer

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League (Rocksteady)
2022

Gameplay Trailer

Forspoken (Luminous Productions / Square ENIX)

Gameplay Trailer

Warhammer 40K Space Marine 2 (Saber Interactive / Focus Entertainment)

Game Announcement

Saints Row (Voltation Games)
August 23, 2022

Gameplay Trailer

Dune Spice Wars (Northgard)
2022

Game Announcement

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands (2K / Epic Games)

Gameplay Trailer

Among Us VR (Innersloth)

Game Announcement

Dokev (Pearl Abyss)

Thank You Music Video

Genshin Impact (MIYOHO)

New Character Reveal

Star Trek Resurgence (TellTale Games)

Game Announcement

Rumbleverse (Iron Galaxy/ Epic Games Publishing)
2022

Game Announcement

A Plague Tale Requiem (Asobo Studio)

Gameplay Trailer

GTFO (10 Chambers)

Game Release

Halo TV Series (Paramount)

Series Reveal

Elden Ring
February 25, 2022

Trailer

ARC Raiders (Embark / Nexon)

Gameplay Trailer

Matrix On Unreal Engine 5 (Epic Games)