The Game Awards Re: Imagined

Thoughts on the current state of The Game Awards

It’s no secret: the Oscars of the video game industry needs a makeover. For years now, the annual Game Awards has faced heavy criticism from the court of public opinion. Last year’s “please wrap it up” debacle (when teleprompters ushered award-winners off the stage after even less than a minute) clued viewers into the seemingly unsavory nature of the awards ceremony: To highlight upcoming video games more than the hard work and artistry of those The Game Awards were designed to celebrate.

Christmas has come early with this year’s controversy. After releasing a statement that DLC and expansions could be considered for the night’s biggest award, Game of the Year, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree was announced as one of the nominees. The discourse created by the situation has stirred up plenty of thoughts about what degree of DLC or expansion is considered “it’s own game”; whether the basegame, Elden Ring, should be awarded it’s second Game of Year award (after winning back in 2022); and if the pre-nomination announcement signaled Shadow of the Erdtree as the shoe-in winner. So, yes, The Game Awards is back in the controversy spotlight.

The Game Awards are a great idea—but its execution is proving problematic. With video games struggling on the podium of “respectable media” or capital A art, The Game Awards have the opportunity to showcase the talent, artistry, creativity, and impact that video games have on the world of media and literature. They should be celebrated with the same respect, moxie, and yes, even pompousness, that other artistic mediums get. An Oscars for video games can work, but it needs to walk the same fine line that other ceremonies do. It can’t lose focus on what it’s appearing to do, which is celebrate video games and their creation in all their glory. (Even if we know deep down it’s all artifice.)

It’s not that the ceremony is rotten to the core by any means. It may be a controversy in its own right, but The Game Awards should keep trailers for upcoming games as a mainstay in their presentation. Have you ever watched an awards ceremony that’s only acceptance speeches with the musical number here or there? They’re dreadfully boring. (The Oscars have been attempting/struggling to draw more viewers in for years now.) 

Can The Game Awards make a comeback? I’m hopeful they can. Some tweaking to the show’s overall format and categorical structure could help bring the love of video games back to the forefront of The Game Awards. Here are some ideas of what those changes could look like.

  • Present game trailers in a way that align with the category of awards being presented (such as showing trailers for upcoming action games around the Best Action Game announcement)

  • Allow for multiple winners in a single category

  • Limit non-presenting speakers

  • Have celebrity guests share more about their own history and love for gaming

  • Expand some categories, such as Game of the Year, to include more nominees

General ceremony structure

Categorical Additions

For outstanding direction and composition of an in-game cutscene or cinematic with great emotional or evocative impact.

Best Cutscene/Cinematic

For the best questline supplemental to a game’s main progression line that enriched the game’s overall narrative or experience.

Best Side Quest

For a protagonist, antagonist, or other character that captured our hearts, piqued our emotions, or challenged our values.

Best Dialogue

Best Gameplay

For outstanding achievement in how a game feels to play, including movement, puzzle-solving, collection, progression, and feedback loop.

Best Combat/Combat System

To recognize engrossing, immersive combat that innovates the player/foe interaction.

For a game who’s menus, skill trees, and maps communicated their information coherently and stylistically.

Best User Interface

For a protagonist, antagonist, or other character that captured our hearts, piqued our emotions, or challenged our values.

Best Character

For technical and creative excellence in downloadable content or an expansion for a previously published game.

*This category would require categorical separation from Best Ongoing Game

Best DLC/Expansion*

For an outstanding song created for and included in a game.

Best Song

Best Level/World Design

For great creative and technical world-building in terms of overall game environments and level design.

Best Physical Game Packaging

In recognition of a game packaging that demonstrates a deep love and care for physical game packaging, as well as the player experience in terms of collection and sensory experience.

Image courtesy of The Game Awards