The Game Awards have unveiled their nominees for the 2024 ceremony, completing a year rich with diverse gaming experiences. This year’s selection leans towards familiar genres, featuring anticipated action and role-playing games. Notable mentions include Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree returning from FromSoftware and Black Myth: Wukong earning a spot among the Game of the Year contenders. Meanwhile, indie titles like Balatro and the family-oriented Astro Bot also received significant recognition.
Leading the nominations are Astro Bot and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, both securing seven nods, closely followed by Metaphor: ReFantazio with six. In terms of representation, Sony Interactive Entertainment shines with a total of 16 nominations, while Square Enix and Xbox each garnered 12, and Sega trails with 11.
The Game of the Year category is an eclectic lineup this year. Besides top contenders Astro Bot, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and Metaphor: ReFantazio, the nominations include the indie sensation Balatro, a DLC expansion to a previous winner Shadow of the Erdtree, and the popular yet critically divisive Black Myth: Wukong. Overall, Balatro received five total nominations, while the other two games garnered four each.
While many of the other nominees were as expected, some surprising entries caught attention. For instance, the classic Silent Hill 2 earned a nomination for best narrative despite its story being crafted over two decades ago. Conversely, Dragon Age: The Veilguard managed just one nomination, and Star Wars Outlaws, which did not meet Ubisoft’s expectations, received three nominations, marking a few of the more unusual inclusions this year.
The winners will be showcased during the event on December 12, alongside numerous game announcements and trailers. Below is the full list of nominees for The Game Awards 2024:
Game of the Year
- Astro Bot
- Balatro
- Black Myth: Wukong
- Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Metaphor: ReFantazio
Best Game Direction
- Astro Bot
- Balatro
- Black Myth Wukong
- Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Metaphor: ReFantazio
Best Narrative
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
- Metaphor: ReFantazio
- Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
- Silent Hill 2
Best Art Direction
- Astro Bot
- Black Myth: Wukong
- Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
- Metaphor: ReFantazio
- Neva
Best Score & Music
- Astro Bot
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Metaphor: ReFantazio
- Silent Hill 2
- Stellar Blade
Best Audio Design
- Astro Bot
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
- Silent Hill 2
Best Performance
- Briana White – Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Hannah Telle – Life is Strange: Double Exposure
- Humberly Gonzalez – Star Wars Outlaws
- Luke Roberts – Silent Hill 2
- Melina Juergens – Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
Innovation in Accessibility
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
- Diablo 4
- Dragon Age: The Veilguard
- Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
- Star Wars Outlaws
Games for Impact
- Closer the Distance
- Indika
- Neva
- Life is Strange: Double Exposure
- Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
- Tales of Kenzera: Zau
Best Ongoing Game
- Destiny 2
- Diablo 4
- Final Fantasy XIV
- Fortnite
- Helldivers 2
Best Community Support
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Final Fantasy XIV
- Fortnite
- Helldivers 2
- No Man’s Sky
Best Independent Game
- Animal Well
- Balatro
- Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
- Neva
- UFO 50
Best Debut Indie Game
- Animal Well
- Balatro
- Manor Lords
- Pacific Drive
- The Plucky Squire
Best Mobile Game
- AFK Journey
- Balatro
- Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket
- Wuthering Waves
- Zenless Zone Zero
Best VR/AR Game
- Arizona Sunshine Remake
- Asgard’s Wrath 2
- Batman: Arkham Shadow
- Metal: Hellsinger VR
- Metro Awakening
Best Action Game
- Black Myth: Wukong
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
- Helldivers 2
- Stellar Blade
- Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
Best Action/Adventure Game
- Astro Bot
- Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
- Silent Hill 2
- Star Wars Outlaws
- The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Best RPG
- Dragon’s Dogma 2
- Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
- Metaphor: ReFantazio
Best Fighting Game
- Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero
- Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising
- Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics
- MultiVersus
- Tekken 8
Best Family Game
- Astro Bot
- Princess Peach: Showtime!
- Super Mario Party Jamboree
- The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
- The Plucky Squire
Best Sim/Strategy Game
- Age of Mythology: Retold
- Frostpunk 2
- Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
- Manor Lords
- Unicorn Overlord
Best Sports/Racing Game
- F1 24
- EA Sports FC 25
- NBA 2K25
- Top Spin 2K25
- WWE 2K24
Best Multiplayer Game
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
- Helldivers 2
- Super Mario Party Jamboree
- Tekken 8
- Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
Best Adaptation
- Arcane
- Fallout
- Knuckles
- Like a Dragon: Yakuza
- Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft
Most Anticipated Game
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Ghost of Yotei
- Grand Theft Auto 6
- Metroid Prime 4 Beyond
- Monster Hunter Wilds