Honestly, the 2024 awards season felt like a fever dream for anyone who actually plays video games. One minute we’re arguing about whether a DLC counts as a "full game," and the next, a tiny poker roguelike is sitting at the big kids' table next to a multi-million dollar Final Fantasy epic.
The list of game awards 2024 game of the year nominees wasn't just a collection of high scores. It was a snapshot of an industry that is currently in a very weird, very experimental transition phase. We had a massive Chinese action-RPG breaking the internet, a literal "love letter" to PlayStation's history, and a card game that probably destroyed more workplace productivity than Facebook did in 2004.
The Heavy Hitters and the Rule Breaker
When the nominations dropped, the internet basically exploded. Most of the chatter wasn't even about the games themselves, but the eligibility of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.
Before 2024, the idea of an expansion getting a GOTY nod was unheard of. But Geoff Keighley’s crew basically said, "If it's good, it's in." This set a massive precedent. Whether you agree with it or not, Shadow of the Erdtree was bigger and more polished than most AAA games released in the last decade. It forced everyone to rethink what "Game of the Year" actually means. Is it about a standalone product, or is it about the best experience you had with a controller in your hand that year?
Then you had Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. This game is a monster. It’s huge, it’s beautiful, and it hits those nostalgia buttons so hard it almost hurts. It shared the lead for most nominations (seven total) with Astro Bot. Seeing those two go head-to-head felt like a battle between the "Old Guard" of cinematic RPGs and the "New Wave" of pure, unadulterated fun.
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The Six Nominees That Defined the Year
- Astro Bot: The eventual winner. It’s a platformer that makes you feel like a kid again. No battle passes, no "live service" nonsense—just pure creativity.
- Balatro: The indie darling. It’s a "poker-themed roguelike" which sounds boring until you realize you’ve been playing it for six hours straight and forgot to eat.
- Black Myth: Wukong: This was the "people's champ." It broke Steam records and proved that China is now a global powerhouse in AAA development.
- Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree: The expansion that acted like a sequel. It brought us back to the Lands Between and reminded us why we love (and hate) FromSoftware.
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth: A masterclass in how to remake a legend. It’s messy, ambitious, and emotionally draining in the best way possible.
- Metaphor: ReFantazio: From the Persona team. It’s a political thriller disguised as a fantasy RPG, and it basically perfected the calendar-based gameplay they’ve been honing for years.
Why Astro Bot Actually Pulled It Off
A lot of people were shocked that Astro Bot took the crown over something like Rebirth or Wukong. I get it. On paper, it looks like a "kinda cute" tech demo. But if you've actually played it, you know it’s so much more than that.
The game is a mechanical miracle. Every single level introduces a new idea, uses it perfectly, and then tosses it away before it gets stale. It’s the kind of game design we usually only see from Nintendo’s EPD teams. Team Asobi managed to make the DualSense controller feel like a magic wand. You can literally "feel" the difference between walking on grass and walking on metal.
In a year where many big games felt bloated or unfinished, Astro Bot was perfect. It didn't overstay its welcome. It didn't try to sell you skins. It was just... a game. That simplicity is likely why the jury (90% of the vote) and the fans (10%) leaned so heavily toward it. It also cleaned up in the "Best Game Direction" and "Best Family Game" categories, making it the most awarded title of the night.
The Balatro Phenomenon
We have to talk about Balatro. Honestly, seeing a $15 indie game developed by one person (LocalThunk) nominated for the same award as Final Fantasy is wild. It’s the first time since Stray or Hades that an indie felt like it actually had a legitimate shot at winning the whole thing.
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The game is basically digital crack. You play poker hands, buy "Joker" cards that give you multipliers, and try to beat increasingly high scores. It sounds simple, but the math under the hood is brilliant. It won "Best Independent Game" and "Best Mobile Game," and honestly, it deserved every bit of it. It proved that you don't need a $200 million budget to have a seat at the table of game awards 2024 game of the year nominees.
The Black Myth: Wukong Factor
If the Game Awards were decided strictly by a popular vote, Black Myth: Wukong would have won by a landslide. It won the "Player’s Voice" award, which is the only category 100% decided by fans.
There was some friction here. Critics gave it an average score of around 81, which is actually the lowest Metacritic score for a GOTY nominee in the show's history. This led to a huge "Critics vs. Fans" debate. Fans argued that the game’s cultural impact and technical achievement (it looks incredible) should have weighed more than "nitpicky" critic reviews.
Even though it didn't take the top prize, Wukong winning "Best Action Game" was a massive win for Game Science. It showed that the industry is becoming truly global. You don't have to be a Western or Japanese studio to dominate the conversation anymore.
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What This Means for 2025 and Beyond
So, where do we go from here? The 2024 nominees showed us a few things that are going to change how we look at games moving forward.
First, the "DLC Rule" is here to stay. Expect to see more expansions getting nominated if they are high-quality. This is great for developers who want to keep their games alive, but it might make it harder for smaller, new IPs to get noticed if they're competing against an Elden Ring or a Cyberpunk update.
Second, the "Indie-AAA" gap is closing. When a game like Balatro can generate as much buzz as Final Fantasy, it tells publishers that players are hungry for unique mechanics, not just pretty graphics.
If you're looking to catch up on what you missed, here is the move:
- Play Astro Bot if you want to remember why you liked video games in the first place. It’s short, sweet, and pure joy.
- Grab Balatro on your phone. It’s the perfect "five-minute" game that will inevitably turn into a three-hour session.
- Give Metaphor: ReFantazio a look if you’re a story nerd. It won "Best Narrative" for a reason—the world-building is top-tier.
The 2024 awards were a bit chaotic, sure. But they also proved that the "best" game isn't always the one with the biggest budget. Sometimes, it’s just the one that makes you smile the most.
Actionable Insights for Gamers:
- Don't ignore the "Best Debut Indie" category: This is usually where the next year's GOTY contenders come from. Keep an eye on the winners here.
- Check out the "Games for Impact" list: If you’re tired of shooting things, these games (like 2024 winner Neva) offer much deeper emotional experiences.
- Watch the trailers, not just the winners: Many of the most exciting games of 2025 and 2026 were announced during the 2024 ceremony, including the first real look at some massive upcoming sequels.