Everyone loves a good fight. Especially when that fight involves a tiny robot, a deck of poker cards, and a massive, world-ending expansion that technically isn’t even its own game. When the Game Awards 2024 nominations dropped, the internet basically had a collective meltdown.
Why?
Because the rules changed. Suddenly, "Game of the Year" didn't necessarily mean a standalone game you bought in a plastic box at Best Buy. It meant whatever the jury decided was the best "experience," and that shift in the the game awards 2024 nominations structure sent ripples through every corner of the industry.
The DLC Elephant in the Room
Let's just be real for a second. Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree being nominated for Game of the Year (GOTY) was the biggest controversy of the season.
A lot of people felt like it was cheating. I mean, how can a piece of downloadable content compete for the top prize against full-priced, standalone titles? Geoff Keighley and the TGA committee updated their FAQ just days before the reveals to clarify that DLCs, expansions, and even remakes were eligible.
It felt targeted.
Fans of games like Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 or the Silent Hill 2 remake felt slighted. They felt like FromSoftware was getting a free pass because of its legacy. Honestly, it's hard not to see their point. If we start giving GOTY to expansions, does a game like Elden Ring just get to win every two years whenever a new patch drops?
But then you play Shadow of the Erdtree.
It’s bigger than most full games released in 2024. It has more boss fights, more secrets, and more "wow" moments than half the triple-A lineup. The jury—made up of global media outlets like IGN, Variety, and NPR—clearly valued the quality of the experience over the technicality of how it was sold.
The Underdog Story of Balatro
While everyone was arguing about Elden Ring, a small, roguelike poker game was quietly making history.
Balatro became the first solo-developed game to ever land a GOTY nomination. That’s insane. LocalThunk, the developer, basically took the gambling loop of poker and turned it into a psychedelic, addictive masterpiece.
It wasn't just nominated for the big one, either. It showed up in:
- Best Independent Game
- Best Game Direction
- Best Mobile Game (which it won)
It proves that you don't need a $200 million budget and a thousand developers to get the industry's attention. Sometimes, you just need a really good idea and a lot of jokers.
Who Actually Walked Away With the Gold?
The nominations are one thing, but the wins are where the real drama lives.
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Astro Bot was the night’s champion. It took home Game of the Year, and honestly, it deserved it. In a year that felt a bit heavy and dark at times, a colorful, joy-filled platformer that celebrated the history of PlayStation was exactly what the doctor ordered.
It ended the night with four wins total. Team Asobi really knocked it out of the park.
Then you have Metaphor: ReFantazio. This game was everywhere in the the game awards 2024 nominations. It won Best RPG and Best Narrative, beating out heavyweights like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. If you haven't played it, you’re missing out on a masterclass in UI design and turn-based combat.
A Quick Reality Check on the Winners
| Award Category | Winner | The Vibe |
|---|---|---|
| Game of the Year | Astro Bot | Pure, unadulterated platforming bliss. |
| Best Narrative | Metaphor: ReFantazio | Political intrigue with a fantasy twist. |
| Best Performance | Melina Juergens | Her work in Hellblade II was haunting. |
| Most Anticipated | Grand Theft Auto VI | Obviously. Was there ever a doubt? |
| Best Independent | Balatro | The poker game that ate everyone's productivity. |
The Snubs Nobody Talks About
We need to talk about Silent Hill 2.
The remake from Bloober Team was a massive success. It was atmospheric, terrifying, and it actually respected the original source material—something many fans were worried about.
Yet, it didn't get a GOTY nod.
It was nominated for Best Action/Adventure and Best Audio Design, and Luke Roberts got a well-deserved nomination for his performance as James Sunderland. But the omission from the top category felt like a slap in the face to horror fans. Horror often gets the short end of the stick at these shows. It’s like the "serious" critics still view it as a niche genre, even when it sells millions of copies and defines a console generation.
And what about Stellar Blade?
It had the action. It had the visuals. It certainly had the "discourse." But it was relegated to technical categories like Best Score and Music. While the music was incredible, the combat deserved a bit more shine.
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Viewership and the "Wukong" Effect
The 2024 show didn't just break records; it shattered them.
We’re talking 154 million global livestreams. That is a 31% jump from 2023.
A huge part of that was the massive audience in China tuning in to support Black Myth: Wukong. This was the first Chinese-developed game to ever reach this level of global acclaim at TGA. While it didn't win Game of the Year, it did snag Best Action Game.
The show has become a global marketing juggernaut. It’s no longer just an awards ceremony; it’s the "Winter E3."
We saw reveals for The Witcher 4, Naughty Dog’s new sci-fi IP Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, and even a surprise Okami sequel. When Harrison Ford shows up to present an award, you know the event has transcended "just for gamers" and entered the mainstream cultural zeitgeist.
Why the Nominations Matter for 2025
The the game awards 2024 nominations set a precedent.
By allowing Shadow of the Erdtree to compete, the door is now wide open for things like Cyberpunk 2077 style expansions or even massive live-service updates to claim the top spot. It changes how developers think about release cycles.
If you can win GOTY with a $40 expansion, why spend five years on a $70 sequel?
It’s a dangerous path, but also an exciting one. It forces us to define what a "game" actually is in the modern era. Is it the code? Is it the disc? Or is it just the time we spend inside those digital worlds?
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What You Should Do Next
If you’re looking to catch up on the best of the best from the 2024 nominations, start with the "weird" stuff.
- Play Balatro. It's on mobile now. It will ruin your sleep schedule, but you won't care.
- Check out Neva. It won Games for Impact and it’s one of the most beautiful things you’ll ever see.
- Finish Astro Bot. If you have a PS5, it’s basically mandatory.
- Watch the GOTY Medley. The Game Awards Orchestra’s performance is always the highlight, especially seeing how they blended the Balatro theme with Astro Bot.
The industry is changing. The rules are being rewritten. Whether you love the new "expansion-friendly" era or hate it, the games are only getting better.
Keep your eye on the 2025 release calendar. With GTA VI looming and new projects from Naughty Dog and CD Projekt Red on the horizon, the next set of nominations is going to be even bloodier.