The Game Awards 2024 nominations have been revealed and you can now vote to pick a winner out of the multiple categories that are available this time around. The final results will be announced during the official awards ceremony which is taking place on December 12, 2024, at 5:00 PM Pacific Time.
However, before the results go live, we have a fun list of who we think is going to be the winner for all the categories in this year’s TGA.
Here are our The Game Awards 2024 winner predictions:
Game of The Year: Astro Bot
Astro Bot is hailed by many critics as a 3D platforming masterpiece. It’s a heartwarming and flawless experience that not only sets a new standard for the genre but is a love letter to video games with how incredibly creative and visually stunning the title is.
Although it barely provides a 10-to-20-hour gameplay experience, we couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear throughout the short and masterfully crafted journey. So for us, it’s definitely the Game of the Year.
Best Ongoing Game: Final Fantasy XIV
Final Fantasy 14 Dawntrail has been an incredibly successful expansion for the MMO. The massive update introduced the Arcadian Savag Raid, and with the October 7.1 patch, Dawntrail also received its very first Alliance Raid, Jeuno: The First Walk, and its very first Allied Society, Pelupelu.
Hence, it’s very likely that the MMO will be considered the best ongoing game at The Game Awards 2024. While Destiny 2 had a lot to show with The Final Shape update, it left many fans wanting a bit more from the concluding chapter of a 10-year long saga.
Helldivers 2, on the other hand, lost a lot a fair chunk of their player base with the controversial nerfs that they introduced with the Escalation of Freedom and the Freedom’s Flame update. Although they have recovered a fair bit since then, it’s not enough to warrant them as the winner of this category.
Best Art Direction: Metaphor ReFantazio
Metaphor ReFantzio‘s art direction has a lot to do with the inspirations that the development team took for the world’s base design and setting. According to Atlus’ game director and producer Katsura Hashino, the team wanted to create a high-fantasy genre which is inspired by Belle Époque Europe and fuse it with fantastical elements and different anachronistic technologies.
Hashino further states that the developers were also looking at the more traditional fantasy culture and took J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings as one of the early inspirations.
Metaphor ReFantazio’s world is beautifully crafted and the JRPG has one of the most unique art designs out of all the games that have come out this year.
Best Mobile Game: Pokemon TCGP
Pokemon TCG Poket will likely win out in the best mobile game category because of just how popular the game has been. Although there are a fair number of issues with the game including the in-game microtransaction, it did not stop it from amassing over 30 million downloads in under two weeks.
While we feel that Balatro and Wuthering Waves should be the ones contesting for the crown in this category, we don’t see it outshining the immense popularity that Pokemon TCGP is enjoying at the moment.
Best Performance: Melina Juergens
Melina Juergens knocked it out of the park with her performance as the titular protagonist in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2. For someone who is essentially not a voice actor in the video games industry, she put a lot of heart and soul into her performance.
Her role in the sequel is as memorable as that in the first franchise entry for which she won a BAFTA Award for Best Performer in 2018.
Best Score and Music: Metaphor ReFantazio
There is something about the soundtracks of the Megaten titles that hit differently. May it be from the mainline Shin Megami Tensei games or the more popular Persona series, the songs in each of the games are extremely memorable.
For us, the fact remains true for Metaphor Refantazio as well. Music composer Shoji Meguro has once again created masterpieces for Atlus’ latest entry.
Best Audio Design: Senua’s Saga Hellblade 2
Hellblade Senua’s Sacrifice was known for its exceptional sound design, and with the sequel they take their audio technology to a whole new level. Where the first game used sound techniques that were only for Senua’s internal dialogue, Senua’s Saga Hellblade 2 makes audio tricky an integral part of gameplay.
The technique that Ninja Theory uses is called “Binaural Audio” which is a method where you record sounds with two different microphones. This creates a 3D soundscape when you hear it (especially with headphones on), and while it’s not a new process in the sound industry, Ninja Theory was able to make this audio tech integral to how you experience Hellblade 2.
Many consider this use of sound to be “the most authentic recreation of psychosis”.
Best Narrative: Like A Dragon Infinite Wealth
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth bids a final adieu to Kazuma Kiryu as he finally passes on the mantle of the “series protagonist” to Ichiban. It’s one of the highest-rated titles on the Like a Dragon franchise and the game’s narrative features intensely moving scenes that are expertly woven in a way that it challenges real-life topics.
The character development throughout the story is some of the most thoughtful in the genre. And while there is some repetitive randomness to experience during exploration, the bulk of Infinite Wealth’s story mission encounters and expositions are gripping and are hard to forget.
Games for Impact: Senua’s Saga Hellblade 2
Senua’s Saga Hell Blade 2 is our choice for the Games for Impact category. We feel that the way it uses sound to talk about psychosis and mental illness makes it a thought-provoking game with a profound pro-social meaning.
Best Community Support: Final Fantasy XIV
For us, Final Fantasy 14 continues to be one of the very few live service games that actively listen to player and community feedback. Now with the latest Dawntrail expansion, we feel that MMO will be bagging this category as well.
Best Adaptation: Arcane
This category is likely going to be a clean sweep for Arcane. Especially with how incredible season 2 has been so far, we really do not see any of the other nominations winning this.
Best Multiplayer: Helldivers 2
Even with the “nerf controversy” back in August, we feel that Helldivers 2 is going pretty strong at the moment. It’s a tough competitor in the category and we think it will be able to beat the other nominations. However, there is also a good chance that Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 takes this.
Best Independent Game: Balatro
Balatro is a poker roguelite that has an incredibly addictive gameplay loop. Its deckbuilding system is one of the most satisfying in the genre and while it borrows some basic rules from poker, it then effortlessly throws that rule book out of the window by introducing Jokers, Tarot Cards, as well as Celestial Bodies.
There are countless possibilities when making your deck and the limitless amount of card synergies and combinations makes this game hypnotically satisfying.
No wonder it’s nominated for Game of the Year!
Best Debut Indie Game: Balatro
Balatro is likely going to win out in this category as well. However, Manor Lords, Animal Well, and The Plucky Squire are tough contenders for the number one spot in this category.
Best VR/AR Game: Batman Arkham Shadow
Batman Arkham Shadow is a narrative sequel to Batman: Arkham Origins and a second virtual reality game in the Batman: Arkham series. The VR game is considered by critics to be a masterclass in immersion, it will make you feel like a part of Gotham itself, and why we feel it will win in this category.
Most Anticipated Game: Monster Hunter Wilds
This one is a no-brainer! The Monster Hunter Wilds open beta had an all-time peak of 463,798 concurrent players on Steam which is absolutely massive. This is going to be on everyone’s wishlist and the game will likely be breaking a lot of steam charts once it finally releases next year.
Best RPG: Like A Dragon Infinite Wealth
Infinite Wealth has a very unique take on the role-playing formula and coupling that with the polished turn-based combat system and the memorable narrative we find it to be the clear winner for this category.
Best Content Creator of The Year: Usada Pekora
Usada Pekora is a Japanese Virtual YouTuber currently enjoying a subscriber count of 2.5 million. She is one of the more popular faces of Hololive and is debuting as part of the third generation of Vtubers under the name of “hololive Fantasy”.
We feel she wins this category because of the amount of popularity that she is currently enjoying.
Best Action-Adventure Game: Astro Bot
We feel Astro Bot will win this category for the same reasons that it will win the Game of the Year in The Game Awards 2024.
Best Fighting Game: Dragonball Sparking Zero
Dragon Sparking Zero marks the return of the Budokai Tenkaichi series. It had an all-time peak of 122,554 concurrent players on Steam making it the most popular fighting game in 2024. While we would usually give the winner slot to franchise veterans like Tekken 8, the recent string of controversies around the title will most likely prevent it from winning this category.
Innovation in Accessibility: Dragon Age The Veilguard
Dragon Age The Veilguard has one of the most extensive settings pages featuring over 55 accessibility options across the categories of visual, gameplay, control, and auditory. The game goes a step further with a plethora of inclusivity options during character creation which tries to make sure that the game is for anyone and everyone.
Best Family Game: The Legend of Zelda Echoes of Wisdom
The Legend of Zelda Echoes of Wisdom for us has been one of the most comfy and family-friendly games in 2024. The title introduces Zelda’s first canonical solo adventure and successfully merges familiar and new action-adventure concepts to create an incredibly beautiful experience where player creativity is rewarded.
Best Sim/Strategy Game: Unicorn Overlord
Unicorn Overlord is a masterfully crafted strategy game that does not fail to dazzle and delight as you reach further in the narrative. The pacing is some of the best in the genre and features a gameplay that never bores and often surprises.
The combat loop is rather addictive and scratches the itch for a satisfying tactical RPG. Moreover, progression is very flexible, and you can just spend hours completing the variety of side content that the game has to offer.
Best Sports/Racing Game: NBA 2K25
NBA 2K25 probably takes the crown on this one.
Best Esports Game: League of Legends
With Arcane currently still going on with how successful League of Legends Worlds 2024 has been, we do not see the other nominations winning out on this The Game Awards 2024 category.
Best Esports Athlete: Faker
If winning the League of Legends Worlds tournament a fourth time does not net you a win in this category, then we don’t know what will. Faker is the greatest esports athlete of all time and he proves this once again in 2024.
Best Esports Team: T1
Worlds 2024 also marks the fourth championship title for T1 as an org. They were the LCK fourth seed and big underdogs heading into the international event. Their summer performance was rough, to say the least, and not many expected them to win it all for the second time in a row.
T1’s Worlds 2024 run was nothing short of a miracle which is why we are sure that they will be winning this category.
Best Action Game: Black Myth Wukong
While being one of the most controversial titles of 2024, Black Myth Wukong remains a phenomenon that does not shy away from breaking online records and demonstrating the fitness of Chinese game development.
The graphics and visuals are just breathtaking and the incredibly well-orchestrated boss encounters do not fail to set a new standard for the action video game genre. While the title does have a few shortcomings, all-in-all it’s one of the most memorable and remarkable experiences in 2024.
Best Game Direction: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is an incredible recreation of the original’s second act and we are expecting it to win in this category.
