Recapping the winners at the Game Awards 2017

The Game Awards 2017 was held early yesterday morning. There were a few surprise winners this year, but most of the winners were rather predictable.

Best Game Direction

Winner:
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Other Nominees:
Horizon Zero Dawn
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Super Mario Odyssey
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

Best Narrative

Winner:
What Remains of Edith Finch

Other Nominees:
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Horizon Zero Dawn
NieR: Automata
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

Best Art Direction

Winner:
Cuphead

Other Nominees:
Destiny 2
Horizon Zero Dawn
Persona 5
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Best Score / Music

Winner:
NieR: Automata

Other Nominees:
Cuphead
Destiny 2
Persona 5
Super Mario Odyssey
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Best Audio Design

Winner:
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

Other Nominees:
Destiny 2
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Super Mario Odyssey
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Best Performance

Winner:
Melina Juergens, Hellblade

Other Nominees:
Ashly Burch, Horizon: Zero Dawn
Brian Bloom, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
Claudia Black, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
Laura Bailey, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Games for Impact

Winner:
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

Other Nominees:
Bury Me, My Love
Life is Strange: Before the Storm
Night in the Woods
Please Knock on My Door
What Remains of Edith Finch

Best Ongoing Game

Winner:
Overwatch

Other Nominees:
Destiny 2
Grand Theft Auto Online
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
Rainbow Six: Siege
Warframe

Best Multiplayer Game

Winner:
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds

Other Nominees:
Destiny 2
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Splatoon 2
Fortnite
Call of Duty: World War II

Best Independent Game

Winner:
Cuphead

Other Nominees:
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Night in the Woods
Pyre
What Remains of Edith Finch

Best Mobile Game

Winner:
Monument Valley 2

Other Nominees:
Fire Emblem Heroes
Hidden Folks
Old Man’s Journey
Super Mario Run

Best Handheld Game

Winner:
Metroid: Samus Returns

Other Nominees:
Ever Oasis
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Monster Hunter Stories
Poochy and Yoshi’s Woolly World

Best VR/AR Game

Winner:
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

Other Nominees:
Farpoint
Lone Echo
Star Trek: Bridge Crew
SUPERHOT VR

Best Action Game

Winner:
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

Other Nominees:
Cuphead
Destiny 2
Nioh
Prey

Best Action/Adventure Game

Winner:
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Other Nominees:
Assassin’s Creed: Origins
Horizon Zero Dawn
Super Mario Odyssey
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Best Role-Playing Game

Winner:
Persona 5

Other Nominees:
Divinity: Original Sin II
Final Fantasy XV
NieR: Automata
South Park: The Fractured But Whole

Best Family Game

Winner:
Super Mario Odyssey

Other Nominees:
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Sonic Mania
Splatoon 2

Best Strategy Game

Winner:
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

Other Nominees:
Halo Wars 2
Total War: Warhammer II
Tooth and Tail
XCOM 2: War of the Chosen

Best Sports/Racing Game

Winner:
Forza Motorsport 7

Other Nominees:
FIFA 18
Gran Turismo Sport
NBA 2K18
Pro Evolution Soccer 2018
Project Cars 2

Most Anticipated Game

Winner:
The Last of Us Part II

Other Nominees:
God of War
Marvel’s Spider-Man
Monster Hunter World
Red Dead Redemption II

Trending Gamer

Winner:
Guy Beahm (“Dr. Disrespect”)

Other Nominees:
Andrea Rene (What’s Good Games)
Clint Lexa (“Halfcoordinated”)
Mike Grzesiek (“Shroud”)
Steven Spohn (AbleGamers)

Best Esports Game

Winner:
Overwatch

Other Nominees:
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
DOTA 2
League of Legends
Rocket League

Best Esports Player

Winner:
Lee Sang-hyeok “Faker” (SK Telecom 1, League of Legends)

Other Nominees:
Marcelo “coldzera” David (SK Gaming, Counter-Strike: GO)
Nikola ‘NiKo’ Kovac (FaZe Clan, Counter-Strike: GO)
Je-hong “ryujehong” Ryu (Seoul Dynasty, Overwatch)
Kuro “KuroKy” Salehi Takhasomi (Team Liquid, DOTA 2)

Best Esports Team

Winner:
Cloud 9

Other Nominees:
FaZe Clan
Lunatic-Hai
SK Telecom T1
Team Liquid

Student Game Award

Winner:
Level Squared

Other Nominees:
Falling Sky
From Light
Hollowed
Impulsion
Meaning

Best Debut Indie Game

Winner:
Cuphead

Other Nominees:
Golf Story
Hollow Knight
Mr. Shifty
Slime Rancher

Chinese Fan Game Award

Winner:
jx3 HD

Other Nominees:
Honor of Kings
ICEY
Gumballs & Dungeons
Monument Valley 2

Game of the Year

Winner:
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Other Nominees:
Horizon Zero Dawn
Persona 5
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
Super Mario Odyssey

Conclusions:

Voting in this year’s Game Awards was especially difficult for me as this year was an impressive year for games. I’m surprised that Horizon did not pick up any awards this year, for me it was a stand out game both technologically and artistically. However, congratulations are in order to all winners, and nominees. With so many high caliber games released this year,  and more announced for the years to come, there will be tons for gamers to look forward to.