The Game Awards 2024 recently wrapped up, leaving a trail of excitement and discussion throughout the gaming community. The show, which celebrates the best of the year's titles and provides a sneak peek into future releases, delivered on its promise both of celebrating gaming’s past year and looking forward to future releases.
This year’s event was packed with unexpected twists and biggest game announcements, making it a memorable occasion for gamers worldwide. From surprise sequels to brand-new IPs, the 2024 Game Awards reveals were plentiful and varied, and offered something to please everyone.
This article delves into the key moments and highlights from the show, examining the Game Awards surprises and major announcements that have shaped the current gaming conversation.
Celebrating the Best of 2024
Before delving into the biggest game announcements, it's essential to acknowledge the standout games that were recognised at the Game Awards 2024. The awards portion of the show celebrated the pinnacle of gaming achievements, recognising titles that have redefined genres and captivated players globally:
1. Astro Bot
Astro Bot PS5 | PlayStation
Developed by Team Asobi, Astro Bot was awarded Game of the Year. This was a significant upset, as Astro Bot is a non-Nintendo platformer, a genre that has not been heavily recognised in recent years. Its win signifies a potential comeback for such games, as well as for innovative and accessible gameplay.
2. Metaphor
ReFantazio from Studio Zero earned the Best Narrative award. This win underscores the growing appreciation for rich storytelling in games, with its narrative exploring themes of existentialism and societal expectations.
The game’s ability to beat out heavy hitters demonstrates the importance of a strong narrative, and cements its place as a standout in gaming storytelling.
3. Helldivers 2
It secured the Best Multiplayer Game award. This co-op shooter is a testament to the appeal of controlled chaos and tight teamwork mechanics, and its win demonstrates the significance of multiplayer experiences.
4. Black Myth: Wukong
Black Myth: Wukong | YT Screenshot
It took home the Best Action Game award. This game wowed players with its scale, tight combat, and overall addictive gameplay. Its win underscores the importance of fun and satisfying in-game combat.
5. Fallout
A television series based on the popular video game franchise, won Best Adaptation. The adaptation category highlights that video game adaptations are now taken seriously, and this win was well deserved for its masterful handling of the franchise’s dark humour and post-apocalyptic themes.
These awards highlight a wide variety of genres and styles, confirming the diversity of the gaming world and that the Game Awards 2024 sought to acknowledge the range of successes in gaming for the past year.
The Biggest Game Announcements and Reveals
The 2024 Game Awards reveals were a major highlight of the show, featuring a mix of unexpected sequels, exciting spin-offs, and completely new IPs. The biggest game announcements had fans buzzing with anticipation:
1. Elden Ring
Nightreign was perhaps the most surprising announcement of the night. This co-op multiplayer spin-off from FromSoftware is set in the same universe as the critically acclaimed Elden Ring, which had a DLC nominated in the Best Game category.
Shadow of the Erdtree | Steam
Its unprecedented addition of multiplayer co-op and a gameplay loop unlike that of previous titles was unexpected, and indicates that the franchise is willing to experiment with established gameplay patterns.
2. The Witcher 4
The Witcher 4 made a significant splash with a cinematic trailer. While it had been known that a new Witcher game was in development, this trailer confirmed that players will take control of Ciri, rather than Geralt of Rivia. This 2024 Game Awards reveal was met with enthusiasm by long-time fans of the franchise.
3. Intergalactic
The Heretic Prophet from Naughty Dog was another major Game Awards surprise. This new IP, a sci-fi action-adventure game, marks a departure from the studio's previous focus on the Uncharted and The Last of Us series.
4. Okami 2
Okami 2 was a much-anticipated announcement, with many fans surprised it was actually happening. The return of the original game's director Hideki Kamiya also amped up the excitement around the sequel to a beloved cult classic.
5. Virtua Fighter 6
It marked the return of the influential fighting game franchise. The series had been dormant for nearly two decades, so many were glad to see a sequel announced, even if the series’ creator will not be involved.
6. Split Fiction
A co-op adventure from Hazelight Studios, was also a highly anticipated 2024 Game Awards reveal. The game is from the creators of the acclaimed It Takes Two and is set to offer another unique co-op experience with its split-screen gameplay and dual sci-fi and fantasy settings.
Re/Match, a new game from Sifu developer Sloclap, was a surprising move from the studio known for their fighting games. This time, they are releasing a 5v5 football simulator, demonstrating the diversity in direction developers are willing to go in.
These biggest game announcements highlighted the industry's willingness to innovate, revisit classic franchises, and explore new genres.
Other Notable Announcements
Borderlands Poster | YT
In addition to the major reveals, the Game Awards 2024 featured a range of other notable announcements that have sparked excitement across the gaming community:
- Borderlands 4 gave players their first look at the game's main antagonist. The Borderlands series is a pioneer in the looter-shooter genre, and many are waiting to see what the sequel will offer.
- Project Robot, a new sci-fi adventure from Ico creator Fumito Ueda, was also revealed. This mysterious project, which doesn't have an official title yet, has drawn interest based on Ueda’s previous works.
Other announcements included the return of the Onimusha series with Onimusha: Way of The Sword and a new Turok co-op shooter called Turok Origins. These announcements are further examples of the industry’s willingness to revisit older franchises and generate excitement from those who grew up with these games.
Several mobile games were also revealed at the event, including Steel Paws from Shenmue creator Yu Suzuki, and Game of Thrones: Kingsroad. This shows the increasing importance of mobile gaming.
The announcements also included news of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered coming to PC in early 2025, further showing the trend toward greater accessibility for different types of players across different platforms.
Criticisms and the Event's Structure
Despite the excitement surrounding the 2024 Game Awards reveals and Game Awards surprises, the event was not without its criticisms. The show's structure, which includes a combination of award presentations and a multitude of game reveals, is also interspersed with advertisements and celebrity appearances.
While this is to be expected in a show that runs on advertiser money, the heavy reliance on promotional content led to complaints of the event running too long and feeling like a "slog" to watch. The constant stream of ads and inane celebrity appearances were often seen as distracting, throwing off the hype generated by the announcements.
Final Remarks
The Game Awards 2024 delivered on its promise of being an exciting event, with a mix of award presentations, biggest game announcements, and 2024 Game Awards reveals that have captured the attention of the global gaming community.
The show included several Game Awards surprises and demonstrated the industry's willingness to experiment with new genres and revisit beloved franchises, as well as showcase innovative gameplay mechanics.
The announcements made at the show have set the stage for the gaming landscape in 2025, and players around the world are now looking forward to all that the future holds.