Not long after the Game Awards nominations were made public on Monday, an intriguing phenomenon emerged in our web traffic. At Polygon, we noticed that readers were clicking from our story about the nominations to reviews of the recognized games, and in surprisingly large numbers. For instance, our review of the indie card game Balatro, nominated for Game of the Year, received more views on Monday than in its entire first week of publication in February. Reviews of fellow GOTY nominees like Metaphor: ReFantazio, Astro Bot, and indie contender Neva also saw significant increases in readership. It seemed that people were more curious than usual about this year's nominees and wanted to explore more.

Bonus of a Sparse Release Schedule

This year, with a slightly less crowded release schedule and no clear consensus on Game of the Year contenders, there was a unique opportunity. If one had been closely following the awards race, there weren't many surprises in the Game Awards voting jury's choices. However, for those who hadn't or hadn't been following video games closely, the list of nominations presented a plethora of unfamiliar names and great games to discover. 1: The absence of a dominant narrative allowed for a more diverse range of nominees. It gave players the chance to explore games they might have otherwise overlooked. This shows the power of the Game Awards in introducing new and exciting titles to a wider audience. 2: The voting jury's choices also reflect the changing landscape of the gaming industry. With a more international and diverse group of jurors, there is a greater emphasis on a variety of game styles and genres.

Game of the Year Nominees

1: Looking at the six nominees for Game of the Year, we see a diverse mix. There is only one sequel from a big franchise (Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth). There is a colorful, all-ages platformer (Astro Bot). An original role-playing epic comes from a studio deep within its niche (Metaphor: ReFantazio). An abstract indie card game by a solo developer (Balatro) is also among them. Additionally, there is the first-ever game from China to get a GOTY nomination (Black Myth: Wukong), and controversially, an expansion pack (Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree). 2: This prevalence of original games is heartening. Quality is not a concern either. In 2021, the nominees were broad and the race was open, with all nominees scoring 90 or lower on Metacritic. This year, all but one have scores exceeding 90, demonstrating the high quality of these games. It shows that the game industry's creative health is strong, despite financial uncertainties.

Trends in Game Awards

1: Down the ballot, there are still signs of a broadening of the voting jury's horizons. Two of the author's favorite games this year, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess and Pacific Drive, both highly unusual genre hybrids, were recognized. This shows that the jury is willing to consider games outside of the mainstream. 2: Another trend worth noting is the dominance of role-playing games in 2024, while action-adventures are on the decline. Historically, these two genres have been the strongest at the Game Awards, but this year there is only one action-adventure nominee (Astro Bot). Three RPGs are represented instead, highlighting the changing preferences of the jury.

Indie Games at the Game Awards

1: Despite Balatro's breakout nominations, the siloing of indie games at the Game Awards remains a problem. There is room for smaller games to be recognized in the indie categories and Games for Impact, but the number of indie nominations in other categories is limited. Fantastic indie games like Arco, Tactical Breach Wizards, Mouthwashing, 1000xResist, and Satisfactory were overlooked. 2: This suggests that the jury may still have some biases when it comes to indie games. Considering the quantity and quality of indie releases, it seems that more effort could be made to give these games a fair chance.

Studio Rivalries

1: It was surprising to see Sony Interactive Entertainment top the nominations table again with 15 nominations, mostly for Astro Bot and Helldivers 2. The company had downplayed its 2024 slate and perhaps didn't fully realize the potential of these games. Microsoft, with 12 nominations across Xbox Game Studios, Activision, and Blizzard, is not far behind. Next year, both studios have exciting releases lined up, adding to the rivalry. 2: The competition between these two major studios is heating up, and it will be interesting to see how their games perform in the future. This rivalry also reflects the competitive nature of the gaming industry as a whole.

Shadow of the Erdtree's Nomination

1: The nomination of Shadow of the Erdtree led to a lot of angry reactions and confusion. An eleventh-hour clarification about its eligibility didn't seem to ease the situation. There are valid debates about the creative merit of expansions versus original games or iterative sequels. 2: The Game Awards' stance of emphasizing "creative and technical excellence" regardless of the game's form is consistent. This allows for a wide range of games to be recognized and reaches new audiences. While there may be confusion and controversy, it seems to be a necessary part of the process.