The 2017 SXSW Gaming Awards winners have been announced and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End took home the Game of the Year award. The award is given to a game that “exemplifies overall excellence and creates a distinct gaming experience across all platforms and genres.” The runners up for this year’s Game of the Year Award were Dishonored 2, Doom, Overwatch, and Titanfall 2. As you can see, Uncharted 4 had to beat out some pretty steep competition for the top spot, and it’s a decision that we also agree with. Just looking at that handful of games reminds us what a year 2016 was for games. South by South West Gaming Awards have 23 categories in total. Overwatch won for Esports Game of the Year, Trending Game of the Year, and Excellence in Multiplayer; Pokémon Go won the Mobile Game of the Year award. Below is a full list of the awards and the nominees, taken from the SXSW Gaming Awards site. The winners have been highlighted in bold.
Video Game of the Year
Awarded to the game that exemplifies overall excellence and creates a distinct gaming experience across all platforms and genres. Dishonored 2 – Bethesda Softworks / Arkane Studios Doom – Bethesda Softworks / id Software Overwatch – Blizzard Entertainment Titanfall 2 – Electronic Arts / Respawn Entertainment Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End – Sony Computer Entertainment / Naughty Dog
Mobile Game of the Year
Awarded to the game that exemplifies overall excellence and creates a unique gaming experience on any handheld device. Clash Royale – Supercell Pokemon Go – Niantic Pokemon Sun and Moon – The Pokémon Company / Game Freak Reigns – Devolver Digital / Nerial Severed – DrinkBox Studios
Tabletop Game of the Year
Awarded to the game that exemplifies overall excellence and ingenuity of any tabletop game in any genre. Arkham Horror: The Card Game – Fantasy Flight Games Captain Sonar – Asmodee North America Inis – Asmodee North America Mechs vs Minions – Riot Games The Others – CMON Inc.
Esports Game of the Year
Awarded to the online game with the best competitive scene, growth, and entertainment value. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare – Activision / Infinity Ward Gears of War 4 – Microsoft Studios / The Coalitio Killer Instinct: Season 3 – Microsoft Studios / Iron Galaxy Studios Overwatch – Blizzard Entertainment Street Fighter V – Capcom
Trending Game of the Year
Awarded to the game that consistently entertained and kept us watching on social platforms with its humor, stories, and more. Dead by Daylight – Starbreeze Studios / Behaviour Digital Inc. Job Simulator – Owlchemy Labs Overwatch – Blizzard Entertainment Superhot – Superhot Team Who’s Your Daddy – Evil Tortilla Games
Fan Creation of the Year
Awarded to the most compelling fan-made piece of work across all games and platforms. This includes, but isn’t limited to, artwork, writing, videography, special effects, and more. Brutal Doom 64 – Sergeant_Mark_IV Enderal – The Shards of Order – SureAI Team Fallout 1.5: Resurrection – Resurrection Team Fallout: Revelation – MechanicalCakeTV Jack – A Stanley Parable Short Film – Vesio Productions
Matthew Crump Cultural Innovation
Awarded to the game that best challenges the “norm” of everyday gaming and offers a culturally innovative view of a game world, character, or gameplay. 1979 Revolution: Black Friday – INK Stories Fragments of Him – Sassybot Orwell – Surprise Attack / Osmotic Studios Quadrilateral Cowboy – Blendo Games That Dragon, Cancer – Numinous Games
Excellence in Narrative
Awarded to the game with the best storyline and dialogue. Firewatch – Panic Inc. / Campo Santo The Last Guardian – Sony Interactive Entertainment / SIE Japan Studio Oxenfree – Night School Studio That Dragon, Cancer – Numinous Games Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End – Sony Computer Entertainment / Naughty Dog
Excellence in Design
Awarded to the game with the best overall design concept and best execution. Dishonored 2 – Bethesda Softworks / Arkane Studios Inside – Playdead Overwatch – Blizzard Entertainment Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End – Sony Computer Entertainment / Naughty Dog The Witness – Thekla, Inc.
Excellence in Gameplay
Awarded to the game with the best gameplay mechanics. Dark Souls III – BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment / FromSoftware, Inc. Dishonored 2 – Bethesda Softworks / Arkane Studios Doom – Bethesda Softworks / id Software Firewatch – Panic Inc. / Campo Santo I Expect You To Die – Schell Games
Most Fulfilling Community-Funded Game
Awarded to the game that was primarily produced via crowdfunding platforms and had excelled beyond the expectations set before it. Darkest Dungeon – Red Hook Studios Hyper Light Drifter – Heart Machine Starbound – Chucklefish Games Superhot – Superhot Team That Dragon, Cancer – Numinous Games
Most Promising New Intellectual Property
Awarded to a new property that risked creating something fresh and that excelled within its genre or category for the year. Firewatch – Panic Inc. / Campo Santo Overwatch – Blizzard Entertainment Stardew Valley – Chucklefish Games / ConcernedApe Superhot – Superhot Team Tom Clancy’s The Division – Ubisoft / Ubisoft Massive
Most Memorable Character
Awarded to the best game character that left an overwhelming impression. Firewatch – Henry & Delilah The Last Guardian – Trico Overwatch – Tracer Titanfall 2 – BT-7274 Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End – Nathan Drake
Excellence in Multiplayer
Awarded to the game with the best player-to-player interaction experience. Battlefield 1 – Electronic Arts / EA DICE Gears of War 4 – Microsoft Studios / The Coalition Overwatch – Blizzard Entertainment SpeedRunners – tinyBuild / DoubleDutch Games Titanfall 2 – Electronic Arts / Respawn Entertainment
Excellence in Convergence
Awarded to the game that excels in crossover to other entertainment mediums such as film, music, toys, animation, sports, and more. Batman: Arkham VR – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment / Rocksteady Studios Batman: The Telltale Series – Telltale Games FIFA 17 – EA Sports / EA Canada NBA 2K17 – 2K Sports / Visual Concepts Total War: Warhammer – SEGA / Creative Assembly
Excellence in Art
Awarded to the game with the most expressive and creative artistic style. Abzu – 505 Games / Giant Squid Firewatch – Panic Inc. / Campo Santo Inside – Playdead Overwatch – Blizzard Entertainment The Witness – Thekla, Inc.
Excellence in Animation
Awarded to the game with the most outstanding animation effects and graphics. Doom – Bethesda Softworks / id Software Inside – Playdead The Last Guardian – Sony Interactive Entertainment / SIE Japan Studio Overwatch – Blizzard Entertainment Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End – Sony Computer Entertainment / Naughty Dog
Excellence in Visual Achievement
Awarded to the game with the most well-designed and stunning visuals. Battlefield 1 – Electronic Arts / EA DICE Doom – Bethesda Softworks / id Software Final Fantasy XV – Square Enix Titanfall 2 – Electronic Arts / Respawn Entertainment Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End – Sony Computer Entertainment / Naughty Dog
Excellence in Technical Achievement
Awarded to the game that pushed the capabilities of technology and programming. Battlefield 1 – Electronic Arts / EA DICE No Man’s Sky – Sony Interactive Entertainment / Hello Games Overwatch – Blizzard Entertainment Pokémon GO – Niantic Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End – Sony Computer Entertainment / Naughty Dog
Excellence in Musical Score
Awarded to the game that best exemplifies artistic excellence in musical score and how it progresses the narrative of the game. Doom – Bethesda Softworks / id Software Final Fantasy XV – Square Enix Hyper Light Drifter – Heart Machine The Last Guardian – Sony Interactive Entertainment / SIE Japan Studio Thumper – Drool
Excellence in SFX
Awarded to the game with the most outstanding and impactful sound effects. Battlefield 1 – Electronic Arts / EA DICE Dishonored 2 – Bethesda Softworks / Arkane Studios Inside – Playdead Titanfall 2 – Electronic Arts / Respawn Entertainment Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End – Sony Computer Entertainment / Naughty Dog
Check Out More:
- Nintendo Switch May Get a Monster Hunter Game
- Uncharted: The Lost Legacy Gets New Screenshot and Character Art
- Super Mario Run Android Release Date Announced
Published: Mar 19, 2017 04:45 pm