2016’s Game of the Year Winners

The following games received “Game of the Year” honors from the five major industry award shows in 2016:

    The Game Awards: Overwatch
    GDC Awards: Overwatch
    DICE Awards: Overwatch
    SXSW Gaming Awards: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
    BAFTA Games Awards: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

A complete list of all winners and nominees can be found below.

The Game Awards
The winners of The Game Awards are chosen by an international panel of journalists and awarded each December. (thegameawards.com)

Game of the Year
For a game that delivers the absolute best experience across all creative and technical fields.

  • Doom (id Software/Bethesda)
  • Inside (Playdead)
  • WINNER: Overwatch (Blizzard)
  • Titanfall 2 (Respawn/Electronic Arts)
  • Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Naughty Dog/Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Best Game Direction
Recognizing a game studio for outstanding creative vision, game direction and design.

  • WINNER: Blizzard (for Overwatch)
  • DICE (for Battlefield 1)
  • id Software (for Doom)
  • Naughty Dog (for Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End)
  • Respawn (for Titanfall 2)

Best Narrative
For outstanding storytelling and narrative development in a game.

  • Firewatch (Campo Santo)
  • Inside (Playdead)
  • Mafia III (Hangar 13/2K Games)
  • Oxenfree (Night School Studio)
  • WINNER: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Naughty Dog/SIE)

Best Art Direction
For outstanding creative and technical achievement in artistic design and animation.

  • Abzu (Giant Squid/505)
  • Firewatch (Campo Santo)
  • WINNER: Inside (Playdead)
  • Overwatch (Blizzard)
  • Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Naughty Dog/SIE)

Best Music/Sound Design
For outstanding audio, inclusive of score, original song, licensed soundtrack and sound design.

  • Battlefield 1 (DICE/EA)
  • WINNER: Doom (id/Bethesda)
  • Inside (Playdead)
  • Rez Infinite (Enhance Games)
  • Thumper (Drool)

Best Performance
Awarded to an individual for voice-over acting, motion and/or performance capture.

  • Alex Hernandez as Lincoln Clay (for Mafia III)
  • Cissy Jones as Delilah (for Firewatch)
  • Emily Rose as Elena (for Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End)
  • WINNER: Nolan North as Nathan Drake (for Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End)
  • Rich Summer as Henry (for Firewatch)
  • Troy Baker as Sam Drake (for Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End)

Games For Impact
Honoring exemplary games that take on real-world issues and advocate for social change.

  • 1979 Revolution (iNK Stories)
  • Block’hood (Plethora Project/Devolver Digital)
  • Orwell (Osmotic Studios/Surprise Attack)
  • Sea Hero Quest (Glitchers)
  • WINNER: That Dragon, Cancer (Numinous Games)

Best Independent Game
For outstanding achievement in a game made outside the traditional publisher system.

  • Firewatch (Campo Santo)
  • Hyper Light Drifter (Heart Machine)
  • WINNER: Inside (Playdead)
  • Stardew Valley (ConcernedApe/Chucklefish Games)
  • The Witness (Thelka)

Best Mobile/Handheld
For the best game playable on mobile phones and dedicated gaming handhelds.

  • Clash Royale (Supercell)
  • Fire Emblem Fates (Intelligent Systems/Nintendo)
  • Monster Hunter Generations (Capcom)
  • WINNER: Pokemon Go (Niantic)
  • Severed (DrinkBox Studios)

Best VR Game
For the best game experience playable in virtual reality.

  • Batman: Arkham VR (Rocksteady Studios/WBIE)
  • Eve: Valkyrie (CCP Games)
  • Job Simulator (Owlchemy Labs)
  • WINNER: Rez Infinite (Enhance Games)
  • Thumper (Drool)

Best Action Game
For the best game experience focused around first or third person combat.

  • Battlefield 1 (DICE/EA)
  • WINNER: Doom (id Software/Bethesda Softworks)
  • Gears of War 4 (The Coalition/Microsoft Studios)
  • Overwatch (Blizzard)
  • Titanfall 2 (Respawn/EA)

Best Action/Adventure Game
For the best game experience that combines combat with traversal and puzzle solving.

  • WINNER: Dishonored 2 (Arkane Studios/Bethesda Softworks)
  • Hitman (IO Interactive/Square Enix)
  • Hyper Light Drifter (Heart Machine)
  • Ratchet & Clank (Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Naughty Dog/Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Best RPG
The best game designed for rich player character customization and progression, both offline and online, including massively multiplayer.

  • Dark Souls III (FromSoftware/Bandai Namco Entertainment)
  • Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (Eidos Montreal/Square Enix)
  • WINNER: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Blood and Wine (CD Projekt RED)
  • World of Warcraft: Legion (Blizzard)
  • Xenoblade Chronicles X (Monolith Soft/Nintendo)

Best Fighting Game
For a game designed primarily around head-to-head combat.

  • Killer Instinct Season 3 (Iron Galaxy Studios/Microsoft Studios)
  • King of Fighters XIV (SNK/Atlus USA)
  • Pokken Tournament (Bandai Namco Studios/The Pokemon Company)
  • WINNER: Street Fighter V (Capcom)

Best Strategy Game
Best game focused on real time or turn-based strategy.

  • WINNER: Civilization VI (Firaxis Games/2K Games)
  • Fire Emblem Fates (Intelligent Systems/Nintendo)
  • The Banner Saga 2 (Stoic Studio/Versus Evil)
  • Total War: Warhammer (Creative Assembly/Sega)
  • XCOM 2 (Firaxis Games/2K Games)

Best Family Game
Best game for family play, including toys-to-life, rhythm/music/dance, and other genres.

  • Dragon Quest Builders (Square Enix)
  • Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens (TT Fusion/WBIE)
  • WINNER: Pokemon Go (Niantic)
  • Ratchet & Clank (Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • Skylanders: Imaginators (Toy for Bob/Activision)

Best Sports/Racing
For traditional and non-traditional sports and racing games.

  • FIFA 17 (EA Canada/EA Sports)
  • WINNER: Forza Horizon 3 (Playground Games/Microsoft Studios)
  • MLB The Show 16 (SCE San Diego Studio/SIE)
  • NBA 2K17 (Visual Concepts/2K Sports)
  • Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 (PES Productions/Konami)

Best Multiplayer
For outstanding online multiplayer gameplay and design, including co-op and massively multiplayer experiences.

  • Battlefield 1 (DICE/EA)
  • Gears of War 4 (The Coalition/Microsoft Studios)
  • Overcooked (Ghost Town Games/Team 17)
  • WINNER: Overwatch (Blizzard)
  • Titanfall 2 (Respawn/EA)
  • Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft)

Game Developers Choice Awards
The winners of the Game Developers Choice Awards (GDC Awards) are chosen by a panel of developers from North America and awarded each year during the Game Developers Conference. (gamechoiceawards.com)

Game of the Year (Winners and Finalists)

  • Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • WINNER: Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment)
  • Inside (Playdead)
  • Dishonored 2 (Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks)
  • Firewatch (Campo Santo / Panic)

Game of the Year (Honorable Mentions)

  • Doom (id Software / Bethesda Softworks)
  • The Witness (Thekla)
  • Battlefield 1 (EA DICE / Electronic Arts)
  • The Last Guardian (Sony Japan Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • Titanfall 2 (Respawn Entertainment / Electronic Arts)

Innovation Award (Winners and Finalists)

  • The Witness (Thekla)
  • Inside (Playdead)
  • WINNER: No Man’s Sky (Hello Games)
  • Firewatch (Campo Santo / Panic)
  • Pokemon Go (Niantic)

Innovation Award (Honorable Mentions)

  • That Dragon, Cancer (Numinous Games)
  • The Last Guardian (Sony Japan Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • Superhot (Superhot Team)
  • Thumper (Drool)
  • Quadrilateral Cowboy (Blendo Games)

Best Debut (Winners and Finalists)

  • Hyper Light Drifter (Heart Machine)
  • WINNER: Firewatch (Campo Santo)
  • Stardew Valley (ConcernedApe)
  • Thumper (Drool)
  • Oxenfree (Night School Studio)

Best Debut (Honorable Mentions)

  • Superhot (Superhot Team)
  • That Dragon, Cancer (Numinous Games)
  • Abzu (Giant Squid Studios)
  • Overcooked (Ghost Town Games)
  • 1979 Revolution: Black Friday (iNK Stories)

Best Design (Winners and Finalists)

  • WINNER: Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment)
  • Dishonored 2 (Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks)
  • The Witness (Thekla)
  • Inside (Playdead)
  • Doom (id Software / Bethesda Softworks)

Best Design (Honorable Mentions)

  • Titanfall 2 (Respawn Entertainment / Electronic Arts)
  • Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • Dark Souls III (From Software / Bandai Namco Entertainment)
  • Firewatch (Campo Santo / Panic)
  • Hitman (IO Interactive / Square Enix)

Best Mobile/Handheld Game (Winners and Finalists)

  • Super Mario Run (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
  • Clash Royale (Supercell)
  • WINNER: Pokemon Go (Niantic)
  • Reigns (Nerial / Devolver Digital)
  • Pokemon Sun/Moon (Game Freak / The Pokemon Company)

Best Mobile/Handheld Game (Honorable Mentions)

  • Mini Metro (Dinosaur Polo Club)
  • Severed (DrinkBox Studios)
  • Deus Ex Go (Square Enix Montreal / Square Enix)
  • Fire Emblem Fates (Intelligent Systems and Nintendo SPD / Nintendo)
  • Imbroglio (Michael Brough)
  • Swap Sword (AP Thomson and Diego Garcia)

Best VR/AR Game (Winners and Finalists)

  • Rez Infinite (Monstars / Enhance Games)
  • Superhot VR (Superhot Team)
  • WINNER: Job Simulator: The 2050 Archives (Owlchemy Labs)
  • Pokemon Go (Niantic)
  • Fantastic Contraption (Radial Games / Northway Games)

Best VR/AR Game (Honorable Mentions)

  • Thumper (Drool)
  • SuperHyperCube (Kokoromi / Polytron Corporation)
  • Batman Arkham VR (Rocksteady Studios / Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment)
  • Space Pirate Trainer (I-Illusions)
  • The Lab (Valve)

Best Visual Art (Winners and Finalists)

  • Firewatch (Campo Santo / Panic)
  • The Last Guardian (Sony Japan Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment)
  • Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • WINNER: Inside (Playdead)

Best Visual Art (Honorable Mentions)

  • The Witness (Thekla)
  • Battlefield 1 (EA DICE / Electronic Arts)
  • Abzu (Giant Squid Studios)
  • Thumper (Drool)
  • Doom (id Software / Bethesda Softworks)

Best Narrative (Winners and Finalists)

  • The Last Guardian (Sony Japan Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • Oxenfree (Night School Studio)
  • Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • Inside (Playdead)
  • WINNER: Firewatch (Campo Santo / Panic)

Best Narrative (Honorable Mentions)

  • That Dragon, Cancer (Numinous Games)
  • Dishonored 2 (Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks)
  • The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Blood & Wine (CD Projekt RED / CD Projekt)
  • Kentucky Route Zero: Act IV (Cardboard Computer)
  • Mafia III (Hangar 13 / 2K Games)

Best Audio (Winners and Finalists)

  • Battlefield 1 (EA DICE / Electronic Arts)
  • Thumper (Drool)
  • Doom (id Software / Bethesda Softworks)
  • WINNER: Inside (Playdead)
  • Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment)

Best Audio (Honorable Mentions)

  • Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • Rez Infinite (Monstars / Enhance Games)
  • Hyper Light Drifter (Heart Machine)
  • Firewatch (Campo Santo / Panic)
  • Dishonored 2 (Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks)
  • The Last Guardian (Sony Japan Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • Titanfall 2 (Respawn Entertainment / Electronic Arts)

Best Technology (Winners and Finalists)

  • Battlefield 1 (EA DICE / Electronic Arts)
  • No Man’s Sky (Hello Games)
  • Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment)
  • Doom (id Software / Bethesda Softworks)
  • WINNER: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Best Technology (Honorable Mentions)

  • Inside (Playdead)
  • Pokemon Go (Niantic)
  • The Last Guardian (Sony Japan Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • Dishonored 2 (Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks)
  • The Witness (Thekla)

Audience Award

WINNER: Battlefield 1 (EA DICE)

DICE Awards
The winners of the DICE Awards are chosen by the members of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences and awarded each year during the DICE Summit. (interactive.org)

Game of the Year

  • Battlefield 1 (Electronic Arts / DICE)
  • Inside (Playdead / Playdead)
  • WINNER: Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment / Blizzard Entertainment)
  • Pokemon Go (The Pokemon Company / Niantic)
  • Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Naughty Dog)

Handheld Game of the Year

  • Dragon Quest Builders (Square Enix / Square Enix Co.)
  • Fire Emblem Fates (Nintendo / Nintendo & Intelligent Systems)
  • Kirby: Planet Robobot (Nintendo / HAL Laboratory & Nintendo)
  • WINNER: Pokemon Sun and Moon (Nintendo / Game Freak)
  • Severed (DrinkBox Studios / DrinkBox Studios)

Mobile Game of the Year

  • Clash Royale (Supercell / Supercell)
  • Crashlands (Butterscotch Shenanigans / Butterscotch Shenanigans)
  • Gardenscapes: New Acres (Playrix Games / Playrix Games)
  • WINNER: Pokemon Go (The Pokemon Company / Niantic)
  • Reigns (Devolver Digital / Nerial)

Action Game of the Year

  • Battlefield 1 (Electronic Arts / DICE)
  • Doom (Bethesda Softworks / id Software)
  • Gears of War 4 (Microsoft Studios / The Coalition)
  • WINNER: Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment / Blizzard Entertainment)
  • Titanfall 2 (Electronic Arts / Respawn Entertainment)

Adventure Game of the Year

  • Firewatch (Campo Santo / Campo Santo)
  • Inside (Playdead / Playdead)
  • King’s Quest: The Complete Collection (Activision / The Odd Gentlemen)
  • The Last Guardian (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Sony Japan Studio)
  • WINNER: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Naughty Dog)

Family Game of the Year

  • Dragon Quest Builders (Square Enix / Square Enix Co.)
  • Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment / TT Games)
  • WINNER: Ratchet & Clank (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Insomniac Games)
  • Rock Band Rivals (Harmonix Music Systems / Harmonix Music Systems)
  • Super Mario Maker For Nintendo 3DS (Nintendo / Nintendo)

Fighting Game of the Year

  • EA Sports UFC 2 (Electronic Arts / EA Canada)
  • Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator (Aksys Games / Arc System Works)
  • Killer Instinct: Season 3 (Microsoft Studios / Iron Galaxy)
  • Pokken Tournament (Nintendo / Bandai Namco)
  • WINNER: Street Fighter V (Capcom / Capcom)

Racing Game of the Year

  • DriveClub VR (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Evolution Studios)
  • WINNER: Forza Horizons 3 (Microsoft Studios / Playground Games & Turn 10 Studios)

Role-Playing/Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year

  • WINNER: Dark Souls III (Bandai Namco / FromSoftware)
  • Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (Square / Enix Eidos Montreal)
  • Hyper Light Drifter Heart (Machine / Heart Machine)
  • Tom Clancy’s The Division (Ubisoft / Massive Entertainment)
  • World of Warcraft: Legion (Blizzard Entertainment / Blizzard Entertainment)

Sports Game of the Year

  • FIFA 17 (Electronic Arts / EA Canada)
  • Madden NFL 17 (Electronic Arts / EA Tiburon)
  • MLB The Show 16 (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Sony San Diego Studio)
  • NBA 2K17 (2K Sports / Visual Concepts)
  • WINNER: Steep (Ubisoft / Ubisoft Annecy)

Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year

  • The Banner Saga 2 (Versus Evil / Stoic Studio)
  • Deus Ex Go (Square Enix / Square Enix Montreal)
  • Fire Emblem Fates (Nintendo / Nintendo & Intelligent Systems)
  • WINNER: Sid Meier’s Civilization VI (2K Games / Firaxis Games)
  • XCOM 2 (2K Games / Firaxis Games)

Outstanding Achievement in Character

  • Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (Activision / Infinity Ward)
  • Firewatch (Campo Santo / Campo Santo)
  • Firewatch (Campo Santo / Campo Santo)
  • WINNER: The Last Guardian (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Sony Japan Studio)
  • Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Naughty Dog)

Outstanding Achievement in Game Design

  • I Expect You To Die (Schell Games / Schell Games)
  • Inside (Playdead / Playdead)
  • WINNER: Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment / Blizzard Entertainment)
  • Owlboy (D-Pad Studio / D-Pad Studio)
  • Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Naughty Dog)

Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction

  • 1979 Revolution: Black Friday (iNK Stories / iNK Stories)
  • Battlefield 1 (Electronic Arts / DICE)
  • WINNER: Inside (Playdead / Playdead)
  • The Last Guardian (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Sony Japan Studio)
  • Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Naughty Dog)

Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition

  • Abzu (505 Games / Giant Squid)
  • Battlefield 1 (Electronic Arts / DICE)
  • WINNER: Doom (Bethesda Softworks / id Software)
  • The Last Guardian (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Sony Japan Studio)
  • Titanfall 2 (Electronic Arts / Respawn Entertainment)

Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design

  • WINNER: Battlefield 1 (Electronic Arts / DICE)
  • Inside (Playdead / Playdead)
  • The Last Guardian (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Sony Japan Studio)
  • Quantum Break (Microsoft Studios / Remedy Entertainment)
  • Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Naughty Dog)

Outstanding Achievement in Story

  • Firewatch (Campo Santo / Campo Santo)
  • Inside (Playdead / Playdead)
  • Oxenfree (Night School Studio / Night School Studio)
  • That Dragon, Cancer (Numinous Games / Numinous Games)
  • WINNER: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Naughty Dog)

Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay

  • Battlefield 1 (Electronic Arts / DICE)
  • Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft (Blizzard Entertainment / Blizzard Entertainment)
  • WINNER: Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment / Blizzard Entertainment)
  • Titanfall 2 (Electronic Arts / Respawn Entertainment)
  • Tom Clancy’s The Division (Ubisoft / Massive Entertainment)

Outstanding Technical Achievement

  • Battlefield 1 (Electronic Arts / DICE)
  • No Man’s Sky (Hello Games / Hello Games)
  • Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment / Blizzard Entertainment)
  • Titanfall 2 (Electronic Arts / Respawn Entertainment)
  • WINNER: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Naughty Dog)

Outstanding Achievement in Animation

  • Inside (Playdead / Playdead)
  • The Last Guardian (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Sony Japan Studio)
  • Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment / Blizzard Entertainment)
  • Street Fighter V (Capcom / Capcom)
  • WINNER: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Naughty Dog)

Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction

  • Battlefield 1 (Electronic Arts / DICE)
  • Firewatch (Campo Santo / Campo Santo)
  • WINNER: Inside (Playdead / Playdead)
  • The Last Guardian (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Sony Japan Studio)
  • Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Naughty Dog)

D.I.C.E. Sprite Award

  • 1979 Revolution: Black Friday (iNK Stories / iNK Stories)
  • Firewatch (Campo Santo / Campo Santo)
  • WINNER: Inside (Playdead / Playdead)
  • Superhot (Team Superhot / Team Superhot)
  • That Dragon, Cancer (Numinous Games / Numinous Games)

Immersive Reality Game of the Year

  • WINNER: Superhot VR
  • Eagle Flight
  • I Expect You To Die
  • The Lab
  • Job Simulator

Immersive Reality Game of the Year

  • Superhot VR
  • WINNER: Eagle Flight
  • I Expect You To Die
  • Tilt Brush
  • Job Simulator

SXSW Gaming Awards
The winners of the SXSW Gaming Awards are chosen by an advisory board of “industry experts” with input from a public vote. The SXSW Gaming Awards are awarded each year during the SXSW Interactive conference. (sxsw.com)

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)
  • WINNER: 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)
  • WINNER: Pokemon Go (Niantic)
  • Pokemon Sun and Moon (The Pokemon 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.

  • WINNER: 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)

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 Coalition)
  • Killer Instinct: Season 3 (Microsoft Studios / Iron Galaxy Studios)
  • WINNER: 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)
  • Job Simulator (Owlchemy Labs)
  • WINNER: 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.

  • WINNER: 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)
  • WINNER: That Dragon, Cancer (Numinous Games)

Excellence in Narrative
Awarded to the game with the best storyline and dialogue.

  • Firewatch (Panic / Campo Santo)
  • The Last Guardian (Sony Interactive Entertainment / SIE Japan Studio)
  • Oxenfree (Night School Studio)
  • That Dragon, Cancer (Numinous Games)
  • WINNER: 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.

  • WINNER: 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)

Excellence in Gameplay
Awarded to the game with the best gameplay mechanics.

  • Dark Souls III (Bandai Namco Entertainment / From Software)
  • Dishonored 2 (Bethesda Softworks / Arkane Studios)
  • WINNER: Doom (Bethesda Softworks / id Software)
  • Firewatch (Panic / 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)
  • WINNER: 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 / Campo Santo)
  • WINNER: 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)
  • WINNER: 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)
  • WINNER: 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)
  • WINNER: 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)
  • WINNER: Firewatch (Panic / Campo Santo)
  • Inside (Playdead)
  • Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment)
  • The Witness (Thekla)

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)
  • WINNER: 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)
  • WINNER: 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.

  • WINNER: Battlefield 1 (Electronic Arts / EA DICE)
  • No Man’s Sky (Sony Interactive Entertainment / Hello Games)
  • Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment)
  • Pokemon 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.

  • WINNER: 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.

  • WINNER: 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)

British Academy Games Awards
The winners of the British Academy Games Awards (BAFTA Games Awards) are chosen by a jury of “industry experts” and awarded each year in the Spring. (bafta.org)

Best Game

  • Firewatch (Campo Santo Productions/Camp Santo Productions, Panic)
  • Inside (Playdead/Playdead)
  • Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment/Blizzard Entertainment)
  • Stardew Valley (ConcernedApe/Chucklefish)
  • Titanfall 2 (Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts)
  • WINNER: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Naughty Dog/Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Best British Game

  • Batman: Arkham VR (Rocksteady Studios/WB Games)
  • Forza Horizon 3 (Playground Games/Microsoft Studios)
  • No Man’s Sky (Hello Games/Hello Games, Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • WINNER: Overcooked (Ghost Town Games/Team17 Digital)
  • Planet Coaster (Frontier Developments/Frontier Developments)
  • Virginia (Variable State/505 Games)

Mobile & Handheld

  • The Banner Saga 2 (Stoic/Versus Evil)
  • Dawn of Titans (Natural Motion/Zynga)
  • Deus Ex Go (Square Enix Montreal/Square Enix)
  • WINNER: Pokemon Go (Niantic/Niantic)
  • Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon (Game Freak/The Pokemon Company International)
  • Reigns (Nerial/Devolver Digital)

Original Property

  • Firewatch (Campo Santo Productions/Campo Santo Productions, Panic)
  • WINNER: Inside (Playdead/Playdead)
  • The Last Guardian (SIE Japan Studio, genDesign/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment/Blizzard Entertainment)
  • Unravel (Coldwood Interactive/Electronic Arts)
  • The Witness (Thekla/Thekla)

Debut Game

  • WINNER: Firewatch (Campo Santo Productions/Campo Santo Productions, Panic)
  • Overcooked (Ghost Town Games/Team17 Digital)
  • Oxenfree (Night School Studio/Night School Studio)
  • That Dragon Cancer (Numinous Games/Numinous Games)
  • The Witness (Thekla/Thekla)
  • Virginia (Variable State/505 Games)

Performer

  • Alex Hernandez (Lincoln Clay in Mafia III)
  • WINNER: Cissy Jones (Delilah in Firewatch)
  • Emily Rose (Elena Fisher in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End)
  • Navid Negahban (Hajj Agha in 1979 Revolution: Black Friday)
  • Nolan North (Nathan Drake in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End)
  • Troy Baker (Sam Drake in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End)

Artistic Achievement

  • Abzu (Giant Squid/505 Games)
  • Dishonored 2 (Arkane Studios/Bethesda Softworks)
  • WINNER: Inside (Playdead/Playdead)
  • The Last Guardian (SIE Japan Studio, genDesign/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Naughty Dog/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • Unravel (Coldwood Interactive/Electronic Arts)

Audio Achievement

  • Battlefield 1 (DICE/Electronic Arts)
  • Doom (id Software/Bethesda Softworks)
  • Inside (Playdead/Playdead)
  • WINNER: The Last Guardian (SIE Japan Studio, genDesign/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • Rez Infinite (Enhance Games, Monstars, Resonair/Enhance Games)
  • Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Naughty Dog/Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Game Design

  • Battlefield 1 (DICE/Electronic Arts)
  • Dishonored 2 (Arkane Studios/Bethesda Softworks)
  • WINNER: Inside (Playdead/Playdead)
  • Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment/Blizzard Entertainment)
  • Titanfall 2 (Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts)
  • The Witness (Thekla/Thekla)

Game Innovation

  • Batman: Arkham VR (Rocksteady Studios/WB Games)
  • Firewatch (Campo Santo Productions/Campo Santo Productions, Panic)
  • Pokemon Go (Niantic/Niantic)
  • WINNER: That Dragon Cancer (Numinous Games/Numinous Games)
  • Unseen Diplomacy (Triangular Pixels/ Triangular Pixels)
  • The Witness (Thekla/Thekla)

Narrative

  • Dishonored 2 (Arkane Studios/Bethesda Softworks)
  • Firewatch (Campo Santo Productions/Campo Santo Productions, Panic)
  • WINNER: Inside (Playdead/Playdead)
  • Mafia III (Hangar 13/2K Games)
  • Oxenfree (Night School Studio/Night School Studio)
  • Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Naughty Dog/Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Multiplayer

  • Battlefield 1 (DICE/Electronic Arts)
  • Forza Horizon 3 (Playground Games/Microsoft Studios)
  • Overcooked (Ghost Town Games/Team17 Digital)
  • WINNER: Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment/Blizzard Entertainment)
  • Titanfall 2 (Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts)
  • Tom Clancy’s The Division (Ubisoft Massive/Ubisoft)

Music

  • Abzu (Giant Squid/505 Games)
  • Doom (id Software/Bethesda Softworks)
  • Inside (Playdead/Playdead)
  • The Last Guardian (SIE Japan Studio, genDesign/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Naughty Dog/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • WINNER: Virginia (Variable State/505 Games)

Family

  • Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens (TT Games/WB Games)
  • WINNER: Overcooked (Ghost Town Games/Team17 Digital)
  • The Playroom VR (SIE Japan Studio, Team ASOBI!/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • Pokemon Go (Niantic/Niantic)
  • Ratchet & Clank (Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • Toca Hair Salon 3 (Toca Boca/Toca Boca)

Evolving Game

  • Destiny: Rise of Iron (Bungie/Activision)
  • Elite Dangerous: Horizons (Frontier Developments/Frontier Developments)
  • Eve Online (CCP Games/CCP Games)
  • Final Fantasy XIV (Square Enix/Square Enix)
  • Hitman (IO Interactive/Square Enix)
  • WINNER: Rocket League (Psyonix/Psyonix)