Team ASOBI's 3D platformer, Astro Bot, ?recently received th?e prestigious Game of the Year (or GOTY) award during The Game Awards 2024. This was a huge surprise for gamers all around the world, seeing as this was an excellent year for the medium, with many solid titles that were fighting for the grand award, like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Metaphor: ReFantazio, Black Myth: Wukong and more.

Yes, Astro Bot may not seem all that impressive or ambitious when compared to those solid AAA titles, especially in terms of graphics, narrative, or scope. But it still truly deserved that award, because Astro Bot is exactly what the industry needs right now, and its victory is a huge indication of the direction it should go in the near future. It all comes down to three main reasons: Fun, Accessibility, and Commun??ity.

Astro Bot is the perfect single-player adventure (With no unnecessary microtransactions!)

Let's get the obvious and most important thing out of the way first: Astro Bot is a magnificent adventure with an adorable art style, catchy music, brilliant level design, amazing bosses, and more. We're not talking about a mediocre game that was competing against masterpieces. Astro Bot is the masterpiece that nobody saw coming, and it's on the same level as all of its competitors for GOTY (I'd even say? that it's bet?ter than most of them, but that depends on each player's personal taste and experiences).

One of the best things about Astro Bot is the fact that it's a more traditional, old-school game: a single-player adventure with hours of content that never asks the player to invest any more money after the initial purchase, making it feel like a breath of fresh air for many players. And if that wasn't already enough, Team ASOBI and Sony have been releasing multiple free DLC levels after the release date, which have been giving fans more fun things to do without needing to open their wallets at all. Curiously enough, these extra levels have been so creative and wonderful that most fans would love to pay money for them.

Why Sony (and the industry) needed a game like Astro Bot right now

The relaxed nature of this game contrasts with the recent rise in popularity of live service games and/or games with rampant monetization, a glaring issue that has severely hindered the gaming industry over the last few years. While companies can occasionally execute this formula correctly, they have also failed on multiple occasions, leaving a very bad taste in their player's mouths in the process. Just this year alone, Sony released the multiplayer shooter Concord, closed its servers less than two weeks later, shut down the studio responsible, and reportedly lost millions of dollars in the p??roc??ess. In a recent interview with BBC, joint PlayStation CEOs, Hermen Hulst and Hideaki Nishino revealed that they're very happy with Astro Bot's success, a statement that felt very poignant after they lamented the failure of Concord.

Astro Bot's success is the perfect example of how Sony (and the entire AAA industry except for Nintendo) should proceed going forward: By focusing on fun, single-player games that don’t ask players to spend extra money and stop bothering with fruitless live service experiences that are destined to fail. Granted, some of PlayStation's biggest exclusives before Astro Bot have followed this formula (Like God of War, Marvel's Spider-Man, Uncharted and more) but Team ASOBI's platformer d??iffers in another, very important aspect that Sony should also pay attention to: It's scope.

Every moment in Astro Bot is worth it, and it doesn't waste the player's time

Another common problem among modern AAA video games is their ambitious but overwhelming scopes. Many titles nowadays have expansive maps with way too much to do, and it may take hundreds of hours to finish its main campaign, let alone complete it 100%. Titles like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Metaphor: ReFantazio, and Black Myth Wukong are extremely well-made (and excel in many areas in which they are way better than Astro Bot?) but they also take many hours to complete, meaning that they are not the most accessible products out there?.

Astro Bot, however, is a very simple but extremely endearing and endlessly entertaining video game that anyone can pick up and complete 100% without ever feeling like a tedious chore. In a day and age in which most adults are extremely busy and have a lot of video games to play in their free time, being able to experience something as concise and fruitful as Astro Bot is truly refreshing. Even Masahiro Sakurai, the father of Kirby and the director of the Super Smash Bros series, praised Team ASOBI for this, claiming that Astro Bot didn't waste his time and that he d?idn't have any problem collecting the 300+ different bots in the game.

Astro Bot's main goal is to keep you, the player, entertained: Every single level is extremely creative and never overstays its welcome, not a single item or bot is annoying to find and collect, the boss fights are epic and engaging without ever feeling unfair or overly challenging and even the extra optional levels won't take you many tries to complete. If you're currently looking for a video game that will keep you entertained without ever making you feel frustrated or overwhelmed, then Astro Bot is perfect for you.

A beautiful celebration of the entire gaming industry (And not just PlayStation)

As you may know by now, Astro Bot features countless cameos of many characters? from? classic titles that are important for the PlayStation brand, which motivates the player to explore every single corner of a level to find them all. And if that wasn't already enough, the addition of these cameos even resulted in 5 special levels themed around specific IPs, like Ape Escape, God of War, Uncharted, LocoRoco, and Horizon. Of course, this was all very intentional since PlayStation's 30th Anniversary took place in 2024, an??d Sony celebrated it in various ways.

This has prompted many people to accuse Astro Bot of being just an "ad for PlayStation", but that couldn't be further from the truth. Not only because it's e??vident that Team ASOBI did this as a labor of love (and not just because their higher-ups at Sony forced them to include all these cameos) but also because they featured many other characters that it really didn't need to add, nor that gamers ever expecting to see in the game.

Everyone is here! (And Square Enix is also invited)

Astro Bot has it all: From iconic PlayStation IPs that no longer belong to Sony, like Crash Bandicoot or Spyro the Dragon, to extremely obscure characters from forgotten games, like Motor Toon Grand Prix or Mad Maestro! Of course, franchises like Street Fighter, Resident Evil, Devil May Cry, Tekken, or Tomb Raider have been exclusive to PlayStation systems at one point or another, but they have been multiplatform for several years. Because of stuff like this, Astro Bot feels like a beautiful celebration of the entire gaming industry, and not just the PlayStati??on brand (even if still its main focus).

This is especially evident when taking a look at the community's reaction to Astro Bot's release. Multiple gaming studios (like Naughty Dog or Insomniac Games) shared images of their character's bots and congratulated Team ASOBI for the release of its game. Even Square Enix, which infamously refused to approve the addition of any Final Fantasy or Kingdom Hearts cameos in the initial version of the game, recently acknowledged the new Gex cameo, so maybe we'll see more of its iconic IPs in future DLC levels. After receiving the GOTY award, Astro Bot's director, Nicolas Doucet, thanked all the people from different gaming companies who gave them the rights to their characters without asking for anything in return. The way in which everybody was seemingly eager to be part of this beautiful gaming celebration reminds me of Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and for good reasons.

Astro Bot is the Mario/Crash/Sonic of a new generation of gamers

When Astro Bot came out back in September, social media was full of people enjoying the game, praising its creative levels, fun cameos, and the clever ways it uses the features of the PlayStation 5 and its DualSense controller. The game made such an impact that I even saw many Nintendo and Xbox fans praising Team ASOBI's work. Considering that even Masahiro Sakurai praised Astro Bot and that Nicolas Doucet indirectly thanked Nintendo for creating Super Mario Bros. during his Game Awards' acceptance speech, I can safely say that Astro Bot managed to unite the gaming community in ways I've? never thought possible, even if it was for a brief peri?od of time.

What's especially important to keep in mind is that Astro Bot is also going to be many young gamers' first true video game, something they will be able to complete by themselves or with the help of their parents and/or older siblings (Many of them have even received Astro Bot as a Christmas gift) So, in a way, this little robot is going to mean to them what Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, Crash Bandicoot, and other similar platforming mascots have meant for many of us. The developers at Team ASOBI even included ?the other character's cameos to intentionally encourage younger players to try out those classic games that we all know and love. And who knows? Maybe Astro Bot will serve as the main inspiration ??for a similarly whimsical platformer we'll experience in a few decades.

When Astro Bot wins, everybody wins

At the end of the day, Astro Bot may not be the most mechanically deep or graphically impressive GOTY contender of 2024, but it doesn't need to be, because it embodies everything video games should be about: Entertainment, accessibility, artistic vision, and a sense of community. Some of 2024's best and most popular games, like Stellar Blade, Helldivers 2, or Silent Hill 2 Remake, are represented in Astro Bot via character cameos, and if that isn't a perfect example of how this adorable game tries to represent all the best aspects of the video game industry, I don't know what is. I seriously hope Sony will allow Team ASOBI to further expand the Astro Bot IP and gr?eenlights the development of more magical games like this ??one.

You may have noticed that the only other GOTY nominee I haven't mentioned is Balatro, and that's because it actually shares some similarities with Astro Bot (Especially since it's an indie release, and this game should set an example for the future of the AAA industry, specifically) So, if you've already completed Astro Bot and are looking for another simple and addictive video game that also celebrates the industry in its own ways, you should definitely give Balatro a try.

The post Why Astro Bot deserves the Game of the Year Award (Even if it’s not the BEST game of ?2024) appeared first on Destructoid.

Last night (or early this morning, depending on where in the world you are), The Game Awards kicked off. Along with honors aplenty, we also got announcements, including a premier of the new Witcher game. Among these was also the next iteration in the Killing Floor series.

Aptly named Killing Floor 3, the below trailer shows the high-octane violence that's afoot, along with the developer �Tripwire Interactive �saying the game is aiming for a March 2025 release. At this stage, there's no exact date for its launch, but you can wishlist it now on Steam.

Killing Floor 3 is also coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with full crossplay capabilities. You can also join the closed beta by going to the official website here. Temp?ted to join up mysel??f. I'm a bit of a fan of the others in the series, you see.

Getting mad Doom vibes

Having played the first two Killing Floor titles, I'll be intrigued to know where Tripwire takes things from here. From the trailer above, it still maintains its chaotic, co-op FPS goodness �something we all know the franchise for �but is anyone else getting a hint of modern Doom in there, or is that just me?

But is Killing Floor 3 coming to Game Pass? I want to know! There doesn't appear to be anything saying so, and the official Xbox page d?oesn't mention it, either. As such, it might not be available on the service. It seems that it is not on day one.

Whatever the case, I'm looking forward to getting back into the thrill of taking on hordes of grotesque beings. The first game especially holds a place in my heart, despite me not having anywhere near the minimum hardware to run it when it was released in 2009 (I was using a netbook...not even a laptop!). Also, can you believe it's been nearly ten years since we had a Killing Floor game? Where does the time go?!

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The Game Awards 2024 opened with the first world premiere of The Witcher 4, and it? will mark the re??turn of a familiar face in a new avatar.

The new project has? already been in work since CD Projekt Red announced it previously, but we now have more details about what to expect. While it will be a new saga entirely, t??he game is going to be called The Witcher 4. From the looks of the trailer itself, it will be a direct sequel to the main of the first trilogy, and players will be able to play as none other than Ciri.

Ciri officially takes over from Geralt in The Witcher 4

There has been plenty of speculation about what to expect from the new Witcher game. The Game Awards 2024 show ?has shed the first light, and Ciri will be the main character in the new title. Of course, she has followed in the footsteps of Geralt, and she's now a Witcher herself.

The render, which wasn't gameplay footage in a direct sense, gave the a??udience a glimpse at some of the potential dangers that Ciri will be facing. The opening footage had her facing a fierce monster to save a village girl from being slaughtered.

It's the first g??limpse of the lore that's going to be present in the upcoming project. So far, Ciri remains the only familiar face on the reveal, but it's safe to expect for known faces from The Witcher universe. Incidentally, there was a hint towards the end of the trailer, which could be a proof of Geralt playing some sort of a role. For more, fans will have to wait?, and a release date is yet to be announced.

It will be interesting to find out more details about the story and if it will be a direct continuation of the events that took place in The Witcher 3.

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As part of The Game Awards 2024, Bandai Namco and FromSoftware have announced a new Standalone entry in t??he Elden Ring series, Elden Ring: Nightreign. It's set to arrive in 2025.

It will look familiar to anyone who played the original game, but is being described as a "standalone co-op a?ction survival game." Apparently, players need to "outlast a three day-and-night cycle" on a changing map. It's set in a universe parallel to the events of Elden Ring. You choose from one of eig?ht players. At the end of each night, you face off against a boss.

I'm not big into multiplayer, and I prefer to make my own character in these games, but from the info??rmation, this seems cool. It does say you can play solo, if you dare. Otherwise, the framework so??unds kind of unique, not necessarily round-based, but short enough to pick up and play.

Elden Ring: Nightreign will arrive sometime in 2?025 for PC, Xbox, and PC.

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The Game Awards 2024 is happening today, December 12, at 4:30 p.m. PT, and expectations are high following the report that there'll be some major reveals. Leading up to the event, some nominations for The Game Awards 2024 are being highlighted on Steam with discounts and an elusive Helldivers 2 armor making a comeback.

The Game Awards Steam page consists of discounted games that have earned nominations for the 2024 show. Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, Animal Well, Black Myth: Wukong, Helldivers 2, and many more are on sale ahead of the show. The page also high??lights some winners from prior events, although not all of them?? are discounted.

The page is not too hard to navigate. Tabs at the top quickly take you to Featured, Past Winners, and 2024 Nominated Titles categories. There are tabs for 2024 Winners and Just Announced, but those?? won't point to anything until after the show concludes.

The Game Awards 2024 Steam sale brings back an exclusive Helldivers 2 armor

The highlight page also announces the return of an armor set for Helldivers 2: the TR-1?17 Alpha Commander. This set was given away as a free Twitch reward back in February. Those who missed out have asked if it'll ever be seen again.

You can grab the set starting now by visiting the Helldivers 2 events page. It's only available for a week, so you better get on it before it's gone again. The green light armor comes with the Med-Kit passive, adding two more Stims with effects that last two seconds longer. Helldivers 2 has been nominated for four awards,?? including Best Multiplayer Game.

Helldivers 2 isn't alone with the free in-game items. No Man's Sky owners can grab the Starborn Phoenix Ship for free right now. Hit this link and click on "Add to Account" to get a new ride.

The Game Awards 2024 begins?? later today. Be sure to stay locked on Destructoid for all of our TGA coverage.

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The Game Awards is generally known to showcase some pretty major announcements over th??e years when ads aren't playing. But this year will reportedly have "at least two" moments that may leave you shouting "holy sh*t." Who knows? Maybe it won't be some Ko?jima thing this time.

As spotted by VGC, Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier says that The Game Awards 2024 is shaping up to have some major reveals. In a recent Kinda Funny Games Daily video, Sch?reier reports that? people will swear like sailors at their screens during the show.

"There are at least two things that will make you guys reacting say ‘holy sh*t, I can’t believe it’s here��he told host Tim Getty?s.

Maybe it'll be Bloodborne 2, obviously

Schreier's claim is the kind of thing that should raise eyebrows. The show has played host to many WORLD PREMIERE trailers that took the stage by storm. In 2020, Microsoft showed up to reveal a new Perfect Dark game. The following year, Remedy unveiled Alan Wake 2, a sequel over a decade in the making (and my 2023 GOTY), along with the Elden Ring story trailer. Hades 2 and Death Stranding 2 were announced in 2022, and Monster Hunter Wilds was revealed last year.

If what Schreier said is true, then expectations should now be set fairly high for The Game Awards 2024. We don'??t really know what's in store until the show, which starts on December 12 at 4:30 p.m. PT.

Players will no doubt speculate. Undoubtedly, there are many people crossing their fingers for one particular From Software franchise. Folks have been begging for a Bloodborne remaster or sequel for ages, and show no signs of slowing down. But we may also finally hear more about Beyond Good and Evil 2, though it may take an act o?f the divine for that to hap??pen.

We won't know for sure until the show kicks off. Stay tuned to?? Destructoid for all our coverage of The Game Awards 2??024.

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Yesterday, The Game Awards revealed its full list of nominees, but most people could only focus on the most prestigious award: Game of the Year (or GOTY). However, among some expected choices like Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth or Astro Bot, there was a peculiar one that stood out: Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.

This is because Shadow of the Erdtree is actually a DLC campaign for Elden Ring, and not a full new game. This was not a complete surprise, however. While DLC has technically been eligible for multiple categories, the offi?cial website ?explained this fact in detail just this year.

Reactions to the Shadow of the Erdtree nomination were extremely negative for the most part. Gamers all over social media complained that a DLC should never be nominated for GOTY because it doesn't count as a full new release, seeing as you can't really play Shadow of the Erdtree without owning Elden Ring first. Other gamers are furious because it feels like this DLC is taking the spot of ?other excellent games from 2024 that belonged in the running for GOTY instead, like Silent Hill 2, Helldivers 2 or Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

On top of that, many other people claimed that this is unfair because this is the first time The Game Awards states that DLCs are eligible for all categories (especially GOTY) while plenty of other critically-acclaimed expansions, like Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, didn't get that privilege on their respective years. As always, some jokesters saw this is as an opportunity to make memes about the controversial nomination.

The Game Awards' history with Elden Ring and FromSoftware

The idea of nominating a DLC for GOTY is already controversial enough, but what makes it even worse is that Elden Ring won the Game of the Year award back in 2022, so it definitely feels like another, new game deserves its time in the spotlight instead. Some people pointed out that The Game Awards often favor FromSoftware games, even though the studio's only other title to win GOTY was Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, in 2019.

To no one's surprise, the Elden Ring Subreddit is one of the few places on the internet that seems satisfied with Shadow of the Erdtree's GOTY nomination. Many fans defend it, stating that this DLC is so expansive and ambitious that it feels like a whole new game, and that nobody would complain if FromSoftware and Bandai Namco sold it as a? standalone s??equel. However, a silent minority in the Subreddit do agree that, as high-quality as Shadow of the Erdtree is, it still is a DLC, and The Game Awards should have? only nominated it in its respe?ctive category.

For now, we can't be sure if Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree will actually win the Game of the Year award or not, but we'll find out very soon, when the Game Awards go live on December 12, 20??24, at 9:30 PM GMT-3.

The post The Game Awards nomi??nated Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC for GOTY, and the internet is furious appeared first on Destructoid.

The Game Awards have started to feel more like an ad??vertising campaign than an awar??ds show, but it still is an important way for the best games of the year to get some major recognition. TGA is heading?? towards its 11th year, and in the past decade it’s had the chance to highlight some of the best games ever made??. 

2014 - Dragon Age: Inquisition - Bioware

The Other Contenders

• Bayonetta 2
• Dark Souls II
• Hearthstone 
• Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor

The Game Awards kicked off in 2014, and that year’s top contenders and GotY winner established a bit of a trend for the show â€?the tendency to favor sprawling, open-world fantasy games over smaller titles and sequels over new IP. While that trend may not be ideal, it shouldn’t reflect poorly on Dragon Age: Inquisition, which is ??a great RPG that you can easily sink hundreds of hours into even if you haven’t played the two games that co?me before it. 

2015 - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - CD Projekt Red 

The Other Contenders

• Bloodborne
• Metal Gear Solid V
• Super Mario Maker
• Fallout 4

Wild Hunt had some stiff competition in 2015, but it ended up winning not just Game of the Year, but also Best Role-Playing Game, and Developer of the Year for CD Projekt Red. Thanks to its fully realized character, masterfully crafted world, and staggering amount of side content, The Witcher 3 is still looked at as one of the be?st RPGs ever made. 

2016 - Overwatch  - Blizzard Entertainment 

The Other Contenders

• Titanfall 2
• Doom
• Inside
• Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

The 2016 Game Awards were the best yet for multiplayer games. Though it had some strong competition, Blizzard’s Overwatch came out on top. The first-person, team-based shooter put another notch in Blizzard’s belt of astounding successful multiplayer games. It inspired legions of fans and led to a much less well-received sequel. 

2017 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Nintendo EPD

The Other Contenders

• PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
• Persona 4
• Horizon Zero Dawn
• Super Mario Odyssey

Nintendo had two chances to win Game of the Year heading into the 2017 Game Awards. While the contenders are all great games, no one was surprised when Breath of the Wild walked away with the award. The game completely rewrote everyone’s expectation for a Zelda entr?y and gave us an open world that is?? still one of the most fun to explore in all of gaming. 

2018 - God of War - Santa Monica Studio 

The Other Contenders

• Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
• Marvel’s Spider-Man
• Monster Hunter: World
• Red Dead Redemption 2 

2018’s Game of the Year winner also rebooted the formula of a longstanding franchise. From combat to storytelling, God of War improved just about everything that previous games had introduced, and it breathed life into a franchise that hadn’t seen a new en??try i?n half a decade. Its sequel was also a GotY contender, but for my money I’d take the 2018 game. 

2019 - Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - FromSoftware

The Other Contenders 

• Control
• Death Stranding
• The Outer Worlds
• Resident Evil 2
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Sekiro brought FromSoftware back into Game of the Year territory, and it’s easy to see why. It took the mechanics fans loved from the other Souls games and combined them with entirely new exploration and stealth systems. It also laid the groundwork for FromSoftware’s next masterpiece: Elden Ring. 

2020 - The Last of Us Part II - Naughty Dog 

The Other Contenders

• Animal Crossing: New Horizons
• Doom Eternal
• Final Fantasy VII Remake
• Ghost of Tsushima
• Hades

The Last of Us Part II is arguably the most controversial Game of the Year winner, but that has less to do with the situation at The Game Awards and more with the general reception of Part II in the first place. Despite the controversy, Part II undeniably pushed the envelope on video game storytelling, and it did that while making significant gameplay improvements to The Last of Us and showeri??ng us with eye-popping visuals.  

2021 - It Takes Two - Hazelight Studios

The Other Contenders

• Deathloop
• Metroid Dread
• Psychonauts 2
• Rachet & Clank: Rift Apart
• Resident Evil Village

It Takes Two really stands out among the other GotY winners because it's co-op only, a feature that’s as integral to the story as it is to the actual gameplay. It’s becoming harder to find good co-op games, especially ones with couch co-op as an option, and It Takes Two remains one of the very best options for playing with a friend? that there’s ever been. 

2022 - Elden Ring - FromSoftware

The Other Contenders

• God of War Ragnarök
• A Plague Tale: Requiem
• Stray
• Xenoblade Chronicles 3
• Horizon Forbidden West

Just three years after winning Game of the Year with Sekiro, FromSoftware was back at it with Elden Ring. We’ve got to pour one out for the Horizon franchise that just can’t seem to catch a break, but it’s hard to argue that Elden Ring didn’t earn the award. It not only created one of the biggest open worlds ever, but it filled that ?world with all kinds of secrets to discover, areas to explore, and bizarre NPCs to meet (and kill). 

2023 - Baldur’s Gate 3 - Larian Studios

The Contenders

• Alan Wake 2
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
• Resident Evil 4
• Super Mario Bros. Wonder

In the best and worst year for gaming, 9,000 pe?ople working in the in?dustry lost their jobs over the course of 2023, and at the same time we saw some incredible games debut. The level of detail, and the freedom of player expression in Baldur’s Gate 3 is absolutely mind-boggling, and it raises the bar for the ent?ire art form.

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The Game Awards 2023 concluded last night, with Baldur's Gate 3 taking home the trophy ?for Game of the Year. It was a big moment for Larian, and during the winner's speech, studio head Swen Vincke took time to ??honor those who put in so many hours and work, especially those who couldn't see this award.

"Along the way, we lost quite a few people also, so we want to dedicate this to all the people that we lost," Vincke said, specifically citing lead cinematic artist Jim Southworth, who died last month.

It was a touching moment, the kind that sticks with you from an awards show like this. And at the time, the prompter visible to speech winners displayed "Please wrap it up." As Axios' Stephen Totilo reports, this wrap-up sign would appear after 30 seconds?, and start blinki?ng after roughly 15 to 20.

For Vincke, at least, the play-off music did not start. Though if you watched the Awards last night, you ??probably heard it a few times. Developers of games released in 2023 got very little time on the stage, and that was for the few that made it up there; as with years past, many awards and winners were quickly read off in rapid succession. No speech. Only a short no??d, and then on to the next.

What we did see for great stretches of time on-stage were upcoming games. Projects that were new, unreleased, sometimes even nascent. In one of the more infamous moments of the night, Hideo Kojima and Jordan Peele took the stage to show off OD, a new... experience? I'm still not sure what it was, aside ??from a video of people's faces screaming and a door.

It was neat, and I've always loved a good tumble down the theory pit that comes from any Kojima teaser. But it was just people, talking on a stage, about a game. As Aftermath quick-mathed out, 13.5 30-second speeches could have taken place in the time ??that Kojima and Peele spent on stage. It was an awards show for 2023 that spent more time looking at unreleased games coming "soon" than games it was awardi??ng.

Speeches themselves have long been some of the most memorable, human moments of The Game Awards. Sure, Christopher Judge went a little long in his speech, but it was also a great one. Greg Miller's win for Trending Gamer in 2015 led to a great speech, calling for recognition of devs who don't always get to take the stage. Ryan Green's moving speech for winning the 2016 Games For Impact Award for That Dragon, Cancer still tears me up now, watching it years later.

Meanwhile, Neil Newbon's heartwarming acceptance from last night, about representation and fans feeling seen in Baldur's Gate 3 was met with a "wrap it up" and music. He wasn't the only one, either.

Showrunner Geoff Keighley has addressed this now, the day after, ??saying that the music was played ?"too fast" for award winners' speeches.

"By the way - I do agree that the music was played too fast for award winners this year, and I asked our team to relax that rule as the show went on," Keighley stated on Twitter. "While no one was actually cut off, it’s something to address going forward??."

And at this point in the blog, the more cynical among you might be wondering why I treat this as a shock. Because frankly, the show has been leaning this way for some time. Every year, it feels like the awards buckle further under the weight of expectations. The Game Awards constantly serve as both press conference, a la its summertime sibling Summer Game Fest, and as the "Oscars" of video games.

Every year, the disparity becomes more apparent. Developers were loud about the issues this year, too. Prominent people in the industry voiced their discontent, seeing a show op??t for star power over recognition.

"The Game Awards skipping through the awards and minimizing people's years of work just to play ten minutes of bland ads is a joke," said Clay Murphy, principal writer on Control and Alan Wake 2. "If th??is is going to be our industry's big award show the??n we should demand better."

And even going into the show, there were concerns The Game Awards 2023 wouldn't rise to the moment. "Great for video games, bad for the video game industry" has become a mantra for 2023. Layoffs ran rampant through the industry throughout 2023, seeing many workers who make the experiences the Awards laud lose their jobs, and even some studios fully shut down.

Keighley had addressed developer struggles before, citing one particular developer's own woes with their company, and responding to reports around Activision Blizzard by barring the company from that year's show, aside from nominations.

"I also realize we have a big platform which can accelerate and inspire change," Keighley wrote at the time. "We are committed to that, but we all need to work together to build a better ?and a more inclusive environment so everyone feels safe to build the world’s best games."

Members of the Future Class, The Game Awards' program to highlight the "bright, bold and inclusive" future of video games, signed an open letter urging the Awards to comment on the ongoing crisis in Gaza. As Kotaku's Ethan Gach notes, it seems like an old tweet where The Game A??wards account acknowledged the invasion of Ukraine was deleted at some point, between its original posting and now, though screencaps have preserved it. Neither Gaza, n??or the wave of layoffs, were mentioned.

It would be incredibly easy for a viewer to ask, why should The Game Awards address this at all? The stick-to-video-games mentality, much like stick-to-sports, makes it easy to just focus on how ?th??e night should be a fun time for all, without all that "other stuff" involved.

For one, I don't think it's too much to ask more of the industry's awards show. In fact, it'd really be asking the show to live up to its own premise. As stated on The Game Awards' website?, it is a show that "recognizes and upholds creative and technical e?xcellence in the global video game industry."

"We bring together a diverse group of game developers, game pla??yers, and notable names from popular culture to celebrate and advance gaming's position as the most immersive, challenging and inspiring form of entertainment," reads the awards show's About page. "We strive to recognize those who improve the wellbeing of the community and elevate voices that represent the future of the medium."

In some ways, it lives up to that; there were certainly notable names from popular culture, and the Future Class itself is a program I like, for the recognition it offers. (The seats they give them should be better, though.)

But for a show meant to recognize excellence, to acknowledge that which has been achieved and not that which could be achieve??d, it falls short??. It felt like, as some have more succinctly put it, Winter E3.

There are other options out there, ones that do feel more representative of the achievement one would like to see. The DICE Awards, the Game Developers Choice Awards, and the BAFTAs all seem to nail it. Shows like The Spawnies work?? to uplift and celebrate developers from underrepresented c?ommunities.

But they, quite frankly, don't have the same save-the-date pull for a broader audience that The Game Awards has. The Game Awards p??ut itself in this position, maneuvering to be the biggest annual representation of the industry's ac?hievements, and that position does—or at least, should—entail responsibility.

Developers voiced that they were feeling let down, after a year where some of the industry's fi??nest work was met with hardship and constraints. Their struggles were not acknowledged, and their wins were hardly given time to sink in. Instead,? Keighley iterated multiple times throughout the show that it was a great year for gaming. And now, here's Gonzo.

The post The Game Awards 2023 fell short of honoring its own ??industry appeared first on Destructoid.

With The Game Awards just around the corner, Sega has teased a new game announcement at the event. Sending teaser letters to fighting game content creators, it points towards a Virtua Fighter 6 reveal at Geoff Keighley's show.

On social media, content creators like Curiousjoi and Maximillian Dood have been posting images of said a press mailer they've received, a post?card that reads "New Era New Energy. Make sure to tune in to The Game Awards December 7th."

Maximillian Dood says on his Twi??tter post, "Curious,?? have these gone out to others that are NOT huge fighting game creators?"

One of the replies from Brodoof shows a screenshot from one of the Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown trailers. It has the same exact font, but the color is red instead of blue. This has led many to speculate the press mailing is setting the stage for something new in the Virtua Fighter franchise.

Sega could be planning a new Virtua Fighter with rollback netcode

One of the most important aspects of a modern fighting game is having a great rollback netcode. It lets play??ers around the world battle it out and participate in tournaments online.

"I believe that implementing rollback will be absolutely necessary when developing future titles," said Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown producer Seiji Aoki when interviewed by Gamer Braves.

"W??hile it’s important to create content for fighting game fans, I think it’s important to also create content that viewers or newcomers to the fighting genre can enjoy," Aoki said in the same interview when asked about how to keep the game interesting for both new and returning fans and how they're approaching the eSports aspect of the industry. "For example, I can’t play soccer, bu??t I love watching soccer."

It's just a waiting game now for eager fans to learn if Sega will revive the beloved Virtua Fighter franchise at The Game Awards.

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I’m not surprised that The Game Awards has put games like Dave the Diver and Dredge on their list of nominations for the “Best Independent? Game�award, but I am very, very disapp?ointed.

That’s not to say that Dave the Diver is a bad game undeserving of an award. It’s just not indie. Its developer and publisher, Mintrocket, is a direct subsidiary of Nexon. The South Korean game publisher has an annual revenue in the billions of dollars. That’s not indie.

Dredge has more claim to the category of indie. Its publisher, Team17, considers itself an "indie publisher," a label not exclusive to them. However, Team17 is a publicly traded company that raked in over 137 million pounds in 2022. At? what point is a publisher no longer considered an indie publisher? That's hard to say.

As an award, “Best Independent Game�should be a place where smaller developers who finance their games without the financial backing of a major company can find some recognition. However, with Dave the Diver on the list of nominees, The Game Awards is signaling that any major corporation can ??produce a game with pixel art graphics to buy away that?? recognition.

Splashed right across The G?ame Awards' nominees page for "Best Independent Game" is the definition, "For outstanding creative and technical achievement in a game made outside the traditional publisher system." The "traditional publisher system" isn't entirely defined, but if we go by the definition that most industries go by, it means works published without those outside agreements at all. From artist to market, essentially.

Four of the five games nominated involve a publisher. Only one of them does not, which is Sea of Stars. That sort of makes it sound like successful games without publishers are a rarity, which is entirely false. There are plenty of popular and successful games that distinguish themselves on their own. Even this year, without having to dig too deep, El Paso, Elsewhere and Slay the Princess were both independent games that have received acclaim. They are actually made outside the "traditional publisher system."

However, it may be acceptable or even prudent to consider games that go through an “indie game publisher�to actually be "outside the traditional publisher system." This is because some of these publishers don’t actually provide financial backing to the studios under their label. Sometimes, independent developers will go through them to get their games pub??lished on storefronts like the PlayStation Store, the Nintendo eShop, or even Steam. Other times, the pub??lisher will just help with PR.

But that’s exactly where things get murky. Publishers and developers rarely disclose what their relationships entail. It’s also uncommon for those deals to reveal budgets behind their games, especially if that publisher is privately owned. It would be extremely difficult for publications to gatekeep and allow the?? spotlight to fall? on actual independent developers who need it.

It would help if publications and the public, in general, pushed for better categorization of games. Right now, the two big catch-alls we have are AAA and indie. While AAA games are better defined by the size of their budget and indie games by their team’s independence, there’s no true in-between. Where does RoboCop: Rogue City fall? 

Some refer to that sort of game as a “AA gameâ€?or even a “B game,â€?but I don’t know why we’d want to categorize g??ames like theyâ€?™re cuts of meat. Beyond that, good luck getting a publisher or PR firm to describe a game as “AA.â€?It implies that they are inferior products. I personally use the term “smaller budgetâ€?because it sounds more like a possible point of pride.

Meanwhile, h??ow do you define a game that is made by an independent or solo developer who has financial backing from a publisher? There’s a pretty clear line there, but we don’t have separate terms, which is vexing. Though, it’s vexing in a way that isn’t unique to video game??s. Music and film have both struggled with a firm categorization for independent productions. Solutions in those spheres have also been argued for years with no resolution. Video games may be doomed to the same.

What really irks me about the situation is the fact that the actual ind?ependent sphere of games is absolutely massive. The problem is that actually getting the word out is immensely difficult; perhaps the most difficult part of independent game development. Even the most promising concepts with the b??est execution can have a lot of trouble getting the ear of content creators or journalists.

That’s kind of why something like an indie category in an award production is so important to small developers. Winning an award, especially in something as big as The Game Awards, can be a huge boost for a small te??am. Not only does it get a lot of eyes on the game itself, but being a?ble to advertise the win on a game’s store page can help sell it.

Me?anwhile, Nexon has more money than the Gods of Lucre. The company can afford ads, a big PR firm, and the reach to easily get the eyes of the press and content creators alike. It doesn't need “Best Independent Game Award 2023�on its store pages to sell games. Nexon's marketing budget alone is something small, independent studios can’t compete with.

With Nexon copping an aesthetic we commonly associate with independent games, Dave the Diver gets to compete with developers far beneath its financial weight class. Whether intentional or not, it gives Dave the look of a? plucky underdog you can root for, but really, he's a big-league player batting in a little-league game.

It's the same thing we see in film awards �a well-known actor with no shot at any "best lead" wins can easily run home with the "best supporting" title. In music, artists hop between genres and collect accolades they've got no business competing for. But again, that’s nothing against Dave the Diver specifically. It’s a worthwhile game.

I’m not going to tell you all of this without at least throwing out some ideas on how to fix it. Now, before I outline it, I want to emphasize that I’m just brainstorming here. I’m pulling the “there are no bad ideasâ€?card. Even though I’ve been pondering the subjec??t for a long time now, this isn’t something that I’ve been carefully considering and revising.

With that said, I think we should take a page fr??om the music industry. Here are my proposed categories:

• Independent - No publisher
• Alternative - Small budget with publisher
• Mainstream - Big budget

There. Team17 can call themselves an alt-publisher, which sounds trendy. Dave the Diver can compete with the alternative crowd. Indie developers who spent their life savings just to feed themselves during development might actually get some recognition. We can say that Five Nights at Freddy’s w??as an indie game that broke into the mainstream space. Ideally, we would have a fourth category, but baby steps here. No need to frighten Geoff ??Keighley.

There isn’t going to be a single solution that makes everyone happy, and I get that. But if there’s one thing that I hope most people can agree with, it’s that Dave the Diver shouldn’t be anywhere near the independent category. Developers who have to pay their bills with the sales of their games shouldn’t have to compete wit??h a multi-billion dollar corporation.

Not that I typically ever agree with T?he Game Awards in the first place, but that’s a di?fferent matter entirely.

The post The Game Award nominations are more proof we need to redefine ‘indie’ appeared first on Destructoid.

As 2023 comes to a close, the games industry once again prepares for another ceremony recognizing the year's line-up of adventures that made us laugh, cry, and everything in between. While we all have our ?personal lists, The Game Awards (TGA) packages that into something a little more formal.

We've crafted our way through Hyrule, rolled in the Forgotten Realms, explored the Settled Systems, and swung through New York?. As a massive celebration of video games, TGA acts as a sign-off and spotlight for things to come. With its formal list of nominees planned for a November 13 reveal, I figured I'd highlight a few of 2023's dark horse candidates. Commit the box ar?t to memory 'cause I'm hoping for some snubs, surprises, and success stories out of these.

Sea of Stars (Sabotage Studio)

It's an understatement to say Sea of Stars hit big upon release. Created by Game Award winner Sabotage Studio (The Messenger), the RPG felt like it came out of nowhere and surprised everyone, myself included. It's a turn-based 2D RPG harkening back to classics like Chrono Trigger in more ways than one. Andrea Shearon, who reviewed Sea of Stars and awarded it a 9/10, noted? how it manages not only to capture what made ret??ro-RPGs special but also charts its own path.

As for what titles it may run for, it's no stretch to pin it in the Game of the Year category. Its Metacritic score, 91, ranks second among the other contenders here. There's plenty else it works as a nominee for, too, like Best Indie Game, Best RPG, Best Soundtrack, and Best Art Direction. One that wouldn't be too surprising to see it up for is Best Game Direction, as, for an indie studio, the amount of work and polish Sea of Stars has is impressive. There are plenty of stars in the sky right now, but this o?ne might outshine others just enough.

The second indie on this list, Mintrocket's Dave the Diver captured hearts (and fish) aplenty when it arrived in June. The subnautical adventures of deep-sea diver and sushi restaurant manager Dave as he fishes for the best product was a sleeper hit on PC. Its endearing themes, beautiful graphics, and fun gameplay got many critics (including Christine Choi) 'hooked'. Now, with its release on Nintendo Switch, many?? more people have taken the dive and fallen in love with its variety and charm.

Dave the Diver has a little edge over some due to its massive popularity and continued updates. Of course, the pixel art and graphics are prime for a nod in Best Art Direction. It's easily one for Best Indie Game and Best Debut Indie Game, too, as this is Mintrocket's first game. We may see it given a Best Direction nomination, as some indie studios made the mark in years past. Most recently, BlueTwelve Studio was nominated for its indie darling Stray last year and, in years past, games like Hades and Outer Wilds have garnered a spot in the category.

Like a Beyonce album, Hi-Fi Rush dropped out of nowhere and surprised everybody. Created by Tango Gameworks (The Evil Within), the action-rhythm game was revealed and released the same day on Game Pass. It follows Chai, a wannabe rockstar with a 'heart' for music, dismantling a large corporation alongside a team of fun misfits with his trusty scrap-metal guitar and killer beat. The rhythm-based gameplay was a hit with many critics, including Cheri Faulkner, who applauded the creativity. For audiences, the art style and characters were charming and kept us moving a??nd groo?ving to its fantastic soundtrack.

There is a possibility that Hi-Fi Rush could get some big nods this Game Awards. As the game was available on Game Pass, the title's got a sizeable reach. Nominations for Best Art Direction, Best Audio Design, and Best Soundtrack seem like easy targets for the music-based game. With the game being the last for iconic director Shinji Mikami (Resident Evil 4, God Hand), Hi-Fi Rush easily makes the case for a? Best Direction nod. Either way, the rock n' roll adventure is sure to hit some high notes come nominations Monday.

Out of all the titles on this list, Cocoon may be the most silent but deadly. The Annapurna Interactive-published platformer blossomed from lead Inside and Limbo gameplay designer Jeppe Carlsen. As a world-hopping beetle, you'll explore various settings via mysterious orbs and solve puzzles to unlock the universe's secrets. Cocoon boasts a 92 on Metacritic, ranking the best of these entries and even some AAA releases this year. Much like the games Jeppe has been part of, Cocoon has followed suit in becoming a staple indie gem.

While indies are a bit foreign for big categories, it's possible Cocoon could sneak up and take some giants down. Best Debut Indie and Best Indie are gimmes. There are strong contenders for Best Soundtrack, Best Art Direction, and Best Game Direction, but the high praise from critics may lead to it being in at least one. Furthermore, when it comes to Game of the Year, indies have been known to sneak in there occasionally, like 2022's Stray and 2020's Hades. Cocoon is one of those titles that may do just that.

Much like its predecessor, Octopath Traveler II continues its reign as a beacon for 2.5D titles. The classic RPG charm from decades ago shines here as the sequel maintains its eight unique protagonists, gorgeous music, and beautiful art style. This time, though, it essentially one-uped the original with more intertwined narratives and new gameplay mechanics. Eric Van Allen found the title captivating, with loads of content and a landmark title for the fairly new franchise. Octopath Traveler II sets the bar for 2.5D games and shows that classic RPGs never went out of styl?e; they've just evolved.

At the 2018 Game Awards, Octopath Traveler was nominated for Best Art Direction, Best Soundtrack, and Best RPG. This year, we may have a case of deja vu. I predict Octopath Traveler II will find itself back in its predecessor's nominated categories. Much of the game's praise revolves around its classic RPG gameplay and 2.5D art direction, all done with a fantastic soundtrack. Like the rest of the entries, its competition is very solid but not irreplaceable. To that end, Octopath Traveler II could stand up to ??those and earn a highly-coveted spot.

French for ebb (the motion of waves), Jusant paints a new horizon for Don't Nod. The company known for narrative-driven titles like Tell Me Why and Life is Strange took a risk when announcing a rock-climbing platformer as their next title. However, people fell ??in love with its simple and endearing gameplay and art style, alongside its ??usage of environmental storytelling.

As a lone wanderer, you climb up an abandoned tower and discover relics of another time. Smangaliso Simelane highl??ights the simplistic yet thoughtful gameplay, as it makes for a wholesome and pleasurable experience. Jusant is proof that Don't Nod can go outside the box, and this is just the tip of the iceberg for new ideas and concepts.

With Jusant's recent release, it may hinder its chances at big nominations. However, Don't Nod's departure from the norm and risk-taking could pay off. The game's narrative is a hit or miss for some, but truth be told, it's reminiscent of Shadow of the Colossus in terms of using the environment as a narrative device. In terms of its direction, both art and game, it's the risks that come in, as the sim?plistic art and gameplay make for an accessible experience.

The post The dark horse candidates for Th??e Game Awards 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

It's that time of year again! The nominations reveal for The Game Awards, happening on Dece??mber 7, will occur on Monday, November 13, with tickets available now.

According to Geoff's tweet, over 30 categories will be announced, including the highly-anticipated Game of the Year. This year has seen many acclaimed games, with titles such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kigndom, Baldur's Gate III, and Alan Wake 2 making big waves. Last year, the Game of the Year went to FromSoftware's Elden Ring. It'll be interesting t??o see what gets nominated this year, as well as what dark horses and ?snubs may appear, much like years past.

For those who want to experience the show in-person, tickets are now available for purchase.?? The event will take place at the Peacock Theater. Previous years had the show at Microsoft Theater, but no reason was given for the new location. Ticket prices range from $81 to $181, depending on where you c??hoose to sit in the Orchestra section.

Star?ting in 2014, The Game Awards, created by Geoff Keighley, is in its 10th year. While the event did exist prior in the form of 2013's VGX ?and Spike Video Game Awards, the show was a little loose with its presentation. In years since, The Game Awards have become a bit more prestigious, and now loosely resembles other music and movie award shows.

Still, expect many big announcements, much like years prior. Famous announcements in the past include Xbox Series X, Death Stranding 2, and Joker from Persona 5 in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

The post Nomi?nations for The Game Award?s 2023 coming November 13 appeared first on Destructoid.

You can circle December 7 on your calendar, as that's when The Game Awards will be held. This is the tenth annual show, and it'll take place in the Peacock Theatre, Los Angeles, at 04:30 PM PT. You'll have several options when it comes to how you want to watch the show, as it'll be streamed on several platforms including Twitter, Twitch, a??nd YouTube.

There are plenty of game awards ceremonies around, but few are as viewed as The Game Awards. Last year, the show earned itself a recor?d-setting 103 million global ??livestreams. The nominees are selected by a jury consisting of over a hundred media publications and influencers around the world, and winners are decided by a combination of jury and fan votes.

You'll have to wait a little longer to discover which games have been nominated and for further information regarding ticket sales. With as many massive releases as there have been this year, competition is?? sure to be tight in all categories.

In 2022, Elden Ring won four awards, including Game of the Year while Stray nabbed two awards, including Best Indie Debut Game. God of War Ragnarok had 11 nominatio?ns, the mo?st of any game, and it had 6 wins, including Best Narrative, Best Score and Music, and Best Performance.

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Day of the Devs has announced that th??ey’ll be highlighting indie games in Day of the Devs: Game Awards Edition. This will put smaller developers in the spotlight on December 6th in a livestream as part of the weeklong Game Awards celebration.

Ugh, I hate to be reminded of the Game Awards. Part of my distaste for them is because they make such a token effort to recognize smaller developers who make contributions to the industry. The difference between a AAA game and everything else isn’t quality; it’s budget. The Game Awards feels like an extension of the corporate side of g??aming, where indies are seen more as a crucible for ideas that might be profitable on a larger level.

Day of the Devs, on the other hand, is a bit easier to appreciate. It’s helmed by Double Fine and iam8bit, who at least have an appreciation for the artistry in gaming. The Day of the Devs: Game Awards Edition also allows anyone to submit their games for consid?eration (before September 20th) without a financial barrier for entry.

The form doesn’t really define what they consider “indie,�which is a bit concerning since people apply the label pretty widely these days. Dave the Diver, for example, is often described as indie production. But the developer, Mintrocket, is a division of Nexon Korea Corporation, which has a net income in the billions.

So, here’s hoping that Day of the Devs: Game Awards Edition recognizes some hot indie games that actually need it. As a note, the usual Day of the Devs show that normally takes place in San Fr?ancisco in November is being pushed back a fe??w months to early 2024.

Day of the Devs: Game Awards Edition will livestream on December 6th, 2023. The Game Awar??ds proper follows after on Dec?ember 7, 2023.

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The Game Awards are more popular than ever

The Game Awards actually turned out to be a good show this time around, at least compared to previous years, and it seems the fans agree �Geoff Keighley announced via his Twitter that The Game Awards in 2022 "hit a new viewership milestone" of "103 million livestreams," making it "the most-watched Game Awards in history." Keighley goes on to detail some of the stats in the thread under his tweet, including that Twitter's stream? of the event was a hit this year with 11.5 million viewers, and that the Steam Deck giveaway drew 9.5 million vi??ewers to the platform's native stream, with a peak of over 850K concurrent viewers.

That's a staggering number of people who tuned in, and I have my own theories as to what caused the numbers to skyrocket this year. One of them is that there were some rivalries heating up this year, particularly with fans of Elden Ring pitted against God of War Ragnarok, and Sonic fans against Genshin Impact. The fandoms were squabbling in the weeks leading up to the awards, so it's likely more people than usual tuned in to see if their "tea??m" won.

//twitter.com/geoffkei?ghley/status/160379??7471653957632

Then there's the fact that musicians like Halsey and Hozier performed. I'm su?re there were a good portion of gam?ers who don't know who they are, but I'd bet money that some viewers who don't even play games tuned in just to watch their favorite artists onstage. If I know anything about Hozier and Halsey fans, it's that they are loyal as hell. Finally, games are just becoming more and more popular all the time, so it makes sense to me that the live events surrounding the hobby would be garnering more attention as well.

Look, I know that we're all tired of talking about The Game Awards for the year, but I have to admit that this is a pretty impressive milestone. The 2022 Super Bowl had a staggering 99.8 million viewers, and TGA was able to top that easily this year. I don't know if that has more to say about sports fans or gamers, but the fact that one of the year's biggest gaming events was able to surpass one of the biggest sporting events of the year in viewers only further solidifies the trend of Gen Z being far less interested in sports than the generations before them.

The post Geoff Keighley says The Game Awards “hit a new viewership milestone” this year appeared first on Destructoid.

Are we looking at our new antagonist?

During last week's Game Awards, we were introduced to four more characters headed to Capcom's Street Fighter 6 �And while we were able to gleam some?? information on Dee Jay, Manon, and Marisa, one particular newcomer remains shrouded in unnerving mystery �the suave gentleman J.P.

We know very, very little about this eldery gent, aside from the fact that he is an extremely rich and powerful individual, essentially holding court over his off-grid nation of Nayshall. Though clearly a man of poise and presence, we are left concerned by his seemingly casual control of what appears to be Psycho Power, the dangerous and ethereal spirit that fueled long-time antagonist M. Bison. And if that wasn't enough, J.P.'s overall sense of style and personal interests, (including his cat, Cybelle), suggest a fascination with Gaian powers and secret societies, perhaps revealing a link to SF III's Illuminati.

//youtu.be/ilw0xDkfk2Q

From the above video, we can see that J.P.'s fighting style is similar to that of characters such as M. Bison and G, essentially ??a very steady and slowly paced movement combined with the conjuring of powerful energy with a mere flick of the wrist. With the aid of his ornate cane, J.P. can attack from long range and even from ben?eath, while also setting up mobile traps around the stage itself. J.P.s Critical Art sees him toss his opponent like a piece of garbage, before ending their day with a blast of his mysterious power.

From his mysterious demeanor to his unknown hometown, from his seeming adoption of Psycho Power to his fascination with ancient deities, all signs point to J.P. perhaps being the main antagonist of Street Fighter 6. Of course, we'll have to wait a little longer to find out for sure what the core plot for the new sequel is, but when you take a look at the launch roster and all characters revealed to date, this International Man of Mystery seems a snug bet to be the main threat to the new Street Fighter universe.

Street Fighter 6 launches on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox July 2, 2023. Be sure to check out our other reports on Manon, Dee Jay, and Marisa, as well as 50 things I loved about the beta, CJ Andriessen’s experience with the Modern control system, and a list of Do’s and Do Not Do’s for the new sequel.

The post Sinister Style: ?Introducing?? Street Fighter 6 newcomer J.P. appeared first on Destructoid.

The Game Awards in person are a doozy

Last month, I got a mysterious email in my inbox. What's that? I was being invited to be a seat filler at The Game Awards? There's no way this is legit. Oh wait, it is l?egit? Okay, I guess I can't pass up on an opportunity to go to TGAs fo??r free, right? Right. At least I'll get some good content out of it.

For those who don't know (because I certainly didn't when I got that email), seat fillers are people that go to large, televised events like the Oscars or, in this case, The Game Awards, and sit in seats that are visible onscreen that would otherwise be empty. You're basically a placeholder, and can be moved around if you're in someone's seat who comes late, or if they need people to fill out the front rows while presenters or award recipients ?go backstage. There are other scenarios too, but the gist is that you're there to make the auditorium look as full as possible.

Luckily, I'm local

Living in Los Angeles, I'm lucky enough to be local to a lot of events in games, and The Game Awards is one of them. With traffic, it was only a fairly short drive to get there, and I felt especially thankful for that after being reminded that some people flew across the country, or even around the world, to be there for the event. Of course, I had to get a new dress for the occasion �for those who care, it was a bl?azer dress with rhinesto?ne lightning bolts on the lapels, which felt like the most Game Awards-y thing I could possibly find. I'll take any excuse to dress up all fancy that ??I can get.

After my friend and I arrived and found our way to the line for seat fillers. We were standing in a line outside the theater, turns out?? there was some logistical issue inside. No worries, we can wait. Oh hey, another friend! We walked back to join her in line behind us?, along with some of her coworkers.

We got to talking, and I found myself thinking: I may be a games journalist, but I understand that they didn't reach out to me with an industry ticket. There are a lot of us, and you can't get everyone. What I did find odd, however, was that my friend and her colleagues were being honored as part of the 2022 Game Awards Future Class (a group of "50 inspiring individuals who represent the bright, bold and inclusive future of video games"), and yet they weren't given "real" ticke?ts, but instead attended the show as seat fillers. But I digress.

There was also a Master Chief cosplayer out front, which was fun to see. He did take off his mask after a while, and it felt weird to look at him. I get that a man needs to breathe, but the already fragile ill?usion was almost instantly shattered. I ?guess he was trying to save it for when the "real" guests started arriving.

Taking our seats

Once we finally got inside and made it through the ??security checkpoint, they counted us off into a group and gave us a quick briefing before taking us into the auditorium proper. Basically, our job was to leave two seats empty for every group of four people, and we could be moved at a moment's notice if they needed us to. I grew up attending a megachurch for the majority of my formative years, so playing musical chairs in a giant auditorium and listening to the every command of an usher is a strong suit of mine. It was almost like I was back home.

As we settled into our seats, I could finally take a breath and take in the atmosphere. I w??ill say, they spare no expense at the production value. The stage had those tunnels on their side with screens behind them, and you could see from the audience that the large, seemingly free-floating metal bars ??that made up the tunnels were actually suspended by metal wire... things? I have no idea what to call it, but I do know that it looked pretty cool.

We were also seated three rows from the little stage platform that's off to the side, which was neat, because we could turn around and see whoever was standing there quite closely. As a casual fan of fashion, I was delighted to see Sydnee Goodman's bright pink, feathery dress from that close, and we could also see that she was wearing Louboutins with the highest heel they make them in �a shoe that is notorious for being one of the most uncomfortable you can possibly wear, while also being one of the most coveted designer heels. Good on you, Sydnee; ther?e's no way I could walk in those all night.

The trailers started soon enough, and thinking we would simply be watching a good portion of the show on the smaller screens on their side of the stage, I was shocked to see a giant LED screen lower into the center of the stage itself. It was massive, and I can't understate enough just how much it added to the hype, along with the trailers being blasted into an auditorium with eno?ugh bass to make my ears ring the rest of the night.

Of course, it also helped to be in said auditorium with hundreds, if not thousands of other video game fans (the place wasn't entirely full so it's hard to say). There's absolutely something to be said about having the energy of all those other peo??ple in the room with you. The Game Awards are kind of like a concert in that regard �the stage and lights certainly look cooler in person, but what really makes seeing it in person worthwhile is the electricity that you can only get from a live event. I thought for sure the event organizers would tell us in our briefing to mak?e sure we were clapping and looking excited, but as someone who easily gets swept up in the hype, that was not a problem for me in the slightest.

Showtime!

Geoff Keighley came out in a fancy blue velvet suit, although considering he's the host, it certainly could have been more well-tailored. I hate to say it, but the rivalry between Geoff and Josef Fares lives on, because Josef's suit was so immaculately cut that he kind of showed Geoff up in the f?ashion department. Just saying.

Seeing Al Pacino live was certainly a real treat. It was very cool to see Christopher Judge receive his award, but I have to admit that?? it was kind of funny to turn around and see the sign flashing for him to wrap ??it up... only for it to keep flashing, and flashing, and flashing.

Highlights from the World Premiere trailers for me were absolutely Hades II and Judas. Both of those trailers started out with the logos from their respective studios, and seeing those names immediately sent my friend and me into raucous cheers. If you've never gotten to yell for your favorite game studio like they're a sports team in your life, I highly recommend you do so at any given opportunity, because it's a very freeing and cathartic experience. I was also screaming my head off for Immortality to grab Best Na??rrative, bu??t alas, we can't win 'em all.

The musical performances were a highlight for sure, because not only am I a fan of both Hozier and Halsey, but they both looked and sounded great. The stage looked amazing as well �fake snow started falling from the ceiling during Hozier's performance of his song from God of War, and Halsey performed a new song for Diablo IV, and was accompanied by a legion of dark monks, or something? I don't know, I don't really play Diablo. I also have to shout out the guy during the Hozier performance down front and center with the hurdy-gurdy. The performe??rs all did an excellent job, and their songs actually related to the games this year, so bonus points for that.

It was nice every once in a while to see someone get to come up to accept their awards �I particularly enjoyed hearing from Bear McCreary, winner of the Best Score/Music for God of War Ragnarok, and Caroline Marchal, accepting on behalf of As Dusk Falls ?for the Games for Impact award. However, as we've all come to expect, those moments were few are far between. Most of the awards were given offscreen and rushed through without so much as a?? pause. I say it every year, but it's such a shame that a Game Awards show doesn't focus more on actually giving out awards, which is supposed to be the whole point of the event. But whatever.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA7gxqXpV-M

During the commercials, they simply play the commercials on the screens to the sides of the stage while they ?set up?? for whatever is coming next. Most of my behind-the-scenes knowledge comes from the game development side of things, so I know very little about how live events like awards shows are run. I found my own fun a lot of the time by getting a peek of a cameraman roaming around the house and the stage to get his shots, and it was pretty hilarious to watch Geoff jog to get to his mark before he was back on. Sometimes it ruins the magic to see how the sausage is made, but from my view, getting even the smallest glimpse into how these shows are run was a pretty good time for me.

How much longer?

After we crossed hour two, though, things were starting to get a bit tedious. We were seeing fewer and fewer awards given out, and soon only Game of the Year was on the horizon. As we got bombarded with trailer after trailer, I felt myself slowing. A man in the row behind us had fully fallen asleep in his seat by this point. I also really had to use the restroom after slamming a cocktail in the lobby before the show (which they sell, but don't allow in the theater), so I was reaching a point of desperation as the minutes ticked down. Geoff s?aid explicitly that the show was only going to be 2.5 hours, but it clocked in at 3.5.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHAUcP4PZjo

Of course, the big moment finally arrived: the Game of the Year award. Josef was right when he introduced the Game Awards Orchestra, because I did indeed get goosebumps as they played their overture. I thought Elden Ring was absolutely deserving of GOTY, and it was really nice to s??ee how touched Hidetaka Miyazaki was to have received the award.

Then, of course, there's the instance everyone was talking abou??t: that random kid who walked up to the mic. There was a moment of awkward silence as he spoke into the mic to no avail, and I think it's safe to say that not a single person in that room had any idea what was going on. Then they turned the mic on and, well, that didn't seem to clear things up either. Considering the staff was on top of things all night from my perspective, I'm shocked he was even able to get up there, but hey, these things happen.

...And that's our show

And just like that, a frazzled Geoff signed us off, and the show was over. I filed out of the nearest door like everyone else out into the chilly December night air, and it was all over in a flash. I enjoyed ?my experience, for the most part, but I'm not sure if I would do it again. Going to an awards show is admittedly exhausting for a hom?ebody like me, and it's tempting to return to my home viewing of the show in my pajamas.

I also didn't realize the staff never moved us around at all ?during the show, which is what I had come to expect as a seat filler. Part of me was a lit?tle bit bummed to miss out on that extra little bit of excitement from the experience, and it also would have maybe been a good opportunity to get to the restroom mid-show. I guess we did what they needed though, so it all worked out in the end.

The Game Awards was a better show than usual this time around in terms of both acts, trailers, and an overall decrease in cringe, but a lot of that simply comes down to what trailers developers are ready to show, and what games came out over the preceding year. The production value is impressive, if nothing else, which is likely how The Game Awards gained some of its legitimacy in the first place. At the end of the day, though, it's another vehicle for companies to try to sell us stuff, and parts of the experience certainly feel heartless in that sense. The key word here is "parts," because I'm still not ready to give up on the idea that The Game Awards could become more focuse?d on actually supporting and celebrating developers in time.

Even though the rest of my night turned into a whirlwind adventure of its ??own, seeing the Awards themselves in pers??on is an experience I'll never forget. Until next year, Keighley.

The post I was a seat filler at The Game Awards â€?here’s how it went appeared first on Destructoid.

Fatal Fashionista

During last week's Game Awards festivities, we were given our first look at some more newcomers headed to Capcom's upcoming slugger Street Fighter 6. While we'??ve already met, (and even got our hands on) characters such as Luke and Jamie. The new trailer offered up four new faces, one familiar, and three complete strangers. Today, we'll take a brief look at multi-talented mauler, Manon.

/?/www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilw0xDkfk2Q&ab_channel=StreetFighter

Hailing from France, (one of surprisingly few World Warriors to do so), Manon already wears many hats as a part of her young life. Not only is this newcomer a highly skilled martial artist, but she is also a classically trained dancer, specializing in the art of Ballet. In addition, Manon works as a model, her beauteous visage plastering the pages of fashion mags far and wide. A world-class? judoka, Manon wears her gold medal with pride, having blended her fighting, dancing, ??and catwalk abilities to make herself, essentially, the deadliest model alive.

While Manon is yet to receive a full trailer, we can see from various clips posted by Capcom that she is an acrobatic grappler �perhaps similar in design to an R. Mika or a Laura Matsuda. Manon utilizes her long and sinewy limbs to capt??ure her opponent, pulling them in close for a devastating array of throws. Manon's ballet skills afford her fluid and distracting movement, along with delicate grace �juxtapose??d against her bone-breaking judo skills. Always at home in front of the camera, Manon will always take the opportunity to strike a pose when the possibility arises, and apparently leads her hapless opponent to do the same!

??//twitter.co??m/StreetFighter/status/1602121056193433601?s=20&t=RJFMxxseHe7frDFDkwlvnA

Manon certainly seems a strange cat, and perhaps the lithest grappler in Street Fighter history. Her ability to essentially "rope in" escaping opponents with her limbs is a fascinating mechanic, and her long arms and legs make her a threat at deceptive ranges. But, ever the superstar, our girl is always ready to vogue for the camera, ensuring that every avenue and alleyw?ay of Metro City becomes her runway.

Street Fighter 6 launches on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox July 2, 2023. Be sure to check out our other reports on the game in its current state, 50 things I loved about the beta, as well as CJ Andriessen’s experience with the Modern control system, and a list of Do’s and Do Not Do’s for the new sequel.

The post Exquisite Violence: Introdu?cing Street Fighter 6 new??comer Manon appeared first on Destructoid.

The Green & Black brand says hold tight

Last week's Game Award festivities were certainly filled to bursting point with trailers, updates, reveals, and wooorld premierees �But while many of the titles on show are prepping themselves for launch on PlayStation, PC, and/or Nintendo Switch, there was a distinct lack of Xbox exclusive titles, or games that in develo??pment at Xbox-adjacent studios.

After the curtain fell on Keighley-fest '22, some Xbox fans took to social media to express their concern, disappointed that they didn't walk away with their own Death Stranding 2, Forspoken, or Bayonetta Origins. Vice President of Xbox Marketing, Aaron Greenberg, seemingly took note of this, and soon popped up on Twitter with a brief message hoping to re??assure Xbox One and Xbox Series X/?S owners.

"We have a lot planned to show and s?hare about an incredibly exciting year ahead for 2023," wrote Greenberg. "Appreciate folks are eager to learn and see more. Timing is always key, but don’t worry you ?will not have to wait too long for what’s next from us."

//twit?t??er.com/aarongreenberg/status/1601117207173308416?s=20&t=RFFQrIZKZ3QP1HrAzds1sw

Accompanying the tweet was a short sizzle reel, though admittedly most of the titles featured on the reel are either already out (Grounded, Sea of Thieves, Halo Infinite), are multiplatform (A Plague Tale: Requiem, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty), or both �with only Arkane's Redfall pulling exclusivity duty. What it appears Xbox fans are looking for are solid, exclusive "killer apps", or at least franchises, in much the same way PlayStation often sews up titles in the Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, and Horizon franchises.

Of course, Xbox as a brand has other concerns right now, and it's not difficult to imagine that right now everybody on the board is laser-focused on the turbulent Microsoft/Activision Blizzard merger. Should that deal come to pass, it brings with it the mighty Call of Duty, a definite feather in the cap for the Xbox brand. However, with almost certainty that concessions will be made to benefit PlayStation, and with Call of Duty no?t appealing to an entire playerbase, even this top-tier deal might not assuage Team Xbox.

The post Where was Xbox at The Game Awards 2022? appeared first on Destructoid.

This is My Dune... So clear off.

You wait decades for a brand-new Dune video game, and then two come along at once! Yes in addition to the 2022 strategy title Dune: Spice Wars, Funcom has released pre-alpha footage of an upcoming MMO set within the arrid planes of Arrakis: Dune: Awakening.

As demonstrated at yesterday's Game Awards, Dune: Awakening will see players the world over attempt to thrive, or merely survive, in the cut-throat dystopian world of Frank Herbert's iconic sci-fi series. Starting out as a desperate survivor wandering the hazardous horizons, players will guide their custom characters in a quest for shelter, water, d??efense, companionship, and the ultimate desire of the Arrakian world: Spice.

//www?.youtube.com/watch?v=Ixq-y_r-lkE&ab_channel=Funcom

From there, savvy survivalists will be able to build and trade among their local community, gain favor of the Great Houses, build and equip an arsenal of weaponry, work with spice harvesting corporations, and build themselves up among the corporations and nobility that holds fort over the lucrative lands. Of course, you might just get eaten by a?? sandworm on your first day �which honestly sounds like less work and perhaps the better option.

Funcom notes that it will roll out further trailers and gameplay overviews over the coming months, giving players a general overview of Dune: Awakening's gameplay, options, and features ahead of its official beta launch. A date for the beta was not announced, but we do know that Dune: Awakening is curren??tly in development for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X. So you'd better get your house in order.

The post Dune: Awakening is Funcom’s new survival MMO appeared first on Destructoid.

Selene's odyssey starts again, and again, and...

Alongside the news that The Last of Us Part I is coming to PC in March 2023, Sony also took time at The Game Awards to offer a release window for a PC port of Housemarque's dazzling space adventure, Returnal �As revealed in a short tra?il??er, the time-skipping title will hit Steam and Epic Games Store in early 2023.

Launching in April 2021 as a showcase piece for the burgeoning PS5 platform, Returnal is the story of an intrepid space explorer, Selene, who crash lands on a mysterious planet, playing host ??to the remna??nts of some lost, undiscovered civilization. Meeting an untimely end soon after jettisoning her spacecraft, Selene finds herself resurrected back in its cockpit, doomed to relive life, after life, after life until she can uncover the mystery behind this strange world and, hopefully, find her way back home.

//www.y??outub??e.com/watch?v=0iNGNYuR5_8&ab_channel=PlayStation

Developed by shmup enthusiasts Housemarque, Returnal combines the team's love of bullet hell gameplay with its proven talent for creating eye-popping visuals, dramatic lightning effects, and wide palette of splendid colors, in order to create a compelling third-person adventure. Celebrated for its challenging action, lush environments, and intriguing story of self-reflection, Returnal was an early hit for Sony's fancy new hardware?? and was almost custom-made for the splendor and power of the PC platform.

Returnal launches on PC via Steam and Epic Games Store in early 2023.

The post Returnal comes pew-pewing onto PC in early 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

Aloywood

If you're gagging for some more Aloy action, then Guerrilla Games has you covered, as the studio has revealed a new expansion, currently in the works for the PS5 edition of Horizon Forbidden West �The new "Burning Shores" DLC was? revealed during The Game Awards yesterday evening.

A brief trailer, which you can check out below, sees our spritely hero as she soars through the skies astride her trusty Sunwing. From there, she approaches a lush but swamped island, located south of ?the Tenakth Clan Lands. Upon approach, we the audience realize that our girl has wandered into a dystopian aftermath that was once Los Angeles, but has now become little more than a volcanic archipelago, littered with further threats charged by the force of "The Machines".

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShJuY6Z??l2Aw&ab_channel=PlayStation

According to the development team, Burning Shores will feature extended travel by land, sea, and air �offering players a brand-new location that can be fully explored via all three methods. Aloy will also find herself up against a terrifying new mechanical behemoth, which appears to be some form of crustacean hybrid if the splash art is anything to go by??. According to Guerrilla, the scale of the DLC �in both size and visua??l fidelity �has led the team to focus on the PS5 platform only, suggesting that the new expansion will not be developed for PS4.

Horizon Forbidden West is available now on PlayStation platforms �The Burning Shores DLC will launch on PS5 only on April 19, 2023.

The post Horizon Forbidden West DLC ‘Burning Shores’ coming to PS5 in 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

Prepare those twitchy thumbs

If, like my good self, you found yourself enraptured by the fantastic 2018 platformer Celeste, then you'll be Extremely OK with this brand new trailer for Earthblade, which premiered as a part of yesterday evening's Game Award f?estivities.

Dripping with simplistic style, as only Team Celeste know how, Earthblade will follow the adventures of Nevoa?, Child of Fate, as they return to what remains of a ruined Earth in what looks to be another pixelated tale packed with challenges on? a physical and emotional scale. According to EXOK, Earthblade will feature seamless exploration, engaging combat, and "countless mysteries", as Nevoa explores the world, meets friend and foe, and overcomes numerous obstacles in their search for answers.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=wafFds3Ppb0

From this conceptual trailer, it seems that Earthblade will feature a more typical open-world adventure experience akin to something like Team Cherry's Hollow Knight. But the recognizable charm and style of EXOK Games are readily apparent here. From the ethereal music and forlorn atmosphere to its intriguing character design �detailed in such simplicity �and the heavy leanings toward multi-directional world traversal and the satisfaction of the journey itself. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this one, and fans of the strange and fantastical would do w??ell to do the same.

Earthblade i??s currently in development ??for PC. It is scheduled to launch sometime in 2024.

The post Earthblade is? the mythic new adventure from Celeste developer appeared first on Destructoid.

Crash & The Boys (and Girls)

At The Game Awards 2022, Activision announced a brand new title set in the zany, madcap world of Crash Bandicoot �but unlike the typical 3D platformers for which the series is renowned, Crash Team Rumble will instead see the s?eries' colorful cast square off in a bout of multiplayer madness.

Crash Team Rumble, currently in development for PlayStation and Xbox, will see Crash, Coco, Tawna, Dr. Cortex, and many other heroes and villains from the beloved series battle it out in 4-v-4 team-based action. Players will race to gather Wumpa Fruit for their squad, racing back to bank it in their home base while defending their stock from the opposing team and getting into frenzied melee scraps out on the battlefield. Each character will be afforded their own special skills and bespoke abilities, so teamwork? and character synergy will be the key to claiming vi??ctory.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=becrLd9GOB4??&ab_channel=CrashBandi??coot

"We’re so excited to unveil our fresh new take on multiplayer in the Crash universe with Crash Team Rumble," said Toys for Bob's Paul Yan in a press release. "Crash Team Rumble has something for everyoneâ€?easy pick-up and play for th??ose who just want to jump in, while also providing skilled gamers the opportunity to leverage and master?? their hero’s unique abilities."

While not quite the long-rumored Super Smash Bros. clone that people have been expecting, this all-new take on the wild 'n' wacky world of Crash could prove to be a pretty neat party title, and feels more in the vein of a Splatoon than a Smash Bros. I don't see my boy Ripper Roo just yet, but I do see my mirror image, (Dingodile), so I guess I've foun?d my main already.

Crash Team Rumble will launch in 2023 on PlayStation and Xb??ox platforms.

The post Crash Team Rumble will be bringing multiplayer madness in 202??3 appeared first on Destructoid.

Fist Meets Fate

Tekken fans got a fresh new look at Bandai Namco's exciting new fighter Tekken 8 during last night's Game Awards festivities. A new trailer offered up new hints on the sequel's highly dramatic narrative, while also sneaking in glimpses of several combatants returning to The King? of Iron Fist Tournament.

The preview sees Kazuya Mishima, now fully possessed by the Devil gene, running amok throughout the planet, raining destruction down on its populace. Standing against him will be the newly-reformed Jin Kazama, charged with the blood in his veins and the spirit of his deceased mother in his heart. The preview is a pretty melodramatic affair, as one would expect from the Tekken franchise �but I'll be darned if it didn't make the Tekken 8 storyline look like a pretty cataclysmic affair.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tXTWVncFP4&t=77s&ab_channel=BandaiNa??mcoEntertainmentAmerica

In addition to the plot details, the trailer also featured some returning Tekken acolytes, including the fiery pro-wrestler, King, the man-mountain android Jack, Bruce-Lee-alike Marshall Law, his running buddy Paul Phoenix and the far-too-handsome-to-be-a-special agent Lars. We also catch a sneak peek at Jun Kazama herself, suggesting that she too will be making her return to the ring. All of this was rendered in dazzling current-gen technology, offering visual splendor yet? to be seen in the long-running series. It's looking good. Damn good.

Tekken 8 is ??currently in develop?ment for PS5. PC, and Xbox Series X.

The post Jun Kazama, King, and Jack take the stage in dramatic Tekken 8?? trailer appeared first on Destructoid.

Load up on Cuffs

[Update: As noted in this evening's Game Awards, a Forspoken demo is now av?ailable for download on PS5. A new trailer was al??so premiered, which you can check out below.]

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQYHXpkX6kM&ab_chann?el=SquareEnix

[Original Article]

As is often the case in the lead-up to The Game Awards, several rumors and leaks are floating around the information superhighway ahead of Keighley's grand festivities �Case in point: a tweet published by the Japanese PlayStation Twitter, pointing to an incoming demo for Square Enix adventure Forspoken.

The (now deleted) tweet sported some attractive new splash art, emblazoned with the words "Demo Announcement Trailer". The sudden removal of the tweet suggests that said video is cued to play during tonight's live TGA presentation. The deleted tweet also referenced an 11-minute Forspoken gameplay showcase, which will likely be hosted on the official PlayStation YouTube channel tomorrow, December 9, as part of Forspoken's continuing "Deep Dive" video series.

??//twitter.com/Renka_schedule/status/1600756189943410689?s=20&t=8d2Qc74adzfu6ObMzVeGK??Q

While Forspoken has had something of an inauspicious start, with online jokesters mocking its marketing strategy and critics raising an eyebrow at some admittedly foolish PR speak, I personally think that Forspoken is an attractive title with potential. A 2023 GOTY contender? maybe not, but it could certainly prove a fun way to kick off 2023's gaming year. No doubt Square Enix hopes that allowing players to get their hands on a pl?ayable build, giving them the opportunity to explore Athia and meet hero Frey Holland �will help turn around some of this early cynicism ahead of the title's impending release.

Forspoken launches January 24 on PS5 and PC.

The post Forspoken demo available to download now on PS5 appeared first on Destructoid.

Here's everyone that took home some hardware tonight

The curtains have closed on The Game Awards 2022. World premieres have been shown, games locked in for launch, and Animal from The Muppets made an appearance. Plus, some winners took home som??e co??veted Game Awards trophies.

Thr??oughout the night, we saw publishers, developers, and players receive their trophies for the games released in the last year. Now that the? dust has settled, we put together a neat rundown of the night's events, for whether you skipped out on the show or just need a refresher.

Here's the winners of The Game Awards 2022, noted in bold, alongside the nominees.

Game of the Year

• A Plague Tale: Requiem
• Elden Ring
• God of War Ragnarok
• Horizon Forbidden West
• Stray
• Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Best Game Direction

• Elden Ring
• God of War Ragnarok
• Horizon Forbidden West
• Immortality
• Stray

Best Performance

• Ashly Burch (Horizon Forbidden West)
• Charlotte McBurney (A Plague Tale: Requiem)
• Christopher Judge (God of War Ragnarok)
• Manon Gage (Immortality)
• Sunny Suljic (God of War Ragnarok)

Best Multiplayer

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
• MultiVersus
• Overwatch 2
• Splatoon 3
• TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge

Best Ongoing Game

• Apex Legends
• Destiny 2: The Witch Queen
• Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker
• Fortnite
• Genshin Impact

Best Art Direciton

• Elden Ring
• God of War Ragnarok
• Horizon Forbidden West
• Scorn
• Stray

Best Score

• A Plague Tale: Requiem
• Elden Ring
• God of War Ragnarok
• Metal Hellsinger
• Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Best Audio Design

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
• Elden Ring
• God of War Ragnarok
• Gran Turismo 7
• Horizon Forbidden West

Innovation in Accessibility

• As Dusk Falls
• God of War Ragnarok
• Return to Monkey Island
• The Last of Us Part 1
• The Quarry

Best Narrative

• A Plague Tale: Requiem
• Elden Ring
• God of War Ragnarok
• Horizon Forbidden West
• Immortality

Games For Impact

• A Memoir Blue
• As Dusk Falls
• Citizen Sleeper
• Endling â€?Extinction is Forever
• Hindsight
• I Was a Teenage Exocolonist

Best Independent Game

• Cult of the Lamb
• Neon White
• Sifu
• Stray
• Tunic

Best Mobile Game

• Apex Legends Mobile
• Diablo Immortal
• Genshin Impact
• Marvel Snap
• Tower of Fantasy

Best Community Support

• Apex Legends
• Destiny 2
• Final Fantasy XIV
• Fortnite
• No Man’s Sky

Best Debut Indie Game

• Neon White
• NORCO
• Stray
• Tunic
• Vampire Survivors

Best VR/AR Game

• After the Fall
• Among Us VR
• Bonelab
• Moss: Book II
• Red Matter 2

Content Creator of the Year

• Karl Jacobs
• Ludwig
• Nibellion
• Nobru
• QTCinderella

Best Action Game

• Bayonetta 3
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II
• Neon White
• Sifu
• TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge

Best Action/Adventure Game

• A Plague Tale: Requiem
• God of War Ragnarok
• Horizon Forbidden West
• Stray
• Tunic

Best RPG

• Elden Ring
• Live a Live
• Pokemon Legends: Arceus
• Triangle Strategy
• Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Best Fighting Game

• DNF Duel
• JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle R
• The King of Fighters XV
• MultiVersus
• Sifu

Most Anticipated Game

• Final Fantasy XVI
• Hogwarts Legacy
• Resident Evil 4
• Starfield
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Best Adaptation

• Arcane: League of Legends
• Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
• The Cuphead Show!
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2
• Uncharted

Best Family Game

• Kirby and the Forgotten Land
• LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
• Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
• Nintendo Switch Sports
• Splatoon 3

Best Sim/Strategy Game

• Dune: Spice Wars
• Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
• Total War: Warhammer III
• Two Point Campus
• Victoria 3

Best Sports/Racing Game

• F1 22
• FIFA 23
• NBA 2K23
• Gran Turismo 7
• OlliOlli World

Best Esports Game

• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
• Dota 2
• League of Legends
• Rocket League
• Valorant

Best Esports Athlete

• Jeong “Chovyâ€?Ji-hoon
• Lee “Fakerâ€?Sang-hyeok
• Finn “karriganâ€?Andersen
• Oleksandr “s1mpleâ€?Kostyliev
• Jacob “Yayâ€?Whiteaker

Best Esports Team

• DarkZero Esports
• FaZe Clan
• Gen.G
• LA Thieves
• LOUD

Best Esports Coach

• Andrii “B1ad3â€?Horodenskyi
• Matheus “bzkAâ€?Tarasconi
• Erik “d00mbr0sâ€?Sandgren
• Robert “RobbaNâ€?Dahlström
• Go “Scoreâ€?Dong-bin

Best Esports Event

• Evo 2022
• 2022 League of Legends Worlds
• PGL Major Antwerp 2022
• The 2022 Mid-Season Invitational
• Valorant Champions 2022

Players Voice

• Sonic Frontiers
• Genshin Impact
• Elden Ring
• God of War Ragnarok
• Stray

The post The Game Awards 2022: All the winners from tonight’s show appeared first on Destructoid.

Look out for Big Theatrical Moments

Where does the year go? It only seems 12 months ago that I was writing up a special watch post, inviting the jbsgame.community to join us for The Game Awards 2021, and now I'm wri??ting up a special watch post, inviting the jbsgame.community to join us for The Game Awards 2022. Sunrise, sunset...

Yes, it's that time of year again, as Geoff Keighley and pals, supported by an advisory board consisting of the most powerful company directors in gaming, take to the stage for a look back on mega hits that have been whirring in our HDDs (and SSDs) for the past year. And what a year it has been, populated with smash-hit sequels, epic adventure titles, the return of some M.I.A. IPs, and the debut of some entirely new worlds and characters. Sure, I know everything came out in the first three months of the y?ear, but what's a calendar chockful of 2021's delayed games between friends?

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl9yakt_5tc

And so, we'd like to invite you all to join us as we watch The Game Awards 2022. The pre-show kicks off in 30 minutes, with The Game Awards proper beginning at the top of the hour. Earlier today, Mr. Keighley suggested that this year's event would be "probably the shortest show [we've done]", and is expec?ted to run 2:30, filled with trailers, world premieres, live ??performances, developer appearances, and, of course, the awards themselves. Keighley also promises some "Big Theatrical Moments", so keep an eye out for those.

Of course, if you cannot watch the show this year, neve??r fear, as we will be bringing you all of the big news and excit??ing reveals right here on the good ship Destructoid. And if you are sticking around for the show, then be sure to speak your brains in the comments, it's always a fun time! Enjoy the show!

(You can watch the normal TGA 2?022 feed in the video above,?? or watch a Live Reaction feed featuring our video crew in the stream below.)

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=t71_7NNZnpk

The post Come watch The Game Awards 2022 with Destructoid! appeared first on Destructoid.

Play along on the stream!

The Game Awards is simultaneously the most anticipated and dreaded night of the year in games. It's awkward, cringe-worthy, and the titles that are widely considered the best of the year don't usually get credit where it's due. Despite the annoyances, though, it's still a night we all come together to watch, whether i??t's for the new trailers and announcements, to see who actually won, or just to watch the trainwreck happen in slow motion. It can be either a miserable or somewhat enjoyable experience, and I choose the latter by making my own fun out of spite.

So, I brushed off my immaculate MS Paint ??skills and made a bingo card for this year's 2022 Game Awards, because let's be honest, it's gotten pretty predictable at this point. New trailers, mispronunciations, and Geoff's mention of Hideo Kojima are basically all givens, but I wanted to throw some wildcards in there too.

My predictions

For example, the coveted Game of the Year award is a toss-up this year, with titles like God of War, Elden Ring, and Horizon Forbidden West in the front running. I went ahead and predicted Elden Ring was going to make it out on top, because God of War and Horizon certainly had their time in the sun, but FromSoft's newest release dominated the conversation for weeks, if not months. Plus, I just think it's the best game that ??came out this year.

Another prediction I'm begging to come true is Immortality winning Best Narrative. I know that, again, the conversation in regard to this award centered around Elden Ring and God of War when nominees were announced, but from where I stand, Immortality was an interactive narrative that was beautifully, elegantly told, had interesting things to say about art and the people who make it, and was the first game I've played in years that I felt brought a whole new perspective to how we use this medium to tell stories. It's in a league of its own, and in my eyes, anything less than a win for Immortality is absolutely criminal.

The Game Awards can be a fun way to reflect on the games that came out this year and start conversations about them, but at the end of the day, the outcome isn't really the end-all-be-all to the players. It seems like our bizarre relationship to the event as we know it isn't going away any time ?soon (unless someone bests Keighley in hand to?? hand combat), but at least for now I can poke fun at it.

So feel free to use? my bingo card, or maybe make one of your own! You can watch the livestream of the Game Awards on Thursday, December 8, with the preshow starting at 7:30p ET / 4:30p PT on all major streaming platforms.

The post Let’s play Game Awards bingo appeared first on Destructoid.