The Game Awards air each December to recognize the creative and technical excellence we see in the video game industry every day. Today’s show brought together a diverse group of game developers, gamers and big-name pop culture names to celebrate the position of gaming as the most immersive and inspiring form of entertainment. The show hosted by Geoff Keighley with guest presenters like Simu Liu, Giancarlo Esposito, Ming-Na Wen, Reggie Fils-Aime, Keanu Reeves, Carrie Ann Moss and many others was really a celebration around the topic of gaming.
It’s been an outstanding year for games as developers around the world helped usher in a new generation of games with some really great experiences. We congratulate every developer who was nominated and won this year. Xbox was lucky enough to be nominated in nine categories including Game of the Year, Best Sim / Strategy Game, Best Action / Adventure Game, Best Sports / Racing Game, and more. We are also incredibly grateful for that Halo infinite win the Player Voice Award and Forza Horizon 5 win the awards for Best Audio Design, Best Sports / Racing Game and Best Accessibility.
Here is a full list of our nominees:
- game of the year: Psychonauts 2
- Best direction of play: Psychonauts 2
- Best art direction: Psychonauts 2
- Best story: Psychonauts 2
- Best action / adventure: Psychonauts 2
- Best audio design: Forza Horizon 5 [WINNER]
- Innovation in accessibility: Forza Horizon 5 [WINNER]
- Best sports / racing game: Forza Horizon 5 [WINNER]
- Best sim / strategy game: Age of Empires IV [WINNER]
- Best sim / strategy game: Microsoft flight simulator
- Player voice: Halo infinite [WINNER]
We were also excited to share some news about some of the games and experiences available for Xbox and other platforms including:
Ninja Theory unveils the first ever gameplay reveal trailer for Senua’s Sacrifice: Hellblade II
Ninja Theory announced two years ago at The Game Awards Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, a new chapter in the award-winning franchise. Today they’re back with the first gameplay reveal recorded in-game by the development team.
A closer look at the future of entertainment in the first full trailer for Halo
Fans took a quick look at Master Chief on the upcoming Halo TV series, but tonight we shared the first full trailer for the upcoming show, which will become the epic conflict between humanity and the Bund in the 26th Halo deep-drawn personal story weave with action, adventure and an imaginative vision of the future. With Pablo Schreiber, Natascha McElhone, Charlotte Murphy and Jen Taylor, Halo will premiere on Paramount + in early 2022.
Amicia and Hugo return A plague story: Requiem
Asobo Studio and Focus Entertainment unveiled the first gameplay of in a gripping new trailer A plague story: Requiem, the sequel to the critically acclaimed and award-winning An epidemic story: innocence. In this new trailer, as Robert Louis Stevenson’s poem “Requiem” sets the tone, you will witness the first glimpses of the epic adventure of Amicia and Hugo in a brutal, breathtaking world twisted by supernatural forces. After fleeing their destroyed home after the events of An epidemic story: innocence, Amicia and Hugo travel far south, to new regions and vibrant cities. There they try to start a new life and control Hugo’s curse.
Survive after the disaster with a new trailer for Somerville
Announced at the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase in June, Jumpship’s debut title will immerse players in a handcrafted narrative set in a vibrant and rural landscape. In the wake of a disaster and grounded in the intimate effects of large-scale conflict, players navigate dangerous terrain as they unravel the secrets of those who visit Earth. Somerville Coming in 2022 for Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One, Windows PC and with Xbox Game Pass.
Marcus Fenix and Kait Diaz come in Fourteen days
Marcus Fenix, the legendary hero of the Pendulum and Locust Wars, enters a new battle bringing with him Kait Diaz, who has become an outsider. Both fall on that Fourteen days Iceland as the newest member of the Gaming Legends Series. In addition to the piece of backbling that everyone brings (Marcus has the Sonic Resonator and Kait has Reyna’s counterpart), you can grab three different pickaxes (Breaker Mace, Thumper, and Butcher Cleaver), a Skiff Glider, a new emote, and a new spray . Also, from December 9 at 9 a.m. ET through December 17 at 9 a.m. ET, you can complete Delta One quests to unlock the Crimson Omen Spray!
Four new titles start with Xbox Game Pass on day one
Xbox Game Pass offers fans a number of great benefits, including the ability to play brand new games on the day they are released. We’re excited to announce that four new titles will be released in Xbox Game Pass on day one. Even better, they’ll be available on Console, PC, and Cloud (Beta). Sniper Elite 5 gives you the power to get your goals done without getting your hands dirty and you can see the whole thing Sniper Elite 5 Trailer unveiling at the [email protected] Gathering Showcase on Twitch tomorrow December 10th at 12:45 p.m. PST. Pigeon simulator allows you to play as the most notorious birds in the world and help them in their quest for revenge, love and world domination, and during Trek to Yomi puts you in the shoes of the young swordsman Hiroki, who has sworn to protect his city and the people he loves from all threats. Finally, we are happy to announce that in the near future our friends at Hugecalf Studios will unveil a new game that will be released on the first day of Game Pass. These titles complement the already packed lineup of day-one games like Total War: Warhammer III, Redfall, A plague story: Requiem, and more. Be on the lookout for more Xbox Game Pass news!
Find out more about our nominees
Psychonauts 2
Razputin “Raz” Aquato, trained acrobat and powerful young clairvoyant, has realized his lifelong dream of joining the international clairvoyant spy organization Psychonauts! But these psychic super spies are in trouble. Combine quirky missions and mysterious conspiracies, Psychonauts 2 is a platform adventure game with cinematic style and tons of customizable psychic powers. Psychonauts 2 offers danger, excitement and laughter in equal measure as players take Raz on a journey through the minds of friends and foes in order to defeat a murderous psychological villain.
Forza Horizon 5
Your ultimate horizon adventure awaits! Explore the vibrant and ever-evolving open-world landscape of Mexico with limitless driving pleasure in hundreds of the best cars in the world. Take breathtaking expeditions through Mexico with its impressive contrasts and beauties while you discover lively deserts, lush jungles, historic cities, hidden ruins, pristine beaches, huge gorges and a towering snow-capped volcano – the highest point of all time in a Horizon game .
Age of Empires IV
One of the most popular real-time strategy games is returning to fame with Age of Empires IVthat puts you at the center of epic historical battles that have shaped the world. Age of Empires IV offers both familiar and innovative new ways to expand your empire in vast landscapes with breathtaking 4K visual fidelity, and brings an evolved real-time strategy game to a new generation.
Microsoft flight simulator
From light aircraft to wide-body jets, fly highly detailed and precise aircraft in the next generation of Microsoft flight simulator. Test your pilot skills against the challenges of night flight, atmospheric real-time simulation and live weather in a dynamic and lively world. Create your flight plan to anywhere in the world. The world is at your fingertips.
For more information on The Game Awards, please see our announcement from The Matrix Awakens: An Unreal Engine 5 Experience, a new look at Dying light 2, and the unveiling of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2.
