As a great year of games comes to an end, The 2017 Game Awards begins.
On December 7, the video game world will come together to celebrate game creators, the community and the year’s best video games. This year, 102 games and individuals have been nominated across a range of categories, from Best Mobile Game to Developer of the Year, with the biggest award being Game of the Year.
Nominees for Game of the Year are the crème de la crème of 2017 releases. These titles are Horizon Zero Dawn, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, Persona 5, and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. All of the nominees for GOTY have also been nominated in other categories, three of them in as many as six.
In addition to the awards show, there will be game announcements, trailers and musical performances. This year, The Game Awards Orchestra will debut to celebrate video game music through the years. The group is comprised of orchestra talent and rock musicians. Another first is the Student Game Award for high school and college-level developers and their creations.
The 2017 Game Awards will be held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, hosted by Geoff Keighley. For those at home, the award show can be streamed via Twitch, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
Below is a list of categories and their nominees. Voting is open to the public for the categories below and can be voted on at The Video Game Awards website.
Game of the Year
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Super Mario Odyssey
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
Persona 5
Horizon Zero Dawn
Best Game Direction
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Super Mario Odyssey
Horizon Zero Dawn
Best Narrative
What Remains of Edith Finch
NieR: Automata
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
Horizon Zero Dawn
Best Art Direction
Destiny 2
Cuphead
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Persona 5
Horizon Zero Dawn
Best Score/Music
Destiny 2
Cuphead
NieR: Automata
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Super Mario Odyssey
Persona 5
Best Audio Design
Destiny 2
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Super Mario Odyssey
Best Performance
Melina Juergens as Senua, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Laura Bailey as Nadine Ross, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
Claudia Black as Chloe Frazer, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
Brian Bloom as BJ Blazkowicz, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
Ashly Burch as Aloy, Horizon Zero Dawn
Games for Impact
Please Knock on My Door
Night in the Woods
Life is Strange: Before the Storm
Bury Me, My Love
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
What Remains of Edith Finch
Best Ongoing Game
Warframe
Rainbow Six: Siege
Overwatch
Grand Theft Auto Online
Destiny 2
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
Best Mobile Game
Fire Emblem Heroes
Super Mario Run
Old Man’s Journey
Monument Valley 2
Hidden Folks
Best Handheld Game
Poochy and Yoshi’s Woolly World
Monster Hunter Stories
Metroid: Samus Returns
Ever Oasis
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadow of Valentia
Best VR/AR Game
Superhot VR
Star Trek: Bridge Crew
Lone Echo/Echo Arena
Farpoint
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Best Action Game
Prey
Nioh
Destiny 2
Cuphead
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
Best Action/Adventure Game
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
Assassin’s Creed: Origins
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Super Mario Odyssey
Horizon Zero Dawn
Best Role Playing Game
South Park: The Fractured But Whole
Final Fantasy XV
Divinity: Original Sin 2
NieR: Automata
Persona 5
Best Fighting Game
Tekken 7
Nidhogg 2
Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite
Injustice 2
Arms
Best Family Game
Splatoon 2
Sonic Mania
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Super Mario Odyssey
Best Strategy Game
XCOM 2: War of the Chosen
Tooth and Tail
Total War: Warhammer II
Halo Wars 2
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Best Sports/Racing Game
Project Cars 2
Pro Evolution Soccer 2018
NBA 2K18
GT Sport
Forza Motorsport 7
FIFA 18
Best Multiplayer
Fortnite
Call of Duty: World War II
Splatoon 2
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Destiny 2
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
Most Anticipated Game
The Last of Us Part II
Red Dead Redemption II
Monster Hunter: World
Marvel’s Spider-Man
God of War
Best Independent Game
Pyre
Night in the Woods
Cuphead
What Remains of Edith Finch
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Best Student Game
Meaning
Level Squared
Impulsion
Falling Sky
Hollowed
From Light
Trending Gamer
Steven Spohn, AbleGamers
Mike Grzesiek, Shroud
Guy Beahm, Dr. Disrepect
Clint Lexa, “Halfcoordinated”
Andrea Rene, What’s Good Games
Best Esports Game
Rocket League
League of Legends
DOTA 2
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Overwatch
Best Esports Player
Kuro “KuroKy” Salehi Takhasomi, Team Liquid, DOTA 2
Je-hong “ryujehong” Ryu, Seoul Dynasty, Overwatch
Nikola “NiKo” Kovac, FaZe Clan, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Marcelo “coldzera” David, SK Gaming, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Lee Sang-hyeok “Faker,” SK Telecom 1, League of Legends
Best Esports Team
Team Liquid
SK Telecom 1
Lunatic-Hai
FaZe Clan
Cloud9
Best Debut Indie Game
Slime Rancher
Mr. Shifty
Hollow Knight
Golf Story
Cuphead
Best Chinese Game
Monument Valley 2
jx3 HD
Gumballs
ICEY
King of Glory