All The Game Awards 2017 nominees and winners

The annual Game Awards 2017 have come and gone. With it, a host of incredible games received their moment in the spotlight, and others, well, they will live on as category winners for at least another year. The Game Awards 2017 featured many great games. Among those nominated were Super Mario Odyssey, Horizon Zero Dawn, Wolfenstein II, Cuphead, and even Destiny 2.

Although many games will live on in our hearts as personal favourites, only one or two will sendup as winners. Fans and critics alike had the opportunity to vote, and winners were announced during the Game Awards 2017. As such, we have compiled a list of all games nominated for awards, as well as the winners.

Game of the Year

As always, there can only be one game of the year. This is the absolute best of the best across all sections. Games in this list are all must-haves, and worth it. The Game of the Year Nominees for 2017 were:

• Super Mario Odyssey
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
• Persona 5
• Horizon Zero Dawn

From those titles, the winner was

Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Best Game Direction

The Best Game Direction award goes to the game that delivered the best creative vision and innovation in game direction and game design. Games in this category not only tried new and creative things but also made sure to let the fans have great fun in the process. The Best Game Direction Nominees for 2017 were:

• Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
• Super Mario Odyssey
• Horizon Zero Dawn
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

From those titles, the winner was

Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Best Narrative

For all single-player lovers out there, Best Narrative is all about outstanding storytelling and extraordinary narrative development in a game. These games are all story-telling powerhouses that deliver great narrative and believable plot devices. The Best Narrative Nominees for 2017 were:

• What Remains of Edith Finch
• NieR: Automata
• Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
• Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
• Horizon Zero Dawn

From those titles, the winner was

What Remains of Edith Finch

Best Art Direction

Art direction is truly a skill in and on its own. The games nominated for the Best Art Direction award are outstanding in the creative field. They deliver great technical achievement in artistic design and animation. The Best Art Direction Nominees for 2017 were:

• Destiny 2
• Cuphead
• Horizon Zero Dawn
• Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• Persona 5

From those titles, the winner was

Cuphead

Best Score/Music

We all love a good album, and we all love it, even more, when our favourite games have a good score. The games nominated in this list feature outstanding music, regardless of where the music comes from. Some titles in this category include in-house composers and even licenced music. The Best Score/Music Nominees for 2017 were:

• NieR: Automata
• Destiny 2
• Cuphead
• Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• Super Mario Odyssey
• Persona 5

From those titles, the winner was

NieR: Automata

Best Audio Design

Good audio design is a difficult to pull off. This includes making a game sound believable and immersive. If there are guns, they must sound real. If there are cars, they must roar as you press the accelerate button. Games in this category deliver outstanding sound design in all senses of the word. Best Audio Design Nominees for 2017 were:

• Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
• Super Mario Odyssey
• Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
• Destiny 2

From those titles, the winner was

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

Best Performance

Behind every good game are outstanding people who embody the role of certain characters that make the game so much better. This award goes to the people behind the fiction, the heroes that bring our favourite characters to life. Best Performance Nominees for 2017 were:

• Laura Bailey, who played Nadine Ross in Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
• Brian Bloom, who played BJ Blazkowics in Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
• Melina Juergens, who played Senua in Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
• Claudia Black, who played Chloe Frazer in Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
• Ashly Burch, who played Aloy in Horizon Zero Dawn

From that list, the best performance was

Melina Juergens, as Senua

Games for Impact

Titles in this category are all about provoking thoughts and bringing light to very important topics that gamers may not necessarily find important. Not until they play these games. Having an impact on any situation is always necessary, and that is why these games were all nominated. Games of Impact Nominees for 2017 were:

• Bury Me, My Love
• What Remains of Edith Finch
• Life is Strange: Before the Storm
• Night in the Woods
• Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
• Please Knock on My Door

From that list, the winner was

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

Best Ongoing Game

These games are always there — always being played, and still ongoing, irrespective of what it may have gone through to get there. Games featured on this list were sometimes said to fail not long after launch, or even pretty much unheard of until gamers picked them up and spread the word. These games are all still being played now, and that is quite the feat. Best Ongoing Game Nominees for 2017 were:

• Destiny 2
• PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
• Grand Theft Auto Online
• Overwatch
• Warframe
• Rainbow Six: Siege

From that list, the winner was

Overwatch

Best Mobile Game

We all have phones capable of doing amazing things. The first moon landing was powered by a computer that could not even do what our mobile phones can do now. Instead of utilising all that power to its extent, however, we decide to play games on them. Why? Because we are gamers, of course! The Best Mobile Game Nominees for 2017 were:

• Monument Valley 2
• Fire Emblem: Heroes
• Super Mario Run
• Old Man’s Journey
• Hidden Folks

From that list, the winner was

Monument Valley 2

Best Handheld Game

The games listed here feature on various handheld devices. While we saw a host of handheld games release throughout the year, not many of them made the cut. As such, the list here is the best of the best handheld games, regardless of their platform. The Best Handheld Game Nominees for 2017 were:

• Metroid: Samus Returns
• Poochy and Yoshi’s Woolly World
• Monster Hunter Stories
• Ever Oasis
• Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadow of Valentia

From that list, the winner was

Metroid: Samus Returns

Best VR/AR Game

Augmented and Virtual Reality are perhaps the biggest buzzwords at the moment. It is cool, I give it that, and it serves for a very fun experience when done properly. The games on this list are immersive, and fun experiences that make it so much better to pay up and enter the virtual worlds they have to offer. The Best VR/AR Game Nominees for 2017 were:

• Superhot VR
• Star Trek: Bridge Crew
• Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
• Lone Echo/Echo Arena
• Farpoint

From that list, the winner was

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

Best Action Game

Combat! Boots and guns! Planes! Big Booms and lots of gore! The games on this list have all it takes to be incredible at one thing, and one thing only: action. Sure, we all like a good story, but when it ultimately boils down to edge-of-the-seat gaming, the action is king. Best Action Game Nominees for 2017 were:

• Prey
• Cuphead
• Destiny 2
• Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
• Nioh

From that list, the winner was

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

Best Action/Adventure Game

For some of us, all the adrenaline-fueling action can get a bit much. As such, we like to sit and stare out into a beautiful world ready to be explored before us. The games in this list deliver outstanding combat and traversal experiences. Sometimes there is even some puzzle solving involved! Best Action/Adventure Game Nominees for 2017 were:

• Assassin’s Creed: Origins
• Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
• Horizon Zero Dawn
• Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• Super Mario Odyssey

From that list, the winner was

Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Best Role Playing Game

Sometimes action and fantasy need to include progression mechanics and huge stories. Sometimes those stories are super immersive and sometimes (Read: always) they are super addictive. The games in this list went through some of the most rigorous game designs, sometimes even to the extent of being delayed for entire decades. Best Role Playing Game Nominees for 2017 were:

• Final Fantasy XV
• Persona 5
• South Park: The Fractured But Whole
• Divinity: Original Sin 2
• NieR: Automata

From that list, the winner was

Persona 5

Best Fighting Game

Fightings games are few and far between. This year, however, we saw the release of quite a number of them! In the end, only one game delivered an absolutely outstanding experience. Best Fighting Game Nominees for 2017 were:

• Tekken 7
• Nidhogg 2
• Arms
• Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite
• Injustice 2

From that list, the winner was

Injustice 2

Best Family Game

Not all games are always right for family play sessions. The games in this list pout an extra emphasis on family time and being good fun for the entire family. Games in this section are the best of the best and offer a good time for just about anyone, little 5-year-old Timmy included. Best Family Game Nominees for 2017 were:

• Super Mario Odyssey
• Splatoon 2
• Sonic Mania
• Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

From that list, the winner was

Super Mario Odyssey

Best Strategy Game

Strategy games are just as scarce as fighting games. However, 2017 proved to be quite the year for them! Games in this category are the best of the best when it comes to making the player think about their every move. They are the best when it comes to real-time or turn-based strategy. Best Strategy Game Nominees for 2017 were:

• Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
• XCOM 2: War of the Chosen
• Halo Wars 2
• Total War: Warhammer II
• Tooth and Tail

From that list, the winner was

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

Best Sports/Racing Game

Sports! Now that is where many players find their happy place. Who says action, adventure, and intrigue needs to be the be-all-and-end-all? Games in this list deliver the best traditional and non-traditional forms of sport and racing. Sometimes the games are super detailed, and sometimes they are super robust. Best Sports/Racing Game Nominees for 2017 were:

• Pro Evolution Soccer 2018
• Forza Motorsport 7
• Project Cars 2
• FIFA 18
• GT Sport
• NBA 2K18

From that list, the winner was

Forza Motorsport 7

Best Multiplayer

Multiplayer games are meant to be engaging and incredibly fun at the same time. As such, games in this list brings players outstanding game and design in terms of co-op, massively multiplayer experiences. Best Multiplayer Nominees for 2017 were:

• Fortnite
• Call of Duty: World War II
• PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
• Destiny 2
• Splatoon 2
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

From that list, the winner was

PlayerUnknown’s Battleground

Most Anticipated Game

The most anticipated games are the games that we are all looking forward to the most. They are either sequels to incredible games in the past, new releases never heard of before, or even re-releases of old classics. The games in this list show significant ambition and promise. All titles are scheduled for release sometime after The Game Awards 2017. Most Anticipated Game Nominees for 2017 were:

• Red Dead Redemption II
• The Last of Us: Part II
• Monster Hunter: World
• Marvel’s Spider-Man
• God of War

From that list, the winner was

The Last of Us: Part II

Best Independent Game

Indie games are the rising stars of gaming. These titles deliver not only amazing visuals and gameplay but also experiences not found in triple-A heavy hitters. Sometimes good indie games are surprising hits that come at you so hard, that you probably bought it before you even knew it would be a hit. Best Independent Game Nominees for 2017 were:

• Pyre
• Night in the Woods
• Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
• What Remains of Edith Finch
• Cuphead

From that list, the winner was

Cuphead

Best Student Game

Look, we all have our favourite development studio. We all even have our favourite publishers. Thing is, even they had to start somewhere. In colleges, high schools, and universities all over the world, teams of students are currently plotting out the best ideas the gaming world has ever seen It is up to us to find them and support them. All games in this list have had money thrown at them, and all because they worked their butts off for it. Best Student Game Nominees for 2017 were:

• Meaning
• Level Squared
• Impulsion
• Falling Sky
• Hollowed
• From Light

From the list above, the winner was

Level Squared

Trending Gamer

The most trending gamer ever is a streamer, influencer, or media member that had an important impact on the last year of gaming. These include streamers with out of this world identities, esports team members who are exceptional at what they do and YouTubers who just want to make the world a better place. While all Vamerites are trending gamers in their own right, the peeps in this list are well deserving. Trending Gamer Nominees for 2017 were:

• Guy “Dr Disrespect” Beahm
• Steven Spohn from AbleGamers
• Mike “Shroud” Grzesiek
• Clint “Halfcoordinated” Lexa
• Andrea Rene from What’s Good Games

From the list above, the winner was

Guy “Dr Disrepect” Beahm

Best Esports Game

Esports games are adrenaline-pumping, energy-fueled experiences that need teams, or people with fast reflexes and outstanding perception. Games in this category have delivered the best overall esports experiences from all others. Best Esports Game Nominees for 2017 were:

• Overwatch
• Rocket League
• League of Legends
• DOTA 2
• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

From the list above, the winner was

Overwatch

Best Esports Player

All good esports games require good esports players. The players in this list were judged to be the most outstanding performers of 2017, regardless of the games they played.

• Kuro “KuroKy” Salehi Tekhasomi
• Je-Hong “ryuhejoing” Ryu
• Lee sang-hyeok “Faker”
• Nikola “NiKo” Kovac
• MArcelo “coldzera” David

From the list, the winner was

Lee sang-hyeok “Faker”

Best Esports Team

All good esports players need good esports teams, right? Right! As such, the teams listed here were judged to be exceptional in terms of performance for 2017. This list includes multi-team organisations too. The Best Esports Team Nominees for 2017 were:

• Cloud9
• TeamLiquid
• Sk Telecom 1
• Lunatic-Hai
• FaZe Clan

From the list, the winner was

Cloud9

Best Indie Game

Independent studios all release games sometime or another. The games listed here were all released in 2017 and to a lot of praise! It takes a lot to release a good game on limited funds when a triple-A studio is not backing you. As such, the games listed here are all exceptional in their own right. Best Indie Game Nominees for 2017 were:

• Cuphead
• Slime Rancher
• Mr Shifty
• Golf Story
• Hollow Knight

From the list, the winner was

Cuphead

Best Chinese Game

China is a huge market. In fact, it is so huge that not all games are treated equally in China as they are in other regions. This must be recognised and taught to the world! As such, the games listed here have been recognised as the most popular games in China. The Best Chinese Game Nominees for 2017 were:

• Monument Valley 2（《纪念碑谷2》）
• Gumballs（《不思议迷宫》）
• jx3 HD（《剑网3》重制版 )
• King Of Glory（《王者荣耀》
• ICEY（《艾希》）

From the list above, the winner was

jx3 HD（《剑网3》重制版 )

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And that is it, folks! Do you agree with these lists? If not, why? I, for one, think that many games on this list were well deserved and others… not so much. Whatever the case may be, every single game listed not only garnered favourable reviews but also huge fanbases.

Be on the lookout for a Game of the Year list of my own coming nearer to the end of 2017 if this list was not enough for you.

[Sources: Game Awards 2017 (official site)]