In der Nacht vom 7. auf den 8. Dezember werden wieder die Game Awards verliehen, bei denen auch dieses Jahr das M!-Team Teil der Fachjury ist. Heute hat Geoff Keighley die Nominierungen für alle Kategorien verkündet – Hoffnungen auf eine Trophäe können sich folgende Titel, Entwickler und andere machen:

Game of the Year

Recognizing a game that delivers the absolute best experience across all creative and technical fields.

• Alan Wake II (Remedy Entertainment / Epic Games Publishing)
• Baldur’s Gate III (Larian Studios)
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Resident Evil 4 (Capcom)
• Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)

Best Game Direction

Awarded for outstanding creative vision and innovation in game direction and design.

• Alan Wake II (Remedy Entertainment / Epic Games Publishing)
• Baldur’s Gate III (Larian Studios)
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)

Best Narrative

For outstanding storytelling and narrative development in a game.

• Alan Wake II (Remedy Entertainment / Epic Games Publishing)
• Baldur’s Gate III (Larian Studios)
• Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty (CD Projekt RED)
• Final Fantasy XVI (Creative Business Unit III / Square Enix)
• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Best Art Direction

For outstanding creative and/or technical achievement in artistic design and animation.

• Alan Wake II (Remedy Entertainment / Epic Games Publishing)
• Hi-Fi RUSH (Tango Gameworks / Bethesda Softworks)
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
• Lies of P (Round8 Studio / Neowiz)
• Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)

Best Score and Music

For outstanding music, inclusive of score, original song and/or licensed soundtrack.

• Alan Wake II Composer Petri Alanko (Remedy Entertainment / Epic Games Publishing)
• Baldur’s Gate III Composer Borislav Slavov (Larian Studios)
• Final Fantasy XVI Composer Masayoshi Soken (Creative Business Unit III / Square Enix)
• Hi-Fi RUSH Audio Director Shuichi Kobori (Tango Gameworks / Bethesda Softworks)
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Composer Nintendo Sound Team (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)

Best Audio Design

Recognizing the best in-game audio and sound design.

• Alan Wake II (Remedy Entertainment / Epic Games Publishing)
• Dead Space (Motive / Electronic Arts)
• Hi-Fi RUSH (Tango Gameworks / Bethesda Softworks)
• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Resident Evil 4 (Capcom)

Best Performance

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

• Ben Starr in Final Fantasy XVI
• Cameron Monaghan in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
• Idris Elba in Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
• Melanie Liburd in Alan Wake II
• Neil Newbon in Baldur’s Gate III
• Yuri Lowenthal in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Innovation in Accessibility

Recognizing software and / or hardware that is pushing the medium forward by adding features, technology and content to help games be played and enjoyed by an even wider audience.

• Diablo IV (Blizzard Entertainment)
• Forza Motorsport (Turn 10 Studios / Xbox Game Studios)
• Hi-Fi RUSH (Tango Gameworks / Bethesda Softworks)
• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Mortal Kombat 1 (NetherRealm Studios / Warner Bros. Games)
• Street Fighter 6 (Capcom)

Games for Impact

For a thought-provoking game with a pro-social meaning or message.

• A Space for the Unbound (Mojiken Studio / Toge Productions / Chorus Worldwide)
• Chants of Sennaar (Rundisc / Focus Entertainment)
• Goodbye Volcano High (KO_OP)
• Tchia (Awaceb / Kepler Interactive)
• Terra Nil (Free Lives / Devolver Digital / Netflix)
• Venba (Visai Games)

Best Ongoing Game

Awarded to a game for outstanding development of ongoing content that evolves the player experience over time.

• Apex Legends (Respawn Entertainment / Electronic Arts)
• Cyberpunk 2077 (CD Projekt RED)
• Final Fantasy XIV (Square Enix)
• Fortnite (Epic Games)
• Genshin Impact (miHoYo)

Best Community Support

Recognizing a game for outstanding community support, transparency and responsiveness, inclusive of social media activity and game updates / patches.

• Baldur’s Gate III (Larian Studios)
• Cyberpunk 2077 (CD Projekt RED)
• Destiny 2 (Bungie)
• Final Fantasy XIV (Square Enix)
• No Man’s Sky (Hello Games)

Best Independent Game

For outstanding creative and technical achievement in a game made outside the traditional publisher system.

• COCOON (Geometric Interactive / Annapurna Interactive)
• DAVE THE DIVER (MINTROCKET)
• DREDGE (Black Salt Games / Team17)
• Sea of Stars (Sabotage Studio)
• Viewfinder (Sad Owl Studios / Thunderful Games)

Best Debut Indie Game

For the best debut game created by a new independent studio.

• COCOON (Geometric Interactive / Annapurna Interactive)
• DREDGE (Black Salt Games / Team17)
• Pizza Tower (Tour De Pizza)
• Venba (Visai Games)
• Viewfinder (Sad Owl Studios / Thunderful Games)

Best Mobile Game

For the best game playable on a mobile device.

• Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis (Applibot / Square Enix)
• Hello Kitty Island Adventure (Sunblink)
• Honkai: Star Rail (miHoYo)
• Monster Hunter Now (Niantic / Capcom)
• Terra Nil (Free Lives / Netflix)

Best Virtual Reality / Augmented Reality

For the best game experience playable in virtual or augmented reality, irrespective of platform.

• Gran Turismo 7 (Polyphony Digital / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Horizon Call of the Mountain (Guerrilla Games / Firesprite / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• HUMANITY (tha ltd. / Enhance Games)
• Resident Evil Village VR Mode (Capcom)
• SYNAPSE (nDreams)

Best Action Game

For the best game in the action genre focused primarily on combat.

• Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon (FromSoftware / Bandai Namco Entertainment)
• Dead Island 2 (Dambuster Studios / Deep Silver)
• Ghostrunner II (One More Level / 505 Games)
• Hi-Fi RUSH (Tango Gameworks / Bethesda Softworks)
• Remnant II (Gunfire Games / Gearbox Publishing)

Best Action / Adventure

For the best action / adventure game, combining combat with traversal and puzzle solving.

• Alan Wake II (Remedy Entertainment / Epic Games Publishing)
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Resident Evil 4 (Capcom)
• Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (Respawn Entertainment / Electronic Arts)

Best Role-Playing

For the best game designed with rich player character customization and progression, including massively multiplayer experiences.

• Baldur’s Gate III (Larian Studios)
• Final Fantasy XVI (Creative Business Unit III / Square Enix)
• Lies of P (Round8 Studio / Neowiz)
• Sea of Stars (Sabotage Studio)
• Starfield (Bethesda Game Studios / Bethesda Softworks)

Best Fighting

For the best game designed primarily around head-to-head combat.

• God of Rock (Modus Studios Brazil / Modus Games)
• Mortal Kombat 1 (NetherRealm Studios / Warner Bros. Games)
• Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 (Ludosity / Fair Play Labs / GameMill Entertainment)
• Pocket Bravery (Statera Studio / PQube)
• Street Fighter 6 (Capcom)

Best Family

For the best game appropriate for family play, irrespective of genre or platform.

• Disney Illusion Island (Dlala Studios / Disney)
• Party Animals (Recreate Games)
• Pikmin 4 (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
• Sonic Superstars (Arzest / Sonic Team / SEGA)
• Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)

Best Simulation / Strategy

Best game focused on real time or turn-based simulation or strategy gameplay, irrespective of platform.

• Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp (WayForward Technologies / Nintendo)
• Cities: Skylines II (Colossal Order / Paradox Interactive)
• Company of Heroes III (Relic Entertainment / SEGA)
• Fire Emblem Engage (Intelligent Systems / Nintendo)
• Pikmin 4 (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)

Best Sports / Racing

For the best traditional and non-traditional sports and racing game.

• The Crew Motorfest (Ubisoft Ivory Tower / Ubisoft)
• EA Sports FC 24 (Electronic Arts Vancouver / Electronic Arts Romania / Electronic Arts)
• F1 23 (Codemasters / Electronic Arts)
• Forza Motorsport (Turn 10 Studios / Xbox Game Studios)
• Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged (Milestone)

Best Multiplayer

For outstanding online multiplayer gameplay and design, including co-op and massively multiplayer experiences, irrespective of game genre or platform.

• Baldur’s Gate III (Larian Studios)
• Diablo IV (Blizzard Entertainment)
• Party Animals (Recreate Games)
• Street Fighter 6 (Capcom)
• Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)

Best Adaptation

Recognizing outstanding creative work that faithfully and authentically adapts a video game to another entertainment medium.

• Castlevania: Nocturne (Powerhouse Animation / Netflix)
• Gran Turismo (PlayStation Productions / Sony Pictures)
• The Last of Us (PlayStation Productions / HBO)
• The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Illumination / Nintendo / Universal Pictures)
• Twisted Metal (PlayStation Productions / Peacock)

Most Anticipated Game

Recognizing an announced game that has demonstrably illustrated potential to push the gaming medium forward.

• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix)
• Hades II (Supergiant Games)
• Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio / SEGA)
• Star Wars Outlaws (Massive Entertainment / Ubisoft)
• Tekken 8 (Arika / Bandai Namco Entertainment)

Content Creator of the Year

For a streamer or content creator who has made an important and positive impact on the community in 2021.

• Ironmouse
• People Make Games
• Quackity
• Spreen
• Sypherpk

Best eSports Game

For the game that has delivered the best overall esports experience to players (inclusive of tournaments, community support and content updates), irrespective of genre or platform.

• Counter-Strike 2 (Valve)
• Dota 2 (Valve)
• League of Legends (Riot Games)
• PUBG Mobile (Lightspeed Studios)
• Valorant (Riot Games)

Best eSports Athlete

The eSports athlete judged to be the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2021, irrespective of game.

• Lee “Faker” Sang-Hyeok (League of Legends)
• Mathieu “Zywoo” Herbaut (Counter-Striker: Global Offensive)
• Max “Demon1” Mazanov (Valorant)
• Paco “Hydra” Rusiewiez (Call of Duty)
• Park “Ruler” Jae-Hyuk (League of Legends)
• Phillip “ImperialHal” Dosen (Apex Legends)

Best eSports Team

Recognizing a specific eSports team (not the full organization) judged the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2021.

• Evil Geniuses (Valorant)
• Fnatic (Valorant)
• Gaimin Gladiators (Dota 2)
• JD Gaming (League of Legends)
• Team Vitality (Counter-Strike)

Best eSports Coach

The eSports coach judged to be the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2021.

• Christine “Potter” Chi (Evil Geniuses – Valorant)
• Danny “Zonic” Sorensen (Team Falcons – Counter-Strike)
• Jordan “Gunba” Graham (Florida Mayhem – Overwatch)
• Remy “XTQZZZ” Quoniam (Team Vitality – Counter-Strike)
• Yoon “Homme” Sung-Young (JD Gaming – League of Legends)

Best eSports Event

Recognizing an event (across single or multiple days) that delivered a best-of-class experience for participants and the broadcast audience.

• 2023 League of Legends World Championship
• BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023
• EVO 2023
• The International Dota 2 Championships 2023
• Valorant Champions 2023