The SXSW Gaming Advisory Board has sifted through all of 2018’s biggest games and announced the nominees for this year’s SXSW Gaming Awards.
As you might have expected, Sony Santa Monica’s God of War, Insomniac’s Spider-Man, and Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2 claimed the most nominations. Each of the three games will compete in a total of nine categories, and all three are in the running for “Video Game of the Year.” Matt Thorson’s brutal platformer, Celeste, and Nintendo’s crossover fighter, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, were also nominated for the big prize.
The public will get the chance to vote for the winners in all categories at this year’s SXSW Gaming Awards, and the final winner in each category will be determined by a weighted total between public and advisory board votes. Voting is open now at SXSW Gaming’s official website, and will close on Sunday, February 17 at midnight (Eastern Time).
The SXSW Gaming Awards will be given out on March 16 and you can find the full list of nominees in all categories after the break.
Video Game of the Year
Awarded to the game that exemplifies overall excellence and creates a distinct gaming experience across all platforms and genres.
- Celeste (Matt Makes Games)
- God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Bandai Namco Studios / Sora / Nintendo)
Mobile Game of the Year
Awarded to the game that exemplifies overall excellence and creates a unique gaming experience on any handheld device.
- Alto’s Odyssey (Team Alto)
- Donut County (Ben Esposito / Annapurna Interactive)
- Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive)
- Fortnite (Epic Games)
- Marvel Strike Force (FoxNext Games LA / FoxNext)
VR Game of the Year
Awarded to the VR game that exemplifies overall excellence in gameplay and design across any VR platform.
- Astro Bot: Rescue Mission (ASOBI / Sony Computer Entertainment)
- Beat Saber (Beat Games)
- Moss (Polyarc Games)
- Sprint Vector (Survios)
- Tetris Effect (Resonair / Monstars / Enhance)
Most Evolved Games
Awarded to the game that was enhanced with the best additional content after its original release.
- Destiny 2: Forsaken (Bungie)
- Fortnite (Epic Games)
- No Man’s Sky: Next (Hello Games)
- Overwatch (Blizzard)
- Pokemon Go (Niantic / The Pokemon Company)
Most Promising New Esports Game
Awarded to the online game that has the best competitive scene, or potential to grow one, and most entertainment value.
- NBA 2K19 (NBA 2K League / 2K Games)
- Dragon Ball FighterZ (Arc System Works / Bandai Namco)
- Fortnite (Epic Games)
- Gwent: The Witcher Card Game (CD Projekt Red / CD Projekt)
- Soul Calibur VI (Bandai Namco Studios / Bandai Namco)
Tabletop Game of the Year
Awarded to the game that exemplifies overall excellence and ingenuity of any tabletop game in any genre.
- Brass: Birmingham (Roxley Game Laboratory)
- Everdell (Starling Games)
- Keyforge: Call of the Archons (Fantasy Flight Games)
- Root (Leder Games)
- Western Legends (Kolossal Games)
Trending Game of the Year
Awarded to the game that consistently entertained and kept us watching on social platforms with its humor, stories, and more.
- Beat Saber (Beat Games)
- Celeste (Matt Makes Games)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Monster Hunter: World (Capcom)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Matthew Crump Cultural Innovation Award
Awarded to the game that best challenges the “norm” of everyday gaming and offers a culturally innovative view of a game world, character, or gameplay.
- 11-11: Memories Retold (Digixart / Aardman Animations / Bandai Namco)
- Celeste (Matt Makes Games)
- Monster Prom (Beautiful Glitch / Those Awesome Guys)
- The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit (Dontnod Entertainment / Square Enix)
- Where the Water Tastes Like Wine (Johnnemann Nordhagen / Good Shepherd Entertainment)
Excellence in Narrative
Awarded to the game with the best storyline and dialogue.
- Celeste (Matt Makes Games)
- Detroit: Become Human (Quantic Dream / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive)
- God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Excellence in Design
Awarded to the game with the best overall design concept and best execution.
- Donut County (Ben Esposito / Annapurna Interactive)
- God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Into the Breach (Subset Games)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
- Return of the Obra Dinn (3909)
Excellence in Gameplay
Awarded to the game with the best gameplay mechanics.
- Beat Saber (Beat Games)
- Dead Cells (Motion Twin)
- God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Bandai Namco Studios / Sora / Nintendo)
Most Fulfilling Community-Funded Game
Awarded to the game that was primarily produced via crowdfunding platforms and had excelled beyond the expectations set before it.
- CrossCode (Radical Fish Games / Deck13 Interactive)
- Monster Prom (Beautiful Glitch / Those Awesome Guys)
- Moonlighter (Digital Sun / 11 bit studios)
- Root (Leder Games)
- Wandersong (Greg Lobanov / Humble Bundle)
Most Promising New Intellectual Property
Awarded to a new property that risked creating something fresh and that excelled within its genre or category for the year.
- Ashen (A44 / Annapurna Interactive)
- Beat Saber (Beat Games)
- Dead Cells (Motion Twin)
- Gris (Nomada Studio / Devolver Digital)
- Octopath Traveler (Square Enix / Acquire / Nintendo)
Excellence in Multiplayer
Awarded to the game with the best player-to-player interaction experience.
- Destiny 2: Forsaken (Bungie)
- Fortnite (Epic Games)
- Monster Hunter: World (Capcom)
- Overcooked 2 (Ghost Town Games / Team17)
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Bandai Namco Studios / Sora / Nintendo)
Excellence in Convergence
Awarded to the game that excels in crossover to other entertainment mediums such as film, music, toys, animation, sports and more.
- Dragon Ball FighterZ (Arc System Works / Bandai Namco)
- FIFA 19 (Electronic Arts)
- Jurassic World Evolution (Frontier Developments)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Star Trek: Fleet Command (Interplay Entertainment / Scopely)
Excellence in Art
Awarded to the game with the most expressive and creative artistic style.
- Gris (Nomada Studio / Devolver Digital)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Octopath Traveler (Square Enix / Acquire / Nintendo)
- Return of the Obra Dinn (3909)
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Bandai Namco Studios / Sora / Nintendo)
Excellence in Animation
Awarded to the game with the most outstanding animations.
- Detroit: Become Human (Quantic Dream / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Dragon Ball FighterZ (Arc System Works / Bandai Namco)
- God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Excellence in Visual Achievement
Awarded to the game with the most well-designed and stunning visuals.
- Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey (Ubisoft Quebec / Ubisoft)
- Detroit: Become Human (Quantic Dream / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Gris (Nomada Studio / Devolver Digital)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Excellence in Technical Achievement
Awarded to the game that pushed the capabilities of technology and programming.
- Astro Bot: Rescue Mission (ASOBI / Sony Computer Entertainment)
- Detroit: Become Human (Quantic Dream / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Excellence in Musical Score
Awarded to the game that best exemplifies artistic excellence in musical score and how it progresses the narrative of the game.
- Celeste (Matt Makes Games)
- Gris (Nomada Studio / Devolver Digital)
- Octopath Traveler (Square Enix / Acquire / Nintendo)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
- Tetris Effect (Resonair / Monstars / Enhance)
Excellence in SFX
Awarded to the game with the most outstanding and impactful sound effects.
- Battlefield V (EA DICE / Electronic Arts)
- Forza Horizon 4 (Playground Games / Turn 10 Studios / Microsoft Studios)
- God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
- Tetris Effect (Resonair / Monstars / Enhance)
