The Golden Joystick Awards 2024: A Celebration of Gaming Excellence, Featuring a Strong Indie Presence
The Golden Joystick Awards, a prestigious event honoring the best in gaming since 1983, returns on November 21st, 2024, for its 42nd year. This year's awards showcase games released between November 11th, 2023, and October 4th, 2024, with a notable emphasis on indie titles. Games like Balatro and Lorelei and the Laser Eyes have secured multiple nominations, highlighting the growing influence of smaller developers.
A key development is the introduction of a new category: "Best Indie Game - Self Published." This category specifically recognizes indie games developed and published by smaller teams without the backing of larger publishers. The organizers emphasize their commitment to broadening the definition of "indie" and supporting developers in less-served markets.
Here's a glimpse at some of the nominated titles across various categories:
Key Award Categories and Nominees:
- Best Soundtrack: A Highland Song, Astro Bot, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Hauntii, Silent Hill 2, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance
- Best Indie Game: Animal Well, Arco, Balatro, Beyond Galaxyland, Conscript, Indika, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, Thank Goodness You’re Here!, The Plucky Squire, Ultros
- Best Indie Game - Self Published: Arctic Eggs, Another Crab’s Treasure, Crow Country, Duck Detective: The Secret Salami, I Am Your Beast, Little Kitty, Big City, Riven, Tactical Breach Wizards, Tiny Glade, UFO 50
- Console Game of the Year: Astro Bot, Dragon’s Dogma 2, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Helldivers 2, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
- PC Game of the Year: Animal Well, Balatro, Frostpunk 2, Satisfactory, Tactical Breach Wizards, UFO 50
- Most Wanted Game: This category boasts a diverse range of highly anticipated titles.
(A full list of nominees across all 19 categories is available on the official website.)
Voting and Controversy:
Fan voting is currently underway, with the nominees chosen by a jury including representatives from prominent gaming publications. The Ultimate Game of the Year (UGOTY) nominees will be announced later. The omission of certain fan favorites, such as Black Myth: Wukong, from the initial Game of the Year nominations has sparked controversy, with some fans expressing their disappointment on social media. The Golden Joystick Awards have responded by clarifying that the UGOTY shortlist is yet to be revealed.
Voting for the main awards runs from November 4th to 8th, 2024. A free ebook is offered as an incentive for participation.
