Since its inception 10 years ago, The Game Awards has steadily evolved into a celebrity spectacle versus a celebration of video games. 2023’s showing really hit a breaking point in the community, with winners rushed off stage, ads galore, lack of actual gaming announcements (crazy, right), celebrity appearances that felt off-putting for a video game show, and an uneasy silence regarding the massive layoffs in 2023.
Heading into this year’s showing, a lot was riding on this one for Geoff Keighley. It was off to a rough start with the surprise Elden Ring Amendment *I mean,* the ruling that DLC could win GOTY. Could Keighley recover goodwill? Could he do what needed to be done, aka deliver a video game award show that celebrated the medium and the thousands that work behind the scenes to make it happen?
My expectations were very low beforehand, but I was pleasantly surprised at how I walked away from my monitor after watching this year’s show.
The stage shone bright with industry love
I can’t stress enough that last year’s award show was rough. “Please wrap up” was making headlines on the internet, and anytime Geoff Keighley spoke on Twitter, replies gave it to him. To be fair, Christopher Judge was the catalyst after he spoke for like 10 minutes, but I digress.
This year was a complete 180. Developers had ample time to celebrate their big moment, as they praised each other such as Balatro‘s devs telling players to play more indie games or Team Asobi shouting out all the studios they approached for Astro Bot. This probably reads as hyperbole, but given last year’s lack, it really highlighted this year’s celebrations.
We even got some lighthearted jabs from big names from Swen Vincke and Sam Lake; the former jesting he had time to carry forward from last year, while the latter rushed through his appearance for fun. Not to mention, Vincke’s speech on triple AAA studios was the bee’s knees.
There was also this sick moment from Amir Satvat, TGA Game Changer who, for no compensation, has helped over 3000 laid off video game industry workers find jobs.
I will say, I hope future shows give more room to those rapid fire categories that win without a moment to shine on stage. My solution would be shining a spotlight on them in the crowd, but I’m sure there’s so more creative ways to do that.
Overall, sentiment has been very good, and I’m glad we got back to what matters: video games and the people that make them.
OKAMI’S GETTIN A F’IN SEQUEL??? … and all the other highlights
Drop everything you’re doing, go play Okami, and then come back to this post when you’re done playing that masterpiece. Hyperbole aside, but holy fucking shit, it’s happening. I haven’t played it since I beat it, but it’s been on my heart to revisit it, looks like I got plenty of time though.
Let’s be fair, there were a good amount of reveals and trailers at The Game Awards. The Witcher 4 debuted a reveal trailer for a game that won’t be out anytime this decade and playable on any GPU this era, Randy Pitchford showed us Borderlands 4, Onimusha and Ninja Gaiden are coming back??
Jesse Pinkman’s in a video game?? My lord and savior RGG (Yakuza developers) are working on 50 different games??? MIYAZAKI RUNS IT BACK WITH ELDEN RING BATTLE ROYAL??
Like kudos Geoff, you did some cool stuff here.
You’ve definitely seen these trailers already, but here’s some of the notable ones.
Outside of Okami and The Outer Worlds 2, Dispatch definitely caught my eye, with its Telltale Games formula blended with humor and a stacked voice acting lineup.
Naughty Dog finally breaks free from The Last of Us
For damn near 12 years, Naughty Dog and The Last of Us have been inseparable. There are only two entries in the franchise, and they’ve been remastered, remade, reincarnated. You name it, ND’s done it somehow for two games.
Right on queue, The Last of Us made an appearance at TGA, revealing Part II was coming to PC in 2025.
*Very audible groan arises on the internet*
However, ND closed TGA with a bang, an unforeseen move decades in the making; it announced a new freaking game.
I couldn’t tell you what it’s about, but the Porsche Spaceship and banger tunes from the 1800s (kidding) set a good tone. Funnily enough, this gives off Star Wars Outlaws more than Star Wars Outlaws does, and I haven’t played it.
Listen, this isn’t Uncharted, nor is it Jak & Daxter. I can only imagine how upset this game will make people when it arrives whenever it does. Mind you, the internet has been ablaze with criticism, bashing product placement and claiming gaming has gone “woke.”
I, for one, am stoked it’s not another TLOU entry. As I said, both have been inseparable since 2013, becoming the butt of many jokes in the industry; “wait until the remastered version comes out.”
I’m not saying ND can’t do it, but Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet will let us see if the studio can deliver the same magic it found in 2013 when The Last of Us first dropped. I know it won’t be out anytime soon, but I’ve got my eyes on Concord 2, I mean, Intergalactic.
Astro Bot clears
I’ve been knee-deep in the Yakuza games, so don’t take my word on Astro Bot’s Game of the Year win as law. I love the win, especially after the push of live service mess after mess. Single-player games are still rad, even more so when they’re a love letter to similar titles like Astro Bot.
It’s even more hilarious because Concord came and flopped, while Astro Bot came out a few weeks later to universal acclaim and the crown.
Talk about the duality of man.
Huge congrats to Team Asobi on their victory. Here’s hoping this gets PlayStation to open its eyes so that the publisher can lean back into its roots.
New Year, New Meme
Last year’s meme unanimously went to Ben Starr, who had the blinding flashbang moment. Luckily, he came prepared this year.
This year’s crowning moment comes courtesy of the legends, and inspiration, behind Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Somehow, someway, Troy Baker, Todd Howard and Harrison Ford, perfectly aligned for the greatest height differential you’ll ever see.
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