2022 has been an excellent year for games. We’ve immersed ourselves into the worlds of Stray, Elden Ring, Immortality, and the recently released God of War: Ragnarok.
So it’s no wonder this year’s The Game Awards nominations are stacked beyond belief.
Announced on 14th November, the God of War sequel came out on top with ten nominations, closely followed by Elden Ring with seven nominations.
God of War: Ragnarok. Credit: Santa Monica Studios
Both games are up for the coveted Game of the Year award, as well as Best Game Direction and Best Narrative.
God of War’s Christopher Judge and Sunny Suljic also nabbed nominations in the Best Performance category for their roles as Kratos and Atreus, respectively.
You can see the complete list of nominations below. Voting is now open on The Game Awards website, with the full ceremony taking place on December 8.
Game of the Year
Recognising a game that delivers the absolute best experience across all creative and technical fields.
A Plague Tale: Requiem
Elden Ring
God of War Ragnarok
Horizon Forbidden West
Stray
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Best Game Direction
Awarded for outstanding creative vision and innovation in game direction and design.
Elden Ring
God of War Ragnarok
Horizon Forbidden West
Immortality
Stray
Best Narrative
For outstanding storytelling and narrative development in a game.
A Plague Tale: Requiem
Elden Ring
God of War Ragnarok
Horizon Forbidden West
Immortality
Best Art Direction
For outstanding creative and/or technical achievement in artistic design and animation.
Elden Ring
God of War: Ragnarok
Horizon: Forbidden West
Scorn
Stray
Best Score/Music
For outstanding music, including score, original song and/or licensed soundtrack.
Olivier Deriviere – A Plague Tale: Requiem
Tsukasa Saitoh – Elden Ring
Bear McCreary – God of War: Ragnarok
Two Feathers – Metal Hellsinger
Yasunori Mitsuda
Immortality. Credit: Half Mermaid Studios
Best Audio Design
Recognising the best in-game audio and sound design.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Elden Ring
God of War Ragnarok
Gran Turismo 7
Horizon Forbidden West
Best Performance
Awarded to an individual for voice-over acting, motion and/or performance capture.
Ashly Birch – Horizon: Forbidden West
Charlotte McBurney – A Plague Tale: Requiem
Christopher Judge – God of War: Ragnarok
Manon Gage – Immortality
Sunny Suljic – God of War: Ragnarok
Games for Impact
For a thought-provoking game with a pro-social meaning or message.
A Memoir Blue
As Dusk Falls
Citizen Sleeper
Endling – Extinction is Forever
Hindsight
I Was a Teenage Exocolonist
Best Ongoing Game
Awarded to a game for outstanding ongoing content development that evolves the player experience over time.
Apex Legends
Destiny 2
Final Fantasy 14 Online
Fortnite
Genshin Impact
Best Indie Game
For outstanding creative and technical achievement in a game made outside the traditional publisher system.
Cult of the Lamb
Neon White
Sifu
Stray
TUNIC
Best Debut Indie Game
For the best debut game created by a new independent studio.
Neon White
NORCO
Stray
TUNIC
Vampire Survivors
Best Mobile Game
For the best game playable on a mobile device.
Apex Legends Mobile
Diablo Immortal
Genshin Impact
Marvel Snap
Tower of Fantasy
Best Community Support
Recognising a game for outstanding community support, transparency and responsiveness, inclusive of social media activity and game updates/patches.
Apex Legends
Destiny 2
Final Fantasy 14 Online
Fortnite
No Man’s Sky
Best VR/AR Game
For the best game experience, playable in virtual or augmented reality, irrespective of platform.
After the Fall
Among Us VR
BONELAB
Moss: Book II
Red Matter 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.
As Dusk Falls
God of War: Ragnarok
Returnal
Return to Monkey Island
The Last of Us Part 1
The Quarry
God of War: Ragnarok’s accessibility features have been nominated. Credit: Santa Monica Studios
Best Action Game
For the best game in the action genre focused primarily on combat.
Bayonetta 3
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II
Neon White
Sifu
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge
Best Action/Adventure Game
For the best action/adventure game, combining combat with traversal and puzzle solving.
A Plague Tale: Requiem
God of War Ragnarok
Horizon Forbidden West
Stray
TUNIC
Best RPG
For the best game designed with rich player character customization and progression, including massively multiplayer experiences.
Elden Ring
Live a Live
Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Triangle Strategy
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Best Fighting Game
For the best game designed primarily around head-to-head combat.
DNF Duel
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle R
The King of Fighters 15
MultiVersus
Sifu
Best Family Game
For the best game appropriate for family play, irrespective of genre or platform.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
Nintendo Switch Sports
Splatoon 3
Best Sports/Racing Game
For the best traditional and non-traditional sports and racing game.
F1 22
FIFA 23
NBA 2K23
Gran Turismo 7
OlliOlli World
Fifa 23. Credit: EA Sports
Best SIM/Strategy Game
Best game focused on real-time or turn-based simulation or strategy gameplay, irrespective of platform.
Dune: Spice Wars
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
Total War: WARHAMMER 3
Two Point Campus
Victoria 3
Best Multiplayer Game
For outstanding online multiplayer gameplay and design, including co-op and massively multiplayer experiences, irrespective of game genre or platform.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Multiversus
Overwatch 2
Splatoon 3
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge
Content Creator of the Year
For a streamer or content creator who has made an important and positive impact on the community in 2022.
Karl Jacobs
Ludwig
Nibellion
Nobru
QTCinderella
Best Esports Athlete
The esports athlete judged to be the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2022, irrespective of game.
Jeong “Chovy” Ji-hoon (Gen.G, LOL)
Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok (T1, LOL)
Finn “karrigan” Andersen ( (FaZe Clan – CS:GO)
Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev (Natus Vincere, CS:GO)
Jacob “Yay” Whiteaker (Cloud9, Valorant)
Best Esports Coach
The Esports coach judged to be the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2022.
Andrii “B1ad3” Horodenskyi (Natus Vincere, CS:GO)
Matheus “bzkA” Tarasconi (LOUD, VALORANT)
Erik “d00mbr0s” Sandgren (FPX, VALORANT)
Robert “RobbaN” Dahlström (FaZe Clan, CS:GO)
Go “Score” Dong-bin (Gen.G, LOL)
Best Esports Event
Recognizing an event (across single or multiple days) that delivered a best-of-class experience for participants and the broadcast audience.
EVO 2022
2022 League of Legends World Championship
PGL Major Antwerp 2022
The 2022 Mid-Season Invitational
VALORANT Champions 2022
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: Global Offensive
DOTA 2
League of Legends
Rocket League
VALORANT
Best Esports Team
Recognising a specific esports team (not the full organization) judged the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2022.
DarkZero Esports (Apex Legends)
FaZe Clan (CS:GO)
Gen.G (League of Legends)
LA Thieves (Call of Duty)
LOUD (Valorant)
Most Anticipated Game
Recognising an announced game that has demonstrably illustrated potential to push the gaming medium forward.
Final Fantasy 16
Hogwarts Legacy
Resident Evil 4
Starfield
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Best Adaptation
Celebrating game-inspired projects across entertainment including TV, movies, comics, and more.
Arcane: League of Legends
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
The Cuphead Show!
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Uncharted
