The Game Awards 2022 Recap
Ali Hasan December 9, 2022
The Game Awards returned for another night of game announcements, updates, and awarding of the leading creators and developers behind some of our favorite games of 2022. From God of War Ragnarök to Elden Ring and Horizon Forbidden West, the competition was tough this year; reminiscent of the 2018 edition of the award show. God of War took home the most wins of the night, bagging a staggering six awards across a number of categories while Elden Ring faired similarly. The award show saw many industry leaders and actors take the stage to hand over the coveted game awards statues to their respected recipients.
Game of the Year
Elden Ring took home the game of the year award, facing stiff competition from God of War Ragnarök, Horizon Forbidden West, A Plague Tale: Requiem, Stray, and Xenoblade Chronicles 3. The award was presented to the FromSoftware team by Josef Fares, who won this very award last year for It Takes Two. Elden Ring also bagged the award for best game direction.
Best Action/Adventure Game
The best action/adventure game was very The Last of Us themed as the award was presented by Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson (who play Joel and Ellie in the games) along with Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsay (who will play Joel and Ellie in the forthcoming HBO adaptation) God of War Ragnarök took home the award. Other nominees included Horizon Forbidden West, Tunic, and Stray. The Nintendo Switch exclusive Bayonetta 3 won the award for Best Action game.
Best Performance
God of War Ragnarök was nominated for this category not once but twice! Both Christopher Judge and Sunny Suljic were nominated for their roles as Kratos and Atreus respectively but it was Christopher Judge who took home the title after losing to Roger Clark in the same category in 2018 for his work on Red Dead Redemption II.
Best Score and Music
God of War Ragnarök continued its dominance throughout the night by winning the Best Score award. Earlier in the night, Hozier performed Blood Upon the Snow, an original song created for the game in collaboration with composer Bear McCreary. Bear thanked his many collaborators for their work on the game’s score. God of War Ragnarök also won the award for best narrative, best audio design, and innovation in accessibility.
Best Indie and Indie Debut
Stray captivated audiences when it was released earlier this year, bringing an unlikely protagonist to the spotlight. The game was nominated for the GOTY award and even though it didn’t win, Stray was able to snag both the best indie award as well the best debut indie award.
Best Role-Playing Game
Elden Ring snagged the Best Role-Playing Game award where it faced off against Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Pokémon Legends Arceus, Live a Live, and Triangle Strategy. Elden Ring also won the award for best art direction, bringing its total to four awards, second only to God of War Ragnarök which won a total of six awards.
Best Multiplayer
The best multiplayer award went to the Nintendo Switch exclusive, Splatoon 3. Other nominees included Call of Duty Modern Warfare II, Overwatch 2, Multiverses, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge.
Most Anticipated Game
2023 is littered with prolific game releases with the likes of Marvel’s Spiderman 2, Resident Evil 4, and more. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom snagged this award, narrowly beating out Hogwarts Legacy, Final Fantasy XVI, and Starfield.
Best Esports game
Valorant took home the title for the best esports game, going up against Rocket League, Dota 2, and League of Legends. The award show also crowned Jacob “Yay” Whiteaker as the best esports athlete of the year while LOUD was declared the best esports team overall.
Other Awards
As Dusk Falls, the Xbox exclusive narrative-driven adventure won the games for impact award while Final Fantasy XIV won the award for the best ongoing game and the best community support. Marvel Snap snagged the title for the best mobile game while Moss: Book II won the best AR/VR game.
Multiverses took home the title for best fighting game and Kirby and the Forgotten Land was declared the best family game. Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope won the best strategy/sim game award while Gran Turismo 7 won the best sports/racing game award. The game awards also saw a plethora of new announcements during the night, including a new gameplay trailer for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Click here to find out more.
Looking to pick up a PS5 or Xbox Series X? look no further because Gameutha.com has you covered! Browse through our featured ads today to pick up your next gaming console or upgrade your PC or buy your next game. Gameutha.com is Pakistan’s largest dedicated gaming marketplace and is also home to the latest in gaming news, reviews, and updates.