Indie Games Shine at Golden Joystick Awards 2024

The Golden Joystick Awards 2024: A Celebration of Gaming Excellence, with a Focus on Indie Titles

The Golden Joystick Awards, a prestigious event honoring the best in gaming since 1983, is back! The 42nd annual awards ceremony, taking place on November 21, 2024, will celebrate games released between November 11, 2023, and October 4, 2024. This year marks a significant spotlight on indie games, with titles like Balatro and Lorelei and the Laser Eyes receiving multiple nominations.

A notable addition this year is a new category dedicated to self-published indie games. This award recognizes the growing impact of indie developers who handle both development and publishing, often without the backing of larger publishers. The organizers emphasize their commitment to showcasing titles from diverse markets and teams.

Below are some of the key categories and their nominees:

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: (A comprehensive list of nominees is available on the official website)

(Note: A full list of nominees across all 19 categories can be found on the official Golden Joystick Awards website.)

Fan Voting and Controversy:

Fan voting is currently open, with nominees chosen by a jury including prominent gaming publications. The voting period runs until November 8th, 2024. A separate "Ultimate Game of the Year" category will be announced later.

The initial nominee list has sparked some controversy, with fans expressing disappointment over the exclusion of titles like Black Myth: Wukong, Metaphor: ReFantazio, and Space Marine 2 from the Game of the Year categories. The Golden Joystick Awards organization has addressed this, clarifying that the Ultimate Game of the Year nominees are yet to be revealed.

Voting participation offers a bonus: a free ebook from a selection including titles like 100 Retro Games to Play Before You Die and The History of Videogames. Visit the official website to cast your vote and claim your free ebook.