The Golden Joystick Awards 2024: Indie Games Shine, GOTY Controversy Brews

The Golden Joystick Awards, celebrating gaming excellence since 1983, unveiled its 2024 nominees across numerous categories, notably a new bracket dedicated to self-developed and self-published indie games. The awards, set for November 21st, encompass games released between November 11th, 2023, and October 4th, 2024. This year showcases a strong indie presence, with titles like Balatro and Lorelei and the Laser Eyes receiving multiple nominations.

A total of 19 categories are up for grabs, highlighting the growing recognition of indie developers who lack the backing of major publishers. The new "Best Indie Game - Self Published" category specifically recognizes these teams and their contributions to the gaming landscape.

Here's a glimpse at some of the nominated titles:

Selected Nominee Categories:

• 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

(Full nominee lists for all categories are available on the official website.)

Fan Voting and Controversy:

Fan voting is currently underway, with the nominees chosen by a jury including representatives from prominent gaming publications. However, the omission of several fan favorites, such as Black Myth: Wukong, Metaphor: ReFantazio, and Space Marine 2, from the Game of the Year categories has sparked significant backlash.

The Golden Joystick Awards responded to the criticism, clarifying that the Ultimate Game of the Year (UGOTY) nominees are yet to be announced. This separate category is intended to address some of the concerns raised by the community.

The voting period runs until November 8th, with a bonus ebook offered to participants. The debate continues, highlighting the passionate engagement of the gaming community in the ongoing Game of the Year discussions.