The nominees for the 25th annual Game Developers Choice Awards (GDCA) have been announced.
Astro BotandBlack Myth: Wukongare both up for seven awards, while Animal Well is up for five prizes.
Sony’s platformer andGame Science’s action title are in the running for the coveted Game of the Year award alongsideBalatro,Helldivers 2,Final Fantasy 7 RebirthandMetaphor: ReFantazio.
Animal Well, from solo developer Billy Basso and publisher Bigmode, is up for the Best Audio, Best Debut, Best Design, Innovation Award, and Best Visual Art prizes.
A total of 18 games released last year have been nominated across nine awards categories, with the full list republished below.
The winners of the peer-based awards event will be announced at theGDCA ceremony on March 19.
The event is being held in conjunction with the Independent Games Festival Awards at GDC 25 in San Francisco’s Moscone Convention Center.
Members of the public can also vote for their favourite game of 2024 from all 18 of this year’s nominees in theAudience Award ballot.
Baldur’s Gate 3was thebig winner at last year’s GDCA. It won Game of the Year, Best Narrative, Best Design and the Audience Award.
Game Developers Choice Awards
Best Audio
Honorable Mentions:Balatro (LocalThunk/Playstack), Lorelei and the Laser Eyes (Simogo/Annapurna Interactive), Metaphor: ReFantazio (ATLUS/SEGA/ Studio Zero), Neva (Nomada Studio /Devolver Digital),Silent Hill 2(Bloober Teams SA /KONAMI)
Best Debut
Honorable Mentions:Manor Lords (Slavic Magic / Hooded Horse), Mullet Madjack (HAMMER95 / Epopeia Games), The Plucky Squire (All Possible Futures / Devolver Digital), Tiny Glade (Pounce Light)
Best Design
Honorable Mentions:Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix), Helldivers 2 (Arrowhead Game Studios/PlayStationPublishing LLC), Satisfactory (Coffee Stain Studios / Coffee Stain Publishing),The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom(Grezzo,NintendoEntertainment Planning & Development / Nintendo), UFO 50 (Mossmouth)
Innovation Award
Honorable Mentions:Helldivers 2 (Arrowhead Game Studios / PlayStation Publishing LLC), Lorelei and the Laser Eyes (Simogo / Annapurna Interactive),Thank Goodness You’re Here!(Coal Supper/Panic), The Plucky Squire (All Possible Futures / Devolver Digital), Tiny Glade (Pounce Light)
Best Narrative
Honorable Mentions:Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix), Frostpunk 2 (11 bit studios), Life is Strange: Double Exposure (Deck Nine Games / Square Enix), Neva (Nomada Studio / Devolver Digital), Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II (Ninja Theory / Xbox Game Studios)
Best Technology
Honorable Mentions:Animal Well (Billy Basso/ Bigmode),Call of Duty: Black Ops 6(Threyarch,Raven Software,Beenox,High Moon Studios,ActivisionShanghai,Sledgehammer Games,Infinity Ward, Demonware /Activision),Dragon Age: The Veilguard(BioWare/Electronic Arts), Satisfactory (Coffee Stain Studios / Coffee Stain Publishing),Tekken 8(Bandai Namco Studios Inc /Bandai Namco Entertainment)
Best Visual Art
Honorable Mentions:Balatro (LocalThunk / Playstack),Elden RingShadow of the Erdtree (FromSoftwareInc. / Bandai Namco Entertainment), Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II (Ninja Theory / Xbox Game Studios), Tiny Glade (Pounce Light), Ultros (Hadoque / Kepler Interactive)
Social Impact
Honorable Mentions:Closer the Distance (Osmotic Studios / Skybound Games), Distant Bloom (Ember Trail / Kina Brave), Dragon Age: The Veilguard (BioWare / Electronic Arts), Tales of Kenzera: Zau (Surgent Studios/ Electronic Arts)
Game of the Year
Honorable Mentions:Animal Well (Billy Basso / Bigmode), Helldivers 2 (Arrowhead Game Studios / PlayStation Publishing LLC), Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio / SEGA), Satisfactory (Coffee Stain Studios / Coffee Stain Publishing), UFO 50 (Mossmouth)
