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[The Flash]

http://www.gdconf.com/news/inside-overwatch-firewatch-among-2017-choice-awards-nominees/

GAME OF THE YEAR

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment)
Inside (Playdead)
Dishonored 2 (Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks)
Firewatch (Campo Santo / Panic)

Honorable Mentions: DOOM (id Software / Bethesda Softworks), The Witness (Thekla), Battlefield 1 (EA DICE / Electronic Arts), The Last Guardian (JAPAN Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Titanfall 2 (Respawn Entertainment / Electronic Arts)

BEST AUDIO

Battlefield 1 (EA DICE / Electronic Arts)
Thumper (Drool)
DOOM (id Software / Bethesda Softworks)
Inside (Playdead)
Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment)

Honorable Mentions: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Rez Infinite (Monstars / Enhance Games), Hyper Light Drifter (Heart Machine), Firewatch (Campo Santo / Panic), Dishonored 2 (Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks), The Last Guardian (JAPAN Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Titanfall 2 (Respawn Entertainment / Electronic Arts)

BEST DEBUT

Heart Machine (Hyper Light Drifter)
Campo Santo (Firewatch)
ConcernedApe (Stardew Valley)
Drool (Thumper)
Night School Studio (Oxenfree)

Honorable Mentions: SUPERHOT Team (SUPERHOT), Numinous Games (That Dragon, Cancer), Giant Squid Studios (Abzu), Ghost Town Games (Overcooked), iNK Stories (1979 Revolution: Black Friday)

BEST DESIGN

Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment)
Dishonored 2 (Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks)
The Witness (Thekla)
Inside (Playdead)
DOOM (id Software / Bethesda Softworks)

Honorable Mentions: Titanfall 2 (Respawn Entertainment / Electronic Arts), Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Dark Souls III (From Software / Bandai Namco Entertainment), Firewatch (Campo Santo / Panic), Hitman (IO Interactive / Square Enix)

BEST MOBILE/HANDHELD GAME

Super Mario Run (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
Clash Royale (Supercell)
Pokémon Go (Niantic)
Reigns (Nerial / Devolver Digital)
Pokémon Sun/Moon (Game Freak / The Pokémon Company)

Honorable Mentions: Mini Metro (Dinosaur Polo Club), Severed (DrinkBox Studios), Deus Ex: Go (Square Enix Montreal / Square Enix), Fire Emblem Fates (Intelligent Systems and Nintendo SPD / Nintendo), Imbroglio (Michael Brough), Swap Sword (AP Thomson and Diego Garcia)

INNOVATION AWARD

The Witness (Thekla)
Inside (Playdead)
No Man’s Sky (Hello Games)
Firewatch (Campo Santo / Panic)
Pokemon Go (Niantic)

Honorable Mentions: That Dragon, Cancer (Numinous Games), The Last Guardian (JAPAN Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment), SUPERHOT (SUPERHOT Team), Thumper (Drool), Quadrilateral Cowboy (Blendo Games)

BEST NARRATIVE

The Last Guardian (JAPAN Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Oxenfree (Night School Studio)
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Inside (Playdead)
Firewatch (Campo Santo / Panic)

Honorable Mentions: That Dragon, Cancer (Numinous Games), Dishonored 2 (Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks), The Witcher 3: Blood & Wine (CD Projekt RED / CD Projekt), Kentucky Route Zero – Act IV (Cardboard Computer), Mafia III (Hangar 13 / 2K Games)

BEST TECHNOLOGY

Battlefield 1 (EA DICE / Electronic Arts)
No Man’s Sky (Hello Games)
Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment)
DOOM (id Software / Bethesda Softworks)
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Honorable Mentions: Inside (Playdead), Pokemon Go (Niantic), The Last Guardian (JAPAN Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Dishonored 2 (Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks), The Witness (Thekla)

BEST VISUAL ART

Firewatch (Campo Santo / Panic
The Last Guardian (JAPAN Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment)
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Inside (Playdead)

Honorable Mentions: The Witness (Thekla), Battlefield 1 (EA DICE / Electronic Arts), Abzu (Giant Squid Studios), Thumper (Drool), DOOM (id Software / Bethesda Softworks)

BEST VR/AR GAME

Rez Infinite (Monstars / Enhance Games)
Superhot VR (SUPERHOT Team)
Job Simulator: The 2050 Archives (Owlchemy Labs)
Pokémon Go (Niantic)
Fantastic Contraption (Radial Games / Northway Games)

Honorable Mentions: Thumper (Drool), Superhypercube (Kokoromi / Polytron Corporation), Batman Arkham VR (Rocksteady Studios / Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment), Space Pirate Trainer (I-Illusions), The Lab (Valve)

Nominate me for a ban if old

 

[Xyrmellon]

I keep seeing Firewatch on all these GOY lists and while I didn't play it and don't know a lot about it (yeah, yeah, what is Firewatch) I seem to remember hearing it ran like garbage on both consoles when it came out. Is that true and does that not matter anymore? Was the story that good?

 

[jett]

I absolutely cannot get behind Firewatch being nominated over Doom and the Witness. A game that's all about story that features a half-assed story. It absolutely must be the most overrated game of the year.

 

[wenis]

Hitman not being in that GOTY list is a real crime.

 

[ashecitism]

Inside leading with 6 noms followed by Overwatch/Firewatch (lol) having 5 each.

 

[AudioEppa]

Happy for Uncharted 4 and Firewatch. Hope they win some.

 

[Bronetta]

Best Narrative for The Last Guardian

Wrap it up folks, you know what to do. Dont screw this one up

 

[Granjinha]

I absolutely cannot get behind Firewatch being nominated over Doom and the Witness. A game that's all about story that features a half-assed story. It absolutely must be the most overrated game of the year.

Completely agree. Also, what is it doing in the visual art category? All the honorable mentions there look better than it (both technically and artistically)

 

[rhandino]

I keep seeing Firewatch on all these GOY lists and while I didn't play it and don't know a lot about it (yeah, yeah, what is Firewatch) I seem to remember hearing it ran like garbage on both consoles when it came out. Is that true and does that not matter anymore? Was the story that good?

The story is OK but people felt that the twist

Spoiler

or the fact that there was not a plot twist

was a let down.

I loved the game for what it was even if it made my poor laptop cry in agony on low settings T_T

EDIT: Game was also really really pretty, felt like a playing in one of those educational posters you seen on national parks.

 

[Coffee Dog]

Innovation award including Firewatch is nauseating. I barely remember interacting with the thing.

 

[bigol]

Nice to see so many The Last Guardian nominations, hope it wins some awards.

 

[SexyFish]

Hope ConcernedApe wins best debut. Crazy all he did by himself.

 

[Skinpop]

i wish GDC was replaced with something decent.

 

[OléGunner]

Nice to see TLG with some noms and honourable mentions.

Personally think it deserves a tech nom too because what they pulled off with Trico's AI, animations etc hasn't been seen in any other game to date imo.

The story is OK but people felt that the twist

Spoiler

or the fact that there was not a plot twist

was a let down.

I loved the game for what it was even if it made my poor laptop cry in agony on low settings T_T

EDIT: Game was also really really pretty, felt like a playing in one of those educational posters you seen on national parks.

Firewatch had a real human story in the end which was awesome.
I didn't feel cheesed off by the non plot twist but they kinda bungled and rushed the ending quite a bit.

Overall it's a fantastic indie game.

 

[Lifeline]

Has the BAFTA already happened? I remember it being the best video game awards show when i last saw it. I think it was the year Last of Us won. All about awards and none of the TGA cringe.

 

[Granjinha]

The story is OK but people felt that the twist

Spoiler

or the fact that there was not a plot twist

was a let down.

I loved the game for what it was even if it made my poor laptop cry in agony on low settings T_T

EDIT: Game was also really really pretty, felt like a playing in one of those educational posters you seen on national parks.

please don't go with that defense, it's as nonsensical as the game's plot

 

[ashecitism]

Has the BAFTA already happened? I remember it being the best video game awards show when i last saw it. I think it was the year Last of Us won. All about awards and none of the TGA cringe.

BAFTAs will be in Spring.

 

[Chobel]

So the CEO of Night Dive Studio (System Shock and Turok) tweeted this...

 

[jooey]

I keep seeing Firewatch on all these GOY lists and while I didn't play it and don't know a lot about it (yeah, yeah, what is Firewatch) I seem to remember hearing it ran like garbage on both consoles when it came out. Is that true and does that not matter anymore? Was the story that good?

It only ran "like garbage" if you enjoy saying every new game runs like garbage

 

[cw_sasuke]

So the CEO of Night Dive Studio (System Shock and Turok) tweeted this...

..and ?

 

[BlackBuzzard]

So the CEO of Night Dive Studio (System Shock and Turok) tweeted this...

Good good let the salt flow through you.

 

[SexyFish]

So the CEO of Night Dive Studio (System Shock and Turok) tweeted this...

]

...okay?

 

[benzopil]

I hope Inside wins everything. Mindblowingly amazing game, everything is perfect in it.

Or Overwatch.

 

[Nestunt]

I thought that after skipping the initial months of release I would never play Firewatch.

The more I see these end of year awards the more I get reminded of that game.

I might give it a try after TLG.

 

[Hupsel]

No Man´s Sky in innovation eh? The procedural generated stuff is neat, but looks more like a tech demo since there´s nothing to do with it and nothing simply works or clicks with the player.

Uncharted 4 in best narrat-zzzz

 

[LordKasual]

FFXV should have been included in the Tech department.

Especially if The Last Guardian and No Man's Sky are being considered in the same volume as Uncharted 4 and Doom....

 

[MikeHLS]

Firewatch might be my GOTY.

I think it's fully deserving of all the attention.

I'm not penalizing a game because I wasn't twitching my thumbs every half-millisecond.

 

[mckmas8808]

I absolutely cannot get behind Firewatch being nominated over Doom and the Witness. A game that's all about story that features a half-assed story. It absolutely must be the most overrated game of the year.

NOPE! It's had a GREAT story with a lackluster ending. But 95% of the story was great.

 

[Metal-Geo]

Great to see DOOM and Inside getting quite a lot of love.

HITMAN not getting the same love is terribly depressing, though.

 

[Ridesh]

So the CEO of Night Dive Studio (System Shock and Turok) tweeted this...

Good on him for having a preference.

What else should we say?

 

[John Rabbit]

Firewatch for best innovation? What?

Firewatch was pretty high on my list for a good part of the year until I played Oxenfree.

 

[AcademicSaucer]

So the CEO of Night Dive Studio (System Shock and Turok) tweeted this...

Doom is the better game tho, playing Doom is a bliss, the gameplay is as close to perfect as it gets.

 

[Fury451]

So the CEO of Night Dive Studio (System Shock and Turok) tweeted this...

I do too, and I liked Uncharted 4. Opinions.

 

[Aaron D.]

That's a really nice list.

Man, what a year in games.

 

[Timeaisis]

Dishonored 2 was nominated for best design so I'm happy.

 

[mckmas8808]

I do too, and I liked Uncharted 4. Opinions.

But wipes the floor though? Come on man.

 

[Rexatality]

Dishonored 2 was nominated for best design so I'm happy.

So am I. It has some issues, but the gameplay and level design were pure bliss.

Would love to see DOOM win in some of its nominations.

Shame not to see HITMAN on the list

 

[NullPointer]

Hitman not being in that GOTY list is a real crime.

Truth. The game is bloody brilliant.

 

[awcarew]

I keep seeing Firewatch on all these GOY lists and while I didn't play it and don't know a lot about it (yeah, yeah, what is Firewatch) I seem to remember hearing it ran like garbage on both consoles when it came out. Is that true and does that not matter anymore? Was the story that good?

No, the story was the absolutely worst part of the game. The characters were interesting and the atmosphere was good but the plot was pretty mediocre. It's a walking simulator and I rank in under Gone Home, which had a "better" storyline which I still felt was pretty meh. Overall I wish I hadn't bought Firewatch and felt it was a waste of time. I have no idea why it's showing up on any lists tbh.

 

[viHuGi]

Inside deserves all the praise it gets, what a amazing game, absolutely stunning.

 

[Chobel]

Good on him for having a preference.

What else should we say?

Doom is the better game tho, playing Doom is a bliss, the gameplay is as close to perfect as it gets.

I do too, and I liked Uncharted 4. Opinions.

You can't see what's wrong with the tweet? Really? I dunno, beside the fact there was no reason to bring Uncharted 4 and only Uncharted 4 for some, and using the phrase "wipes the floor"? Or the fact he's a professional who shouldn't act like a fanboy?

 

[GravityInsanity]

So the CEO of Night Dive Studio (System Shock and Turok) tweeted this...

He could've easily said "I hope Doom wipes the floor against all of the games at the awards", but instead he wanted to throw Uncharted 4 under the bus for whatever reason. It seems Naughty Dog really brings the worse out of people just by making great games that seem to rub people the wrong way.

 

[Acquiescence]

Allow me to express some salt at seeing Firewatch as a nominee for GOTY, but not The Last Guardian...

I'm salty.

So the CEO of Night Dive Studio (System Shock and Turok) tweeted this...

It's definitely not going to in the Game of the Year category, that's for sure.

In fact, there's only one section where both games have a nomination and are against each other. :/

 

[KKRT00]

Best Technology:
No Man's Sky (Hello Games)
Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment)

---
haha ...

 

[More_Badass]

You can't see what's wrong with the tweet? Really? I dunno, beside the fact there was no reason to bring Uncharted 4 and only Uncharted 4 for some, and using the phrase "wipes the floor"? Or the fact he's a professional who shouldn't act like a fanboy?

1) What's wrong with "wipe the floor"? It's a common idiom, "To win a competition by a considerable margin over the other competitors"

2) Having a preference for one game over the other is all it takes for someone a fanboy?

 

[SexyFish]

You can't see what's wrong with the tweet? Really? I dunno, beside the fact there was no reason to bring Uncharted 4 and only Uncharted 4 for some, and using the phrase "wipes the floor"? Or the fact he's a professional who shouldn't act like a fanboy?

The funny part is that they're only nominated in the Best Technology category together.

But really, it is an idiom. It isn't him saying he hopes DOOM forces Naughty Dog to close down and shit down their throats.

He can have a preference for a game he loved. I don't see this as some terrible gaff.

 

[rhandino]

please don't go with that defense, it's as nonsensical as the game's plot

It really isn't? I mean, maybe convoluted at parts but it was pretty straightforward.

I dunno, the only thing I did not liked was that it was kind of messy on the technical side but beyond that it was a pretty cute tale of two flawed people alone in the woods that by the end of the story

Spoiler

don't really grow or learn anything of their experience

 

[silva1991]

Allow me to express some salt at seeing Firewatch as a nominee for GOTY, but not The Last Guardian...

I'm salty.


/

Yeah I would swap those personally.

Not salty tho lol.

 

[MrS]

He could've easily said "I hope Doom wipes the floor against all of the games at the awards", but instead he wanted to throw Uncharted 4 under the bus for whatever reason. It seems Naughty Dog really brings the worse out of people just by making great games that seem to rub people the wrong way.

Uncharted 4 isn't a great game though. ND has 1 great game and that's TLOU.

 

[Chobel]

1) What's wrong with "wipe the floor"? It's a common idiom, "To win a competition by a considerable margin over the other competitors"

2) Having a preference for one game over the other is all it takes for someone a fanboy?

1) UC4 and DOOM are only competing in one category.

2) When you have no reason to bring the other game, and just that other game? Yeah, that's fanboy to me.

The funny part is that they're only nominated in the Best Technology category together.

But really, it is an idiom. It isn't him saying he hopes DOOM forces Naughty Dog to close down and shit down their throats.

He can have a preference for a game he loved. I don't see this as some terrible gaff.

This is not about having a preference. Of all the games nominated in the awards and competing with DOOM he choose only Uncharted 4 to "wipes the floor with".