Game Awards 2022: At Game Awards, ‘Ragnarok’ leads in win count, ‘Armored Core VI’ and ‘Cyberpunk’ trailers shown, Kojima reveals ‘Death Stranding 2’
Armored Core #ArmoredCore
The Washington Post 6 hrs ago Mikhail Klimentov, Riley MacLeod, Shannon Liao, Alyse Stanley, Jonathan Lee
The 2022 Game Awards are now over. “Elden Ring,” a favorite going into the ceremony, took home the coveted game of the year award. “God of War Ragnarok,” another heavy hitter, otherwise swept the show with six wins, the most of any nominee.
At the end of the show, an unidentified person took the microphone before being escorted offstage. The ceremony’s host, Geoff Keighley, tweeted afterward that the person who snuck onstage had been arrested.
The ceremony, an hours-long celebration of video games and their surrounding communities, also serves as a promotional vehicle for upcoming games: Much of the event’s runtime is devoted to trailer reveals and game announcements. Video game industry figures including developers, esports athletes, actors, executives and streamers attend the event as guests, presenters and nominees. Geoff Keighley, the former journalist who created and produces the Game Awards, hosted the show.
Before the awards ceremony, the Game Awards announced its third list of Future Class members. Future Class comprises 50 individuals from across the games industry — including developers, influencers and accessibility consultants, among others — who represent the industry at its most thoughtful and inclusive. The full list of members can be found here.
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Our writers and editors watched the live broadcast remotely, highlighting the biggest news from the show below. Shannon Liao reported from the event’s venue in Los Angeles.
11:43 PM: ‘Elden Ring’ wins coveted game of the year award
After a star-studded hours-long show, “Elden Ring” won game of the year at the 2022 Game Awards. This comes as no surprise to most of the Launcher team, who predicted that FromSoft’s critically acclaimed open world RPG would snag the event’s most prestigious trophy.
FromSoft director Hidetaka Miyazaki took the stage with an interpreter to offer his heartfelt thanks to his team, “Elden Ring” publish Bandai Namco and author George R.R. Martin, who wrote an elaborate backstory for the game’s setting. Miyazaki said that the studio faced many difficulties during “Elden Ring’s” development, but it only strengthened his resolve.
“I have made up my mind to create even more interesting games than this one,” said Miyazaki.
By: Jonathan Lee
11:40 PM: Interloper who got onstage after GOTY win has been arrested, says host
An unnamed individual who appeared to have gotten onstage during “Elden Ring’s” game of the year win has been arrested, host Geoff Keighley tweeted shortly after the show wrapped. During his brief stint at the microphone before he was escorted offstage by security, he muttered something about rabbis and what sounded like a shout out to former president Bill Clinton.
The Washington Post observed host Geoff Keighley forcing a smile and waving for security as the crasher delivered an incoherent speech. Onlookers interviewed by The Post were not familiar with the crasher. One developer told The Post that it’s possible the person posed as a member of the FromSoftware group as they took the stage, and was set up with a mic by the sound team.
Mostly though, it seemed as though attendees were grateful that the event had ended as they crowded outside the Microsoft Theater and embraced each other.
By: Alyse Stanley, Shannon Liao and Jonathan Lee
11:36 PM: ‘God of War Ragnarok,’ with 10 nominations, is a must-play game
At tonight’s awards, “God of War Ragnarok” leads with 10 nominations in nine categories (the game’s two protagonists, Atreus, played by Sunny Suljic, and Kratos, played by Christopher Judge, were both up for the best performance award, which Judge took home). It ended up taking home six awards on Thursday, the most of any nominee: best action/adventure, best performance, best narrative, best audio design, best score/music and innovation in accessibility.
In his November review, writer Gene Park said “Ragnarok,” the sequel to 2018’s “God of War,” “improves on its predecessor in every way.”
“When it comes to gameplay, [‘Ragnarok’] is an iterative sequel to the 2018 PlayStation 4 smash hit, but that doesn’t tell the whole story,” Park wrote. “ ‘Ragnarok’ by Santa Monica Studio is the best told story in a video game in 2022.”
Read the full review below.
Read the full story.
By: Mikhail Klimentov
11:15 PM: Analysis from Riley MacLeod, Assignment Editor, Launcher
“Bill Clinton” is trending on Twitter following the mystery person who seems to have snuck on stage during “Elden Ring’s” GOTY win, shouting out the former president before being escorted off stage. I’m as confused as you are, but at least the memes are going to be good. Host Geoff Keighley tweeted that the interloper has been arrested.
11:03 PM: Analysis from Shannon Liao, Video games reporter focused on investigative features
This year’s Game Awards was amateur hour at the final minutes, with a random person taking the stage after “Elden Ring” won Game of the Year to mutter some quick thanks and a bunch of words that were hard to decipher about rabbis and Bill Clinton.
10:58 PM: Here are all of tonight’s Game Awards winners
The Game Awards has 31 categories, from best narrative to best esports team. While all eyes may be on the highly anticipated game of the year award, contests for best game direction, indie, score and performance generated plenty of buzz. New to the lineup this year is the best adaptation award for video game-inspired shows and movies. “Elden Ring” took home GOTY, while “God of War Ragnarok” swept the rest of the show with six wins, including best performance for Kratos actor Christopher Judge as well as both best audio design and score/music. Here’s who won Thursday night:
Game of the Year: Elden Ring (FromSoftware/Bandai Namco)
Best game direction: Elden Ring (FromSoftware/Bandai Namco)
Best ongoing game: Final Fantasy XIV (Square Enix)
Best action/adventure: God of War Ragnarok (Sony Santa Monica/SIE)
Best independent game: Stray (BlueTwelve Studio/Annapurna)
Player’s voice: Genshin Impact (HoYoverse)
Best role-playing: Elden Ring (FromSoftware/Bandai Namco)
Best mobile game: Marvel Snap (Second Dinner Studios/Nuverse)
Best fighting game: Multiversus (Player First Games/WB Games)
Best esports game: Valorant (Riot Games)
Best esports athlete: Jacob “Yay” Whiteaker (Cloud9, Valorant)
Best esports team: Loud, Valorant
Best esports coach: Matheus “bzkA” Tarasconi (Loud, Valorant)
Best esports event: 2022 League of Legends World Championship
Best family game: Kirby and the Forgotten Land (HAL Laboratory/Nintendo)
Best performance: Christopher Judge, God of War Ragnarok
Best debut indie: Stray (BlueTwelve Studio/Annapurna)
Best adaptation: Arcane: League of Legends
Best narrative: God of War Ragnarok (Sony Santa Monica/SIE)
Best art direction: Elden Ring (FromSoftware/Bandai Namco)
Best VR/AR: Moss: Book II (Polyarc)
Best sim/strategy: Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope (Ubisoft Milan/Paris/Ubisoft)
Best community support: Final Fantasy XIV (Square Enix)
Games for impact: As Dusk Falls (Interior Night/Xbox Game Studio)
Best sports/racing game: Gran Turismo 7 (Polyphony Digital/SIE)
Best multiplayer: Splatoon 3 (Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)
Best audio design: God of War Ragnarok (Sony Santa Monica/SIE)
Best content creator: Ludwig
Most anticipated game: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)
Best action game: Bayonetta 3 (Platinum Games/Nintendo)
Best score/music: Bear McCreary, God of War Ragnarok
Innovation in accessibility: God of War Ragnarok (Sony Santa Monica/SIE)
By: Alyse Stanley
10:48 PM: Idris Elba joins ‘Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty’
Keanu Reeves isn’t the only Hollywood star in “Cyberpunk 2077” anymore. The new gameplay teaser for the upcoming DLC “Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty” showed Idris Elba playing a key role in the story.
The trailer opens with digital ghost and rockstar revolutionary Johnny Silverhand (Reeves) ranting about the endemic corruption within the New United States, the sovereign government of North America in “Cyberpunk’s” dystopian future. Elba is portraying Solomon Reed, who is described as an FIA Agent in the game’s trailer, presumably “Cyberpunk’s” equivalent to the CIA.
By: Jonathan Lee
10:44 PM: ‘Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon,’ new FromSoftware game, revealed
When FromSoftware’s name hit the screen, the crowd roared. In a brief trailer, mechs battled each other in an apocalyptic-looking future. Then, the reveal: “Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon” will come out in 2023 for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X | S and PC.
By: Shannon Liao
10:44 PM: Analysis from Alyse Stanley
Things aren’t looking great for “Horizon Forbbiden West.” The sequel to “Horizon Zero Dawn” from Guerrilla Games has been shut out by “God of War Ragnarok” and “Elden Ring” in six of the seven categories it’s been nominated for. All that’s left is game of the year, where it will go up against both…
10:36 PM: ‘Crime Boss: Rockay City’ features Vanilla Ice, Chuck Norris and more
“Kill Bill” and “Reservoir Dogs” star Michael Madsen went on stage to reveal “Crime Boss: Rockay City,” a first-person heist game from Czech studio InGame. Madsen plays Travis Baker, a career criminal aiming for the top of the Miami underworld in the 1990s.
Madsen is joined by a bevy of fellow ’90s media stars including Kim Basinger, Chuck Norris, Vanilla Ice, Danny Glover and Danny Trejo. “Crime Boss: Rockay City” is set to release March 28, 2023.
10:33 PM: Analysis from Mikhail Klimentov, Assignment editor for Launcher, focusing on video games, esports and the Internet
We have been live blogging for a few hours now. I am definitely doing hand yoga after all of this is over.
10:29 PM: Game Awards fan poll turns into Genshin vs. Sonic fan slugfest
Fans have spoken:“Genshin Impact” is the winner of the player’s voice award at this year’s Game Awards. The fierce competition has mobilized online fan communities in support of two surprising front-runners: “Sonic Frontiers,” a game shut out of the yearly awards show entirely with zero nominations, and “Genshin Impact,” a game that debuted in 2020.
Unlike other Game Awards winners, which are determined by a handpicked jury of games journalists, industry insiders and influencers, the player’s voice category is a 100-percent fan-voted award. After two elimination rounds, the poll was whittled down to five finalists ahead of Thursday’s show: “God of War Ragnarok,” “Elden Ring,” “Stray,” “Sonic Frontiers,” and “Genshin Impact.”
Those first three shouldn’t come as any surprise: “God of War Ragnarok” dominated this year’s Game Award with 10 nominations, and it’s facing off against “Elden Ring” and “Stray,” which also have a slew of nominations between them, for the coveted game of the year award.
But all three have trailed far behind “Genshin Impact” and “Sonic Frontiers,” which remained neck-and-neck throughout the voting window. Both the Sonic the Hedgehog series and “Genshin Impact” sport massive online fan communities, which have been at each other’s throats in recent weeks over the poll’s results.
Reviews for “Sonic Frontiers” were all over the place, but it enjoyed near-universal acclaim from longtime fans of the series. Widespread disappointment in its Game Award snub has helped to fuel the get-out-the-vote efforts on Reddit, so much so that the topic has been banned on the Sonic subreddit due to repetitive posts and toxicity. “Genshin Impact,” a popular gacha game and one of the highest-grossing mobile titles worldwide, presumably remains in the running despite its 2020 release due to its live service nature (it’s also nominated for best ongoing game).
Fans on either side have accused the other of foul play, including using bribery and automated bots to stack the vote, though no credible evidence has been produced. Over the weekend, Game Awards host Geoff Keighley commented on the situation:
“I don’t know it’s bots — I think it’s fan bases activating to support a game, or a game promoting its nomination to its fan base,” Keighley said in a Reddit Q&A. “This is part of the reason we don’t have 100 percent fan voting in the main categories. It tends to be which companies promote their nominations and which fan bases activate the drive the voting. But we’ll looking into this now!”
By: Alyse Stanley
10:26 PM: Analysis from Shannon Liao, Video games reporter focused on investigative features
The audience is visibly bored and some look sleepy as the show enters its fourth hour, after what has been a long day of socializing for some. People are yawning.
10:25 PM: Crash Bandicoot crashes the Game Awards
This year’s Game Awards had plenty of childish gags, including a routine from a Crash Bandicoot mascot. Crash landed onstage, announcing his plans to steal Wumpa Fruit. (His plans failed; there is no fruit at this award.)
Afterward, a trailer for “Crash Team Rumble,” a multiplayer game slated for 2023, was shown.
By: Shannon Liao
10:24 PM: Keighley jokes about what to expect from wild card ‘It Takes Two’ director
Josef Fares, director of last year’s GOTY winner, “It Takes Two,” will present this year’s game of the year award.
“Who knows what he’s gonna say? Hopefully it’s short,” host Geoff Keighley joked about what Fares would say on stage next. The developer went viral after his appearance at 2017′s Game Awards for his colorful rant, whose thesis was “F— the Oscars.” Four years later, he took home the biggest award at the gaming industry’s biggest show. In an interview with The Post, he reflected on both Game Awards moments, as well as his place in a rapidly changing industry.
Read the full story.
By: Shannon Liao
10:16 PM: Analysis from Jonathan Lee
“Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2” drops another impressive trailer. Mark Strong’s performance as Titus is missed but the best part of this series is how well it nails the feeling of being a Space Marine. They are eight-foot tall walking tanks that use grenade launchers as pistols and make the ground shake with every step.
10:16 PM: The Life is Strange creators are making a ghost game
“Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden” is an upcoming game from Life is Strange creator Dontnod. In the trailer, we got fantasy, ghosts and a lot of people sighing sadly. Looks fun. (I mean it!) It comes out “end of 2023.” Platform availability wasn’t specified in the reveal
By: Riley MacLeod
10:14 PM: Analysis from Alyse Stanley
Toad’s voice actor in the upcoming “Super Mario Bros. Movie,” Keegan-Michael Key, weighed in on a long-running debate in the Mario community: Is Toad’s mushroom a hat, or part of his anatomy? He clarified it’s a cap — a play on words. A cap is both a part of a mushroom and another word for a hat.
10:11 PM: ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ gets new trailer
Keegan-Michael Key, who plays Toad in the upcoming “Super Mario Bros. Movie,” took the stage to present a trailer for the upcoming film. In it, we watched Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt) navigating through the thriving crowds and floating bricks of the Mushroom Kingdom. He gets a painful orientation to the pipe travel system, ultimately arriving in front of the royal palace.
“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” is set to release April 7, 2023.
By: Jonathan Lee
10:09 PM: Analysis from Mikhail Klimentov, Assignment editor for Launcher, focusing on video games, esports and the Internet
The big “Mario” movie reveal, to me, is that I’m going to be listening to that movie’s soundtrack a lot.
10:04 PM: Analysis from Mikhail Klimentov, Assignment editor for Launcher, focusing on video games, esports and the Internet
We were just treated to a very cool trailer for a game called “Behemoth.” But when the url at the end revealed that the game was a virtual reality title, the reaction in The Post’s gaming Slack was unanimous: “Oh it’s a VR game.” VR games are cool! But the trailer felt just a bit misleading.
10:04 PM: Analysis from Jonathan Lee
Anyone else think it’s funny that Keegan-Michael Key is probably the tallest person on the “Mario” movie cast but playing the shortest character?
9:59 PM: Analysis from Shannon Liao, Video games reporter focused on investigative features
Amazon is partnering with Bandai Namco to make a free-to-play weeb game called “Blue Protocol” for Xbox Series X | S, PC and PlayStation 5. (Amazon is owned by Jeff Bezos, who also owns The Washington Post).
9:56 PM: Analysis from Shannon Liao, Video games reporter focused on investigative features
Nintendo’s presence at the Game Awards was mostly represented by Doug Bowser, who appeared onstage to accept multiple awards. The Japanese console maker had minor news to share at the event so far, choosing to keep bigger game announcements to its own online events, and giving the Game Awards some smaller updates to series like Fire Emblem.
9:55 PM: The Last of Us HBO show cast presents award in unison
The Last of Us cast tried to speak in unison, to crowd laughter. They nailed it — mostly — crowning “Bayonetta 3” winner of the best action game award.
Doug Bowser, president of Nintendo of America, came onstage to accept the award. “For the third time, thank you very much,” he said.
9:50 PM: ‘Diablo IV’ gets new trailer
Activision Blizzard shared a new trailer for its upcoming “Diablo IV,” showing off the game’s dark vibes and a release date of June 6, 2023. It was introduced by a moody musical performance.
“Diablo IV” will be the latest entry in the popular, long-running series, and one fans have eagerly awaited. The game’s development has been rocky, with some employees saying they’ve worked long hours while enduring scattered leadership and many changes to the game and its script. Developers say they’ve been offered stock incentives and DoorDash credits in exchange for crunching, but the team still faces attrition as it works to finish the game.
Activision Blizzard has brought on games industry veterans and an additional studio to help finish the game, but, as one employee told The Washington Post, “At a certain point, throwing bodies at the problem does not solve the problem.”
Read the full story.
By: Riley MacLeod
9:48 PM: ‘Fire Emblem Engage’ expansion pass adds ‘Three Houses’ protagonists
“Fire Emblem Engage” will launch with paid DLC in the form of an expansion pass that adds new in-game accessories, maps and characters from other Fire Emblem games. Extra content will be released to pass holders across four waves throughout 2023, according to a trailer at Thursday’s Game Awards.
The first wave will bring Edelgard, Dimitri and Claude from “Fire Emblem: Three Houses” to the game, as well as the dragon princess Tiki, a reoccurring character in the series. The price of the pass was not included in the reveal. “Fire Emblem Engage” releases on Nintendo Switch on Jan. 20.
By: Alyse Stanley
9:46 PM: Halsey performs as part of ‘Diablo IV’ presentation
The musician Halsey took the stage to sing one of her songs, titled “Lilith,” while Lilith, “Diablo IV’s” main antagonist, simmered in the background. Halsey is dressed demonically, on theme with the Diablo announcement we’re just about to get.
Everyone pulled out their phones to record her performance — an honor they did not show Hozier earlier.
By: Shannon Liao
9:39 PM: Analysis from Shannon Liao, Video games reporter focused on investigative features
The last presentation and some others before it highlight the casualness of the game industry’s version of the Oscars. People swear and improvise onstage a lot.
The musician Aurora Aksnes just apologized while presenting: “Sorry my voice is [messed] up, I was singing karaoke last night,” using a more profane word than “messed.” People in the crowd laughed.
9:35 PM: ‘Baldur’s Gate III’ finally has a release date: August 2023
“Baldur’s Gate III” will officially release August 2023, according to a new high-fantasy trailer for the highly anticipated title. The game has been available as an early access title since 2020, adding features such as more playable races and a multiplayer mode over time. While the first two Baldur’s Gate games were developed by BioWare, the upcoming title is being made by Larian Studios, creator of the acclaimed Divine Divinity series.
The game takes place over 120 years after the events of “Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn,” as the player fights against an invasion campaign by a space horror race called the illithids. The finale of the trailer reveals that Minsc, a human ranger and fan-favorite character from the previous titles, is appearing in the game.
By: Riley MacLeod and Jonathan Lee
9:33 PM: Narrative game ‘As Dusk Falls’ wins games for impact award
Narrative adventure title “As Dusk Falls” from developer Interior Night took home the games for impact award. “As Dusk Falls” features a story about two Arizona families in the 1990s, featuring normal people who go through intense situations. CEO and Director Caroline Marchal spoke about the importance of making the game inclusive and approachable to foster empathy among players.
“Super thrilled to be here tonight,” said Marchal. “It means that the game resonated with some of you, very happy, so thankful.”
Adventure game trailblazers Ken and Roberta Williams presented the award.
By: Jonathan Lee
9:27 PM: Analysis from Riley MacLeod, Assignment Editor, Launcher
We just got another look at “Nightingale,” a survival/crafting/Victorian/sci-fi game. I recently remembered this game when I saw it in my Twitter feed and forgot I followed it, then got excited about it again. I am now excited again, again.
9:26 PM: Kojima re-wrote “Death Stranding 2” out of fear of predicting even more
As soon as the crowd saw the names of Sony and legendary gamemaker Hideo Kojima on-screen, they start freaking out. Compared to every other name that had been announced so far (including actor Al Pacino) at the Game Awards, the crowd has a real reverence for Kojima’s name; even industry luminaries like Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser looked surprised. After a trailer for “Death Stranding 2” was revealed, Kojima said he had already begun writing the script for the highly anticipated sequel when the covid-19 pandemic hit. He said that draft was scrapped because “I didn’t want to predict anymore future, so I re-wrote it.”
It wouldn’t be the first time the auteur’s work turned into a trippy cautionary tale about our own reality. Speaking to The Washington Post, Kojima spoke about how his dystopian future has become our current reality.
Read the full story.
By: Shannon Liao
9:25 PM: Analysis from Shannon Liao, Video games reporter focused on investigative features
Matt Sophos, a game designer at Sony Santa Monica, credited quality assurance testers and even information technology support workers and facilities staff for the help in winning best narrative for “God of War Ragnarok” — a rarity in the industry.
9:17 PM: ‘Death Stranding 2’ announced by Kojima Productions
Kojima Productions revealed a trailer for “Death Stranding 2,” the hotly anticipated sequel to 2019′s “Death Stranding.”
The trailer depicts Fragile (played by Léa Seydoux) running with a child in tow, presumably the baby BB-28 from the first game. Norman Reedus reprises his role as Sam Bridges, the protagonist of “Death Stranding.” A massive towing mech (this is the best way to describe it) built by an organization named Drawbridge appears out of the muck, followed by a mysterious new character in a red mask and suit.
Kojima came on stage and encouraged everyone to pick apart all the hints about the upcoming game inside the trailer. Kojima, whose games have been impressively prescient with future events, joked that he rewrote “Death Stranding 2′s” story to prevent another global disaster.
By: Jonathan Lee
9:12 PM: Hideo Kojima, famous game developer, makes appearance onstage
At this year’s Game Awards, Hideo Kojima makes an in person appearance.
Kojima says he can’t really talk about details of his upcoming game, “Death Stranding 2,” but he invites people to figure it out based on clues from the trailer. His comment is met with immediate laughter. In fact, every line he delivers is met with laughter.
Kojima also confirmed he is working on another unannounced game besides “Death Stranding 2.”
By: Shannon Liao
9:06 PM: Analysis from Shannon Liao, Video games reporter focused on investigative features
People are really dressed to the nines at this year’s Game Awards, compared to last year’s typical T-shirt and jeans with a suit garb. (Kotaku’s fashion shaming worked!)
9:02 PM: Analysis from Jonathan Lee
Trailer for the upcoming Dune survival MMO title dropped and I can’t wait to manage exciting mechanics like making sure I’m drinking all my sweat recycled through my stillsuit. Hydrating — the Fremen way!
9:01 PM: Analysis from Shannon Liao, Video games reporter focused on investigative features
Actor Cameron Monaghan, who plays Cal Kestis in the upcoming “Star Wars Jedi: Survivor” was met with whoops when he brandished a lightsaber and kissed it. When he said the new, highly anticipated sequel to “Jedi: Fallen Order” will be the best, one person in the crowd shouted, “Yessir!”
9:01 PM: ‘Celeste’ studio shows new game
“Earthblade” will be the next game from Extremely OK Games, the studio behind “Celeste.” It looks like a platformer, and there’s jumping — all the good stuff you’ve come to know and love. It’s coming in 2024.
By: Riley MacLeod
8:59 PM: ‘Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’ debuts gameplay and next villain
Respawn Entertainment shared new gameplay from “Star Wars: Jedi Survivor,” the highly anticipated sequel to 2019′s “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.” “Jedi Survivor” is set five years after “Fallen Order” and continues the story of Cal Kestis, a Jedi fugitive portrayed by actor Cameron Monaghan who is waging a personal war against the Galactic Empire.
It looks like Cal’s been through a lot in the interim; he now sports a light beard and several battle scars, seemingly having parted ways with his mentor, Cere Junda. An even darker tone than the previous game, Cal is dodging bounty hunters and Imperial troops as he faces down the mysterious new villain we saw in the original teaser. Monaghan stepped out onto the stage, kissing a lightsaber.
“We’ll see you all when the game releases in March 17 2023 and until then,” Monaghan said. “May the Force be with you.”
By: Jonathan Lee
8:53 PM: Analysis from Jonathan Lee
Now that “The Last of Us” has an official PC release date of March 3, 2023, I, and the three other people on this planet who haven’t played it yet, can finally see what all the fuss has been about.
8:50 PM: Analysis from Shannon Liao, Video games reporter focused on investigative features
This year’s Game Awards audience is a lot more easygoing and entertained than last year’s audience. Perhaps it’s because the Game Awards sold tickets on StubHub and AXS, and fans have filled the back rows. Jokes made in trailers and ads seem to land, unlike last year. Last year, folks sat stone-faced at times or glanced at their phones.
8:50 PM: Kevin Conroy will be Batman in ‘Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League’
Rocksteady Studios, the creators of the critically acclaimed Batman: Arkham series, revealed a new trailer featuring the Suicide Squad facing off against Batman.
The late Kevin Conroy, who played the caped crusader in “Batman: The Animated Series,” lent his voice one last time for the upcoming Rocksteady title. Geoff Keighley and Rocksteady both offered heartfelt tributes to Conroy, who defined the role of Batman to an entire generation of fans.
By: Jonathan Lee
8:43 PM: ‘Stray’ wins best debut indie game of the year
The indie hit “Stray” from French studio BlueTwelve just won best debut indie game of the year.
“I want to thank everyone involved in making this game,” said Producer Swann Martin-Raget. “It was really a work of love and passion.”
Martin-Raget went on to specifically thank “Stray’s” publisher Annapurna Interactive and the team’s partners, families, dogs and, of course, their cats.
Read the full story.
By: Jonathan Lee
8:43 PM: Chris Judge’s heartfelt acceptance speech highlights the early moments
Chris Judge, who took home the first major award for his performance as Kratos in “God of War: Ragnarok,” threw a wonderful, heartfelt change-up into the early quick pace of this year’s Game Awards.
After winning, Judge took the stage, tracked down Al Pacino to hug him, swore into the microphone and then proceeded to issue a stream of thank yous that started with his mother and brother and then rolled on … and on … and on. In full, from the time Judge took the stage, the acceptance speech ran nearly nine minutes — a veritable eternity in Game Awards time. And Al Pacino was waiting on the stage in the background all the while.
It was sweet, it was warm, it was wholesome and it never ever ever ever ever would have happened at the Oscars. Eventually, around the 8:30 mark of the speech, music slowly started to play him off the stage. In all, he thanked his mother, brother, his children, Santa Monica Studios (the maker of the game), studio head Yumi Yang, God of War lead Cory Barlog, “Matt, Rich, Dorrie, Bruno, Erica, Bea, everyone who made that volume so special and so sacred, everyone at every level,” “Ragnarok” director Eric Williams … and there were still four more minutes to the speech.
Host Geoff Keighley has already caught on to the appeal, referencing it with a pair of one-liners after it concluded (including that Judge was trying to give away some free Steam Decks, which Valve is randomly giving away every minute during the live airing to viewers watching on Steam). Safe to say, it’ll be among the top moments of the night when all is said and done.
By: Mike Hume
8:40 PM: Analysis from Jonathan Lee
Bear McCreary is killing it on the hurdy gurdy during this live performance of “Blood Upon The Snow” from “God of War” with Hozier. Fun fact, McCreary used this same instrument for the killer intro song of the pirate show “Black Sails!”
8:30 PM: The next Bayonetta game is a prequel, ‘Bayonetta Origins’
Platinum Games announced “Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon,” which depicts the eponymous hero as a child on a quest to save her mother. Before she was the witch known as Bayonetta, she was named Cereza. The upcoming prequel is a top-down action adventure game, unlike the mainline games which are in third-person.
The game is set to release March 17, 2023 on the Nintendo Switch.
By: Jonathan Lee
8:28 PM: Kratos means a lot to fans, no more so than actor Christopher Judge
The actor behind Kratos, Christopher Judge, got emotional during his acceptance speech for best performance at this year’s Game Awards, talking about the work that went into “God of War: Ragnarok,” particularly its themes of fatherhood.
Judge, a father himself, played the demigod in “Ragnarok” and the 2018 series reboot. During his speech, he thanked Cory Barlog and Eric Williams, two of the leads behind God of War from day one, who spoke with The Washington Post last month about the trajectory of Kratos’s character development over the course of the decades-long series.
Read the full story here.
By: Alyse Stanley
8:27 PM: ‘Judas,’ from Bioshock creator Ken Levine, teased
Keighley just teased “Judas,” a new game from Ghost Story, a studio founded by Ken Levine, the creator of the BioShock franchise.
No additional information around platforms or release date were shared.
By: Shannon Liao