Well, The Game Awards are officially in the books. This year’s show was an improvement over last year, which was a good show in its own right. By now, The Game Awards have cemented themselves as the most prestigious awards ceremony in gaming and esports. Not only was Game of the Year crowned, but we also got first looks at some great new games and some musical performances. These were my top 5 moments from The Game Awards.
5. Muppet Labs
Full disclosure, I’m a huge Muppets fan. So when I saw Bunsen and Beaker take the stage, I was conflicted. What I was about to see would either be gold or it would be horrific. Fortunately, it was the former. Bunsen and Beaker introduced us to their new super glue VR headset, which was okay for a chuckle. However, the show really shined when we were introduced to Untitled Beaker Game.
The 30 second trailer parodying Untitled Goose Game was fun in its own right, but the act kicked into high gear when the goose entered the real world. Goose Muppet instantly became a fan favorite on Twitter, and it even melted our cold icy hearts. Well done Muppets, well done.
4. CHVRCHES Opening Act
The opening act of The Game Awards is usually pretty good, but this year it was great. It was no secret that Death Stranding was likely to have a good night at the awards show, and CHVRCHES performing the opening act seemed to confirm that. They performed the aptly titled “Death Stranding” to open the show, and it was stellar!
I want to go on record now and say that Lauren Mayberry’s make up is #goals. The whole performance, from make up and atmosphere to the accompanying video and orchestra was top notch. I’m sure this isn’t the last we’ll see of them in the gaming space.
3. Hellblade 2: Senua’s Saga
Let’s start by saying that Microsoft’s announcement of the X-Box Series X probably didn’t go over the way they were hoping. Twitter was all over it, calling it X-Box SeX, or simply the SexBox. Their next console is effectively a PC, meaning Microsoft’s true designs of turning all console gamers into PC gamers have finally come to fruition! We jest….. or do we?!
However, to go along with the announcement, we got a look at a new title in development for the Series X. Hellblade 2: Senua’s Saga is a sequel to the surprise hit of 2017. Hellblade flew under the radar at launch, but quickly grew a massive audience of fans. In an era where games move consoles, Hellblade 2 is a good motivator for their new system.
2. Godfall
The Series X wasn’t the only next gen console to get some love however. Godfall was first shown off at a State of Play presentation, and was intriguing. It looked fantastic, but we really didn’t know much else about it. The Game Awards provided a new look at the game, and a quick interview after confirmed it would be just the sort of thing you’d expect out of Gearbox.
If the words ‘third person fantasy looter slasher’ don’t impress you, then this is probably not the game for you. More intriguing though was that the trailer ended with a PS5 tag on it. The PS5 is due out during the holidays next year, and it’ll be interesting to see if Godfall is a launch title on it or not.
1. First Looks At Two Riot Games
Riot continued their year of dominance with not one, but two game trailers at The Game Awards. They showed off their new Riot Forge label, a new section of their company. Riot Forge will partner with indie development teams to create in-universe games that will flesh out the League of Legends world Runeterra. The first one we saw was Ruined King, a turn-based story-driven RPG that takes place in Bilgewater. For those not in the know, Bilgewater is Runeterra’s one-stop shop for all things pirates and oceanic.
That would have been exciting enough, except then we got a second trailer later on in the show for Convergence. Convergence focuses on Ekko, a popular champion in League with the ability to turn back time in short bursts. This game is also story driven and set in the noxious under-city of Zaun. It’s an action platformer that will explore the themes and dangers of turning back time. Needless to say, we can’t wait!
So those were my top 5 moments of The Game Awards 2019. One thing you might notice is that none of the actual award announcements made the list. And the reason for that is the same reason that The Game Awards flourish while others remain obscure and irrelevant – Gamers don’t care about awards.
While it’s nice to see a title I enjoyed win Game of the Year, it doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. The Game Awards recognized this and made the whole show a celebration of gaming. A big part of that celebration is showing off what’s to come, and that is how they set themselves apart. Bravo to Geoff Keighley for another great show. Looking forward to next year!
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