Indie Games Shine at Golden Joystick Awards 2024

The Golden Joystick Awards 2024: A Celebration of Gaming Excellence, with a Focus on Indie Titles

The Golden Joystick Awards, a prestigious celebration of the gaming industry since 1983, is back for its 42nd year on November 21, 2024. This year's awards, recognizing games released between November 11, 2023, and October 4, 2024, showcase a significant rise in recognition for indie games. Titles like Balatro and Lorelei and the Laser Eyes have earned multiple nominations.

A notable addition to the 19 award categories is a new award for self-published indie developers. This category highlights the growing diversity within the indie gaming scene, specifically recognizing smaller teams without the backing of major publishers. The organizers emphasize their commitment to including titles from less-served markets.

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

Key Award Categories and Nominees:

• 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
• Most Wanted Game: This category features a wide range of anticipated titles, including Assassin's Creed Shadows, Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Grand Theft Auto VI.

(Note: A complete list of nominees for all categories is available on the official website.)

Fan Voting and Controversy:

Fan voting is currently open on the official website, with the nominees chosen by a jury including prominent gaming publications. The voting period runs until November 8th, 2024. A separate "Ultimate Game of the Year" (UGOTY) shortlist will be announced on November 4th.

The omission of certain fan-favorite titles, such as Black Myth: Wukong, from the initial Game of the Year nominees has sparked controversy. The Golden Joystick Awards organization has addressed the concerns, clarifying that the UGOTY shortlist is yet to be released.

Voting participants receive a free ebook as a bonus.

The Golden Joystick Awards 2024 promises to be a thrilling event, celebrating the best in gaming and highlighting the growing influence of the indie development scene.