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

The Golden Joystick Awards, celebrating gaming's finest since 1983, returns on November 21st, 2024, for its 42nd year. This year's awards, recognizing games released between November 11th, 2023, and October 4th, 2024, showcase a significant rise in indie game recognition, with titles like Balatro and Lorelei and the Laser Eyes receiving multiple nominations.

A notable addition is a new category dedicated to self-published indie games, highlighting developers who handle both development and publishing. This category acknowledges the evolving definition of "indie" gaming, specifically focusing on teams lacking the backing of larger publishers and those entering less-saturated 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: (A comprehensive list of nominees is available on the official website)

(Note: A full list of nominees for all 19 categories can be found on the official Golden Joystick Awards website.)

Fan Voting and Controversy:

Fan voting is currently open, with nominees selected by a jury including prominent gaming publications. The voting period runs until November 8th, 2024. The Ultimate Game of the Year (UGOTY) shortlist will be announced later. The exclusion of several fan favorites, such as Black Myth: Wukong, from the initial Game of the Year nominations has sparked online debate. The organizers have clarified that the UGOTY shortlist is yet to be released.

Voting participants receive a free ebook as a reward.

This year's Golden Joystick Awards promise a thrilling competition, showcasing both established and emerging talent within the gaming industry. The final results will undoubtedly be eagerly anticipated by gamers worldwide.