Despite criticisms against the bizarre declarations of neutrality by host and producer Geoff Keighley in response to the allegations that continue against Activison Blizzard, The Game Awards apparently must go on!

It is now 2021, and this is the first year The Game Awards fully returns to the stage while the pandemic continues to be a looming threat. Prior to the Independent Games category, the first category presented on-stage of the nearly 3-hour long show, Keighley reminds the audience the urgency of supporting developers, especially during these troubling times. Although earnest in reasoning, as it was accompanied by a pitch for the Games and Online Harassment Hotline, which otherwise is an amazing initiative to support and consider as a resource, which resonates a pervasive air or performativity that continues to be at odds with the show’s annual boasting for inclusion while coated in corporate glitz. While the show was peppered with very compelling, inspiring stories and from various influences and small creators, the big elephant in the room that currently is big trending subject of the games industry’s news cycle remained ignored all while viewers were ironically subjected to various promos for Riot Games. (And what could the most invasive cherry on top be than a performance by Imagine Dragons?)

After all, it was only just a several hours earlier in the day that employees of Activision Blizzard had publicly announced their intentions to strike, opening up their strike fund for any interested donors to support.

Today, the ABK Worker's Alliance announces the initiation of its strike. We encourage our peers in the Game Industry to stand with us in creating lasting change. For those who wish to join in solidarity, please consider donating to our Strike Fund.https://t.co/IauGyxuLYG

— ABetterABK 💙 ABK Workers Alliance (@ABetterABK) December 9, 2021

There were a few solid chuckles here and there, such as a particularly clever ad campaign that intentionally leaked game titles and Xbox Game Pass codes while the show was going, and it’s refreshing to see that Ben Schwartz might just be truly a normal person (with a sick preview finally debuting Idris Elba as Knuckles in the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog sequel). But ultimately, it was especially poignant that Josef Fares, developer of Hazelight Studios and infamous for his “Fuck the Oscars” rant that made Keighley visibly uncomfortable at The Game Awards in 2017, ended up winning Game of the Year for It Takes Two. Fares, at that point in time, was not only calling out what he felt was the film industry’s disregard for video games’ artistry, but went on a tangent on various other issues, such as calling attention to the discourse around microtransactions all while promoting his game, A Way Out. Perhaps we all need a Fares to our Keighley to ground us back to reality.

Accompanied by several of the highlights of The Game Awards below, you can also check some semblance of a Twitter thread informally covering the live show here. If you are also interested in supporting the ABK Worker’s Alliance strike fund, it can also be found here.

Selected Winners

Kena: Bridge of Spirits – Independent Video Game
Maggie Robertson – Voice Performance Best Performance for her role as Lady Dimitrescu in Resident Evil Village
Returnal – Best Action Game
Deathloop – Best Art Direction
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy – Best Narrative
Metroid Dread – Best Action Adventure Game
Final Fantasy XIV Online – Best Ongoing Game
Forza Horizon 5 for Innovation in Accessibility
Deathloop – Best Game Direction
It Takes Two – Game of the Year

World Premieres

Hellblade 2: Senua’s Saga

When this title was first teased, we previously critiqued how further stretching the first game’s allegoric intentions with mental health belittles its original intentions and comes off as downright exploitative.

Star Wars Eclipse

We thought this had some interesting promise until we saw that Quantum Dream is developing this…

Alan Wake 2

The “first” survival horror game Remedy has to develop! Apparently.

Sonic Frontiers

An open-world Sonic game inevitably made sense as the next step for the franchise, and involving the input of IDW’s Ian Flynn, a chief writer of the eponymous Archie Comics’ Sonic series, may actually make for an interesting take on the character for once!

Slitterhead

There were numerous allusions to Silent Hill, including an interestingly coy remark made by Guillermo del Toro appeared in the latter half of the show to present the Art Direction award, but through and through Slitterhead seems like a new original title in the works.

Nightingale

TimeSplitters? With steampunk/Wild Wild West vibes? Okay!

The Lord of the Rings Gollum: The Untold Story (#GollumGame)

Absolutely not enough of this was shown. #GollumGame

Tchia

This very cute title captured are hearts immediately with its similarity to the Super Mario Odyssey mechanic of inhabiting objects while exploring, a huge, open world. You can even play the ukulele!

Suicide Squad

That’s a game all right.

Warhammer 40k: Space Marine II

Who would have ever seen Space Marine II coming?!

Forspoken

Isekai the game may currently be getting some flack in the writing department, but at least we know you can do some killer magic tricks in it!

Metal: Hellsinger

Besides long-running franchises that have been steadily continuing, we haven’t been really seeing new rhythm games, but combining the concept with a boomer shooter can make for something interesting and unique.