E3 2019 may have ended a couple of weeks ago, but the hype hasn’t died down just yet. The Game Critics Awards nominees have been announced, with winners to be named on Thursday, June 27th. As is often the case, there were plenty of games for the 64 judging publications to sift through. However, not every game shown during E3 gets mention in the nominations, as eligibility rules necessitate a game’s having a hands-on demo that lasts at least five minutes long. Therefore, titles such as Cyberpunk 2077, Marvel’s Avengers, and Tales of Arise don’t qualify.
Obsidian’s The Outer Worlds leads the pack with four nominations, including a nod for Best of Show. The likes of Borderlands 3, Wolfenstein: Youngblood, and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order follow with a total of three nominations.
The full list of nominees is featured below:
Best of Show
- Borderlands 3
- Doom Eternal
- Final Fantasy VII Remake
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
- The Outer Worlds
- Watch Dogs: Legion
Best Original Game
- 12 Minutes
- Bleeding Edge
- Control
- John Wick Hex
- The Outer Worlds
Best Console Game
- Final Fantasy VII Remake
- Luigi’s Mansion 3
- The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
- Watch Dogs: Legion
Best PC Game
- Borderlands 3
- Control
- Doom Eternal
- The Outer Worlds
- Wolfenstein: Youngblood
Best VR/AR Game
- Asgard’s Wrath
- Lone Echo II
- Minecraft Earth
- Phantom: Covert Ops
- Sniper Elite VR
Best Hardware/Peripheral
- Sega Genesis Mini
- Smach Z
- Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2
Best Action Game
- Borderlands 3
- Call of Duty Modern Warfare
- Doom Eternal
- Gears 5
- Wolfenstein: Youngblood
Best Action/Adventure Game
- Control
- Luigi’s Mansion 3
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
- The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
- Watch Dogs: Legion
Best Role Playing Game
- Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot
- Final Fantasy VII Remake
- Monster Hunter: World Iceborne
- Pokemon Sword and Shield
- The Outer Worlds
Best Racing Game
- Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled
- F1 2019
- Forza Horizon 4: LEGO Speed Champions
- GRID
Best Sports Game
- EFootball Pro Evolution Soccer 2020
- Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
- Madden NFL 20
- Roller Champions
Best Strategy Game
- Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
- Desperados III
- Fire Emblem: Three Houses
- John Wick Hex
- Phoenix Point
Best Family/Social Game
- Fall Guys
- Luigi’s Mansion 3
- Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
- Minecraft Dungeons
- Pokemon Sword and Shield
Best Online Multiplayer
- Bleeding Edge
- Call of Duty Modern Warfare
- Gears 5
- Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint
- Wolfenstein: Youngblood
Best Independent Game
- 12 Minutes
- Carrion
- FALL GUYS
- John Wick Hex
- Sayonara Wild Hearts
Best Ongoing Game
- Destiny 2
- Final Fantasy XIV
- Fortnite
- Monster Hunter: World
- Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
Special Commendation for Graphics
- 1 Award Winner, To Be Announced Thursday, June 27th
A few stats about the award nominees are also worthy of mention. For one, PC lead the charge with a total of 57 nominations, up two from last year. Xbox One came in second place with 45 nods, which is down six from 2018. PlayStation 4 rounded out the top three, earning 45 nominations, a 15-nomination decrease compared to last year. Undoubtedly, this stark contrast for the PlayStation 4 nods between 2018 and 2019 is due to Sony’s skipping E3 2019.
[Source: Game Critics Awards]
