Posted in: Games, Video Games | Tagged: entertainment, games, Steam, steam awards, valve, video games

The Steam Awards Nominations Announced Ahead Of Voting Opening Today

Published Thu, 21 Dec 2017 08:45:01 -0600

Steam has unveiled the nominations for their kooky awards, showing off 13 categories to be voted on over the next few days.

Steam's awards are always a bit silly, giving out some really strange awards, but bring some nice levity to the end of the year. Another weird quirk is that the games being voted on don't have to be from 2017. This makes sure that there is some good longevity for games to win certain things.

The way it will work is that running from today to January 2nd, users will be voting on winners. A new category will open each day at 10am PT, and be at the mercy of the public. On January 3rd, the winners will be revealed.

You can see a full list of the games and categories below, and you will be able to vote on Steam directly:

December 21st 10 AM PST
The "Choices Matter" Award – Games are about agency, and this award is for the game that has it in spades. Maybe it's because there are 31 ways you can breach into a villains lair. Perhaps there are dozens of potential partners for you to build a romantic future with. Or maybe you find yourself constantly saying "Where oh where should I plant those turnips"? In all three scenarios there is a common bond: the choice was always yours.

-The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
-Divinity: Original Sin 2
-Life is Strange: Before the Storm
-The Walking Dead: A New Frontier
-Dishonored 2

December 22nd 10 AM PST
The "Mom's Spaghetti" Award – There are games that make you excited. There are games that make you happy. Then there are games so intense that they elicit a physical reaction. We're talking weak knees. We're talking sweaty palms. We're talking fear-induced accidents. We're talking your friends reminding you to breathe. We're talking about mom's spaghetti.

-PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS
-Outlast 2
-RESIDENT EVIL 7
-The Evil Within 2
-Alien: Isolation

December 23rd 10 AM PST
The "Labor of Love" Award – This game has been out for a while. The team is well past the first unveiling of their creative baby, but being the good parents they are, these devs continue to nurture and support their creation. This game, to this day, is still getting new content after all these years.

-Team Fortress 2
-Warframe
-Titan Quest Anniversary Edition
-Path of Exile
-Crusader Kings II

December 24th 10 AM PST
The "Suspension of Disbelief" Award – Let's be honest: games can have some pretty ridiculous elements in them… from the stories that drive the action, to the items required to conquer obstacles, to even the protagonists themselves. This award is for the game that has a key component, which when described out of context, seems totally insane, but while playing the game doesn't even make you bat an eye, because in the moment it makes total sense.

-Saints Row IV
-Goat Simulator
-South Park the Fractured But Whole
-Rocket League
-Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

December 25th 10 AM PST
The "The World Is Grim Enough Let's Just All Get Along" Award – Games delight and entertain us, giving us much needed breaks from the sorrows and low points of our lives… and let's be honest, for a lot of people it's been a rough 2017. That is why the SASC has chosen to celebrate a game that doesn't involve combat or conflict.

-Stardew Valley
-Cities: Skylines
-Slime Rancher
-ABZU
-To the Moon

December 26th 10 AM PST
The "No Apologies" Award – This award is for the game that you love unconditionally. Does it have some faults? Maybe. Do other people not understand your love for it? Sure. But make no mistake. There is no guilt here. Only pleasure.

-Rust
-Mount & Blade: Warband
-HuniePop
-Gothic II: Gold Edition
-The Witcher: Enhanced Edition (The Witcher 1)

December 27th 10 AM PST
The "Defies Description" Award – This game is like… well actually it's more similar to…picture a combination of… ya know what, I can't describe it, just play it.

-Garry's Mod
-The Stanley Parable
-Pony Island
-Antichamber
-Doki Doki Literature Club

December 28th 10 AM PST
The "Cry Havoc And Let Slip The Dogs of War" Award – The Bard said it best. This game doesn't necessarily offer the biggest explosions… it offers something better. Potential. Potential to be a rampaging force of nature. Or not. Who knows. You're an agent of chaos and no one is going to tell you what to do.

-Just Cause 3
-Total War: Warhammer II
-Broforce
-Red Faction: Guerilla Steam Edition
-Middle-earth: Shadow of War

December 29th 10 AM PST
The "Haunts My Dreams" Award – This award is slightly a misnomer, because this game doesn't just haunt your dreams. It consumes your thoughts every waking moment of the day. This game doesn't demand your time. You give it willingly.

-Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
-Dota 2
-Dark Souls III
-Factorio
-Sid Meier's Civilization VI

December 30th 10 AM PST
The "Soul of Vitruvius" Award – The Vitruvian Man was Leonardo's celebration of the ideal form. And in that spirit the SASC looks to celebrate the game with the most lovingly rendered character… be it human, alien, anthropomorphic cat people, or even a piece of produce.

-NieR: Automata
-Rise of the Tomb Raider
-Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
-I am Bread
-Bayonetta

December 31st 10 AM PST
The "Whoooaaaaaaa, Dude! 2.0" Award – The Academy wasn't clear enough in the awards description last year. Let's try this again. This award is for the "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" of video games.

-Hotline Miami
-Luna
-Antichamber
-CPU Invaders
-The Evil Within 2

January 1st 10 AM PST
The "Best Soundtrack" Award – There are very few things that can enhance a game better than music. The right song can set the tone for every aspect of gameplay, from simple exploration, to climatic boss fights. This award is for the soundtrack that captured the essence of their game so perfectly that it effortlessly immersed players into the game world.

-Nier: Automata
-Crypt of the Necrodancer
-Undertale
-Cuphead
-Transistor

January 2nd 10 AM PST
The "Even Better Than I Expected" Award – We've all been there. You get super excited for a game, you pre-order it, and you anxiously wait as it downloads. Then you finally play it. How do you feel now? If the answer is "Elated beyond words because even I, a conductor aboard the hype train, was blown away with how good this thing was" then you have found the perfect candidate for this award.

-Assassin's Creed Origins
-Cuphead
-Call of Duty: WWII
-Hollow Knight
-Sonic Mania