The Game Awards 2021 winners have been revealed, earning a bumper stock of accolades for family duo game It Takes Two which took the overall best game of the year award.
Both It Takes Two and Forza Horizon 5 earned hat-tricks of trophies, while fellow indie Kena: Bridge of Spirits bagged two alongside Final Fantasy XIV Online and Deathloop.
Most anticipated game was Elden Ring for the second year running, meaning it really does have quite a lot to live up to when it releases on February 25 next year.
In esports, League of Legends took home the majority of awards, including best event, best coach and best game overall, but CS:GO had the better players with Navi taking best team and their star AWPer S1mple bringing home best athlete.
For a full list of The Game Awards 2021 winners (and the nominees they were up against in each category) check below.
The Game Awards 2021 winners and nominees
Game of the Year
Recognizing a game that delivers the absolute best experience across all creative and technical fields.
- Deathloop
- It Takes Two - WINNER
- Metroid Dread
- Psychonauts 2
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
- Resident Evil Village
Best Game Direction
Awarded for outstanding creative vision and innovation in game direction and design.
- Deathloop - WINNER
- It Takes Two
- Returnal
- Psychonauts 2
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Best Narrative
For outstanding storytelling and narrative development in a game.
- Deathloop
- It Takes Two
- Life is Strange: True Colors
- Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy - WINNER
- Psychonauts 2
Best Art Direction
For outstanding creative and/or technical achievement in artistic design and animation.
- The Artful Escape
- Deathloop - WINNER
- Kena: Bridge of Spirits
- Psychonauts 2
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Best Score and Music
For outstanding music, inclusive of score, original song and/or licensed soundtrack.
- The Artful Escape
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Deathloop
- Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
- Nier Replicant Ver.1.22474487139 - WINNER
Best Audio Design
Recognizing the best in-game audio and sound design.
- Deathloop
- Forza Horizon 5 - WINNER
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
- Resident Evil Village
- Returnal
Best Performance
Awarded to an individual for voice-over acting, motion and/or performance capture.
- Erika Mori as Alex Chen in Life is Strange: True Colors
- Giancarlo Esposito as Anton Castillo in Far Cry 6
- Jason Kelley as Colt Vahn in Deathloop
- Maggie Robertson as Lady Dimitrescu in Resident Evil Village - WINNER
- Ozioma Akagha as Julianna Blake in Deathloop
Games For Impact
For a thought-provoking game with a pro-social meaning or message.
- Before Your Eyes
- Boyfriend Dungeon
- Chicory: A Colorful Tale
- Life is Strange: True Colors - WINNER
- No Longer Home
Best Ongoing
Awarded to a game for outstanding development of ongoing content that evolves the player experience over time.
- Apex Legends
- Final Fantasy XIV Online - WINNER
- Fortnite
- Genshin Impact
- Call of Duty: Warzone
Best Indie
For outstanding creative and technical achievement in a game made outside the traditional publisher system.
- 12 Minutes
- Death’s Door
- Inscryption
- Kena: Bridge of Spirits - WINNER
- Loop Hero
Best Mobile Game
For the best game playable on a mobile device.
- Fantasian
- Genshin Impact - WINNER
- League of Legends: Wild Rift
- Marvel Future Revolution
- Pokémon Unite
Best Community Support
Recognizing a game for outstanding community support, transparency and responsiveness, inclusive of social media activity and game updates/patches.
- Apex Legends
- Destiny 2
- Final Fantasy XIV Online - WINNER
- Fortnite
- No Man’s Sky
Innovation in Accessibility
Recognizing software and/or hardware that is pushing the medium forward by adding features, technology and content to help games be played and enjoyed by an even wider audience.
- Far Cry 6
- Forza Horizon 5 - WINNER
- Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
- The Vale: Shadow of the Crown
Best VR/AR
For the best game experience playable in virtual or augmented reality, irrespective of platform.
- Hitman 3
- I Expect You To Die 2
- Lone Echo 2
- Resident Evil 4 VR - WINNER
- Sniper Elite VR
Best Action Game
For the best game in the action genre focused primarily on combat.
- Back 4 Blood
- Chivalry 2
- Deathloop
- Far Cry 6
- Returnal - WINNER
Best Action/Adventure
For the best action/adventure game, combining combat with traversal and puzzle solving.
- Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
- Metroid Dread - WINNER
- Psychonauts 2
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
- Resident Evil Village
Best Role Playing
For the best game designed with rich player character customization and progression, including massively multiplayer experiences.
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Monster Hunter Rise
- Scarlet Nexus
- Shin Megami Tensei 5
- Tales of Arise - WINNER
Best Fighting
For the best game designed primarily around head-to-head combat.
- Demon Slayer Kimetsu No Yaiba The Hinokami Chronicles
- Guilty Gear Strive - WINNER
- Melty Blood: Type Lumina
- Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl
- Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown
Best Family
For the best game appropriate for family play, irrespective of genre or platform.
- It Takes Two - WINNER
- Mario Party Superstars
- New Pokémon Snap
- Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
- Warioware: Get It Together
Best Sim/Strategy
Best game focused on real time or turn-based simulation or strategy gameplay, irrespective of platform.
- Age of Empires 4 - WINNER
- Evil Genius 2: World Domination
- Humankind
- Inscryption
- Microsoft Flight Simulator
Best Sports/Racing
For the best traditional and non-traditional sports and racing game.
- F1 2021
- FIFA 22
- Forza Horizon 5 - WINNER
- Hot Wheels Unleashed
- Riders Republic
Best Multiplayer
For outstanding online multiplayer gameplay and design, including co-op and massively multiplayer experiences, irrespective of game genre or platform.
- Back 4 Blood
- Knockout City
- It Takes Two - WINNER
- Monster Hunter Rise
- New World
- Valheim
Content Creator of the Year
For a streamer or content creator who has made an important and positive impact on the community in 2021.
- Dream - WINNER
- Fuslie
- Gaules
- Ibai
- Grefg
Best Debut Indie
For the best debut game created by a new independent studio.
- The Artful Escape
- The Forgotten City
- Kena: Bridge of Spirits - WINNER
- Sable
- Valheim
Most Anticipated Game
Recognizing an announced game that has demonstrably illustrated potential to push the gaming medium forward.
- Elden Ring - WINNER
- God of War Ragnarok
- Horizon Forbidden West
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2
- Starfield
Best Esports Game
For the game that has delivered the best overall esports experience to players (inclusive of tournaments, community support and content updates), irrespective of genre or platform.
- Call of Duty
- Counter Strike: Global Offensive
- Dota 2
- League of Legends - WINNER
- Valorant
Best Esports Athlete
The esports athlete judged to be the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2021, irrespective of game.
- Chris “Simp” Lehr
- Heo “Showmaker” Su
- Magomed “Collapse” Khalilov
- Oleksandr “S1mple” Kostyliev - WINNER
- Tyson “Tenz” Ngo
Best Esports Team
Recognizing a specific esports team (not the full organization) judged the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2021.
- Atlanta Faze (Call of Duty)
- DWG KIA (League of Legends)
- Natus Vincere (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive) - WINNER
- Sentinels (Valorant)
- Team Spirit (Dota 2)
Best Esports Coach
The esports coach judged to be the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2021.
- Airat “Silent” Gaziev
- Andrey “Engh” Sholokhov
- Andrii “B1ad3” Horodenskyi
- James “Crowder” Crowder
- Kim “Kkoma” Jeong-Gyun - WINNER
Best Esports Event
Recognizing an event (across single or multiple days) that delivered a best-of-class experience for participants and the broadcast audience.
- 2021 League of Legends World Championship - WINNER
- The International 2021
- PGL Major Stockholm 2021
- PUBG Mobile Global Championship 2020
- Valorant Champions Tour: Stage 2 Masters
Those are the winners (and worthy nominees) of The Game Awards 2021! Do you agree with the picks? Who would you want to see earning a nod at The Keighleys? Let us know below!
