The Game Awards 2020
The Boar Games' predictions
Geoff Keighley’s spectacular gaming showcase, The Game Awards, is once again nearly upon us, albeit in a slightly muted fashion amid the COVID-19 pandemic that has quashed any plans to include a live audience.
However, while the studio may be emptier, this is more than made up for by the line-up of high-quality games nominated for awards this year. As we reach the end of a difficult and turbulent year - inside and outside the games industry - The Boar Games’ editorial team goes over their predictions and expectations for The Game Awards 2020.
Which game will win Game of the Year?
Oliver Barsby:
As with every year, the most prestigious award is hotly contested in 2020. For me, there are three standout games in the running: The Last of Us: Part II, Ghost of Tsushima, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Any of these three could win, but ultimately, I think Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Tsushima will scoop up the award.
Quite often in these award shows, it is never the game that people already expected to be amazing that win. The Last of Us: Part II, I fear, will suffer from the same fate as Death Stranding, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Uncharted 4, in that the hype and anticipation surrounding the game from the moment of its reveal will lead to the jury ultimately snubbing the game for Ghost of Tsushima - an open-world samurai game that surpassed all expectations.
Giulia Ferrari:
It might be a straightforward answer, but I believe Ghost of Tsushima will nab the award. Don’t get me wrong, I do think The Last of Us: Part II and Animal Crossing: New Horizons are strong contenders, but ultimately I believe Sucker Punch’s game will prevail. There is little of the game that has not been praised, and although The Last of Us: Part II has equally been met with acclaim, I think the controversy surrounding some of Naughty Dog’s in-game choices will play against it.
As for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, its near-ubiquitous presence in the gaming world in the last few months is a clear indication of just how much it has defined the gaming landscape in the last year. However, I am inclined to think that competition in the category is too strong for the game to win. Naturally, the last word has not been spoken, and it is more than possible that New Horizons might win; after all, one should not underestimate its massive legion of players.
As for Hades, Doom Eternal, and Final Fantasy VII Remake, the chances of them being Game of the Year seem to be very slim, and I would be surprised if any of them won. This is not to say that they are not deserving of the nomination; simply put, competition is too strong.
Ishraq Subhan:
If you have been keeping up with The Boar’s The Last of Us: Part II coverage over the months, you won’t be surprised to see that it’s my Game of the Year pick.
Despite the fact it is this year’s Marmite of the gaming community, I do think there is a silent majority out there that, like me, are absolutely in love with this game. It is simply phenomenal in terms of narrative, gameplay and technical fidelity. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that The Last of Us series is PlayStation’s flagship franchise, even though it doesn’t have the same name recognition as Spider-Man or God of War.
Which award is too close to call?
Oliver Barsby:
While a large section of the core gaming community will overlook mainstream multiplayer titles, this year's Best Multiplayer award is too close to call. Both Among Us and Fall Guys offered completely unique, widely played multiplayer fun, taking over the internet for at least a couple of months each.
Call of Duty: Warzone saw millions flock back to the franchise through a well-polished battle royale mode, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons created a virtual space for countless people to come together during the early stages of the pandemic. I’m struggling to pick a winner among these four of the five nominees.
Giulia Ferrari:
Honestly? I think Best Mobile Game is a difficult one to predict. Among Us took the world by storm a few months ago, and could easily take the award on the strength of its numbers. However, Genshin Impact is an equally strong contender. Whereas Among Us has proven that mobile games can be simple yet entertaining, Genshin Impact has gone the other way, creating a wonderfully whimsical world that players can explore in total freedom, Breath of the Wild-style (and without necessarily having to pay!).
What is so fascinating to me is that despite these two games taking opposite trajectories, they have both earned a lot of praise (and players). The other games in the category may not be able to seriously compete against these two, but the real question remains just who of the two will prevail.
Ishraq Subhan:
Without question, Best Multiplayer will be the most hotly contested race. 2020, for all its cliché narratives of being the worst year ever, has been a great year for multiplayer games (which I have no doubt has been supported by everyone being stuck indoors).
The surprise rise of Among Us and Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout has been heartwarming for indie developers that often feel crowded out by big publishers. Both games have large diehard fans that act as free marketing. Less surprising is the meteoric rise of Call of Duty: Warzone, which made the game’s signature combat accessible to everyone and has equally diehard fans. With so many heavy-hitters, this nomination will be the one to watch.
Which game will underperfom?
Oliver Barsby:
Final Fantasy VII Remake has been nominated for six different awards - including Game of the Year - but I could see Square Enix’s remake of the iconic RPG leaving the show with just one or two awards, given the competition it faces against Ghost of Tsushima, The Last of Us Part II and Hades. At a push, I could probably see FFVIIR winning Best Score and Music, and Best Role Playing.
Giulia Ferrari:
Hades is a fantastic game, and it deserves all eight nominations it got. Unfortunately, I don’t think it will sweep the awards. I can definitely see it winning Best Indie and Best Action, but beyond these two categories, it’s all up in the air. Competition is really tough (Ghost of Tsushima and The Last of Us: Part II, I’m looking at you) and I’m doubtful Hades will prevail over them, although I remain hopeful.
Even if Hades ends up leaving with two or three awards, it will still be a brilliant achievement - after all, for an indie title to have reached this level of recognition is fantastic, and one can only hope that in the years to come, indie titles will keep getting the attention they rightfully deserve.
Ishraq Subhan:
Animal Crossing: New Horizons has three nominations, including Game of the Year, but I predict it will only win one category: Best Family (arguably the weakest of the three). New Horizons is a fantastic game, and this is reflected by the fact it is consistently on the best-selling chart. But the subsection of gamers that tune-in and vote at The Game Awards don’t really reflect the buzz behind this game.
Alongside this comes the stiff competition this year from the likes of Ghost of Tsushima and The Last of Us: Part II, which, when combined, means Animal Crossing: New Horizons will be overlooked.
Which game was overlooked from the nominations?
Oliver Barsby:
While it was nominated for Best Sim/Strategy, Microsoft Flight Simulator’s absence from the top award categories shocked me. Its technological innovation, combined with its meticulous attention to detail, should have been enough to see it nominated for Best VR/AR and Best Game Direction - perhaps even Game of the Year.
Giulia Ferrari:
I was quite disappointed to see Star Wars: The Fallen Order only get one nomination (and yes, it was released in 2019, but The Game Awards have weird eligibility criteria). It’s easily one of the best Star Wars games to be released in years. Not only did it have an exciting story, but the characters were really well-rounded, and the music was amazing. It might not have been the most innovative game, but I definitely think it was deserving of a bit more love. I guess there were just too many good games this year.
However, I do wonder what the game’s nominations and (possible) wins would have been, had it been eligible for the 2019 show…..
Ishraq Subhan:
Microsoft Flight Simulator absolutely deserved a nomination for Game of the Year. The game is a technical masterpiece, with unprecedented attention to detail (minus huge Xbox shrines) and without a doubt, it will outlast 90% of the nominated games, while being used by professional pilots and casual gamers alike.
What announcements do you expect to see?
Oliver Barsby:
The Game Awards 2019 included some rather lacklustre announcements, with the almost laughable conclusion to the show being a trailer for Fast and Furious: Crossroads. I’m hoping that this year, we’ll be treated to some larger, more exciting reveals.
Perhaps Hideo Kojima could make an appearance? Sony doesn’t tend to show much of its upcoming releases at The Game Awards, but I’d hope Microsoft and definitely Nintendo, a publisher who has had a notably quiet period since Animal Crossing: New Horizon’s release, could perhaps show off some of their upcoming games, with the optimist inside me hoping for a Breath of the Wild 2 reveal.
Giulia Ferrari:
The 2019 show was pretty disappointing, and I’m strongly hoping this year will be different (Fast and Furious: Crossroads being presented at the end of last year’s show is something I hope never happens again).
As a die-hard Nintendo fan, I’m strongly hoping for a new Breath of the Wild 2 trailer, or some news on Metroid Prime 4, but I will happily settle for any Nintendo-related announcement. Regardless of my desires, I am going to avoid setting myself high expectations, as last year showed me that The Game Awards don’t always deliver in this respect. However, I do hope to be proven wrong on December 10….
Ishraq Subhan:
We will probably see updates from PlayStation Studios titles like Horizon Forbidden West and Xbox Game Studios titles like Hellblade II. But as a basic gamer, what I really want is EA to show us a teaser for the new Battlefield and it better be a next-gen modern military shooter, or I will resign and join The Boar Film team.
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