All 2021 Game Awards Nominees

The Game Awards 2021 are returning live and in person after a year of all-digital displays. Host of the event, Geoff Keighley, is pulling out all the stops for his annual award to celebrate the show's return.

In anticipation of the highly-anticipated award show, the games nominated for the prestigious award ceremony appeared on Nov. 16, 2021, just a few weeks before the show. Readers can find the list of nominees and their categories below.

• Best Performance
  • Erika Mori (Life is Strange: True Colors)
  • Giancarlo Esposito (Far Cry 6)
  • Jason Kelley ("Deathloop")
  • Maggie Robertson (Resident Evil: Village)
  • Ozioma Akagha ("Deathloop")
• Best Multiplayer
  • Back 4 Blood
  • Knockout City
  • Monster Hunter: Rise
  • New World
  • It Takes Two
  • Valheim
• Best Ongoing Game
  • Apex Legends
  • Call of Duty: Warzone
  • Final Fantasy XIV
  • Genshin Impact
  • Fortnite
• Best Art Direction
  • "Deathloop"
  • Kena: Bridge of Spirits
  • Psychonauts 2
  • Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
  • The Artful Escape
• Best Score & Music
  • Cyberpunk 2077
  • "Deathloop"
  • NieR Replicant ver. 1.22474487139
  • Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy
  • The Artful Escape
• Best Audio Design
  • "Deathloop"
  • Forza Horizon 5
  • Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
  • Resident Evil: Village
  • Returnal
• Innovation in Accessibility
  • Far Cry 6
  • Forza Horizon 5
  • Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy
  • Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
  • The Vale: Shadow of the Crown
• Best Narrative
  • "Deathloop"
  • It Takes Two
  • Life is Strange: True Colors
  • Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy
  • Psychonauts 2
• Games for Impact
  • Before Your Eyes
  • Boyfriend Dungeon
  • Chicory: A Colorful Tale
  • Life is Strange: True Colors
  • No Longer Home
• Best Independent Game
  • 12 Minutes
  • Death's Door
  • Kena: Bridge of Spirits
  • Inscryption
  • Loop Hero
• Best Mobile Game
  • Fantasian
  • Genshin Impact
  • League of Legends: Wild Rift
  • Marvel: Future Revolution
  • Pokemon UNITE
• Best Community Support
  • Apex Legends
  • Destiny 2
  • Final Fantasy XIV
  • Fortnite
  • No Man's Sky
• Best Debut Indie Game
  • Kena: Bridge of Spirits
  • Sable
  • The Artful Escape
  • The Forgotten City
  • Valheim
• Best VR/AR Game
  • Hitman III
  • I Expect You to Die 2: The Spy and the Liar
  • Lone Echo 2
  • Resident Evil 4
  • Sniper Elite VR
• Content Creator of the Year
  • Dream
  • Fuslie
  • Gaules
  • Ibai
  • The Grefg
• Best Action Game
  • Back 4 Blood
  • Chivalry II
  • "Deathloop"
  • Far Cry 6
  • Returnal
• Best Action/Adventure Game
  • Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy
  • Metroid Dread
  • Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
  • Resident Evil: Village
  • Psychonauts 2
• Best Role Playing Game
  • Cyberpunk 2077
  • Monster Hunter: Rise
  • Scarlet Nexus
  • Shin Megami Tensei V
  • Tales of Arise
• Most Anticipated Game
  • Elden Ring
  • God of War: Ragnarok
  • Horizon: Forbidden West
  • The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild 2
  • Starfield
• Best Fighting Game
  • Demon Slayer: The Hinokami Chronicles
  • Guilty Gear: Strive
  • Melty Blood: Type Lumina
  • Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl
  • Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown
• Best Family Game
  • It Takes Two
  • Mario Party Superstars
  • New Pokemon Snap
  • Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
  • Wario Ware: Get It Together!
• Best Sim/Strategy Game
  • Age of Empires IV
  • Evil Genius 2: World Domination
  • Humankind
  • Inscryption
  • Microsoft Flight Simulator
• Best Sports/Racing Game
  • F1: 2021 The Official Videogame
  • FIFA 22
  • Hot Wheels Unleashed
  • Forza Horizon 5
  • Riders Republic
• Best Esports Game
  • Call of Duty
  • CS GO
  • DOTA 2
  • League of Legends
  • Valorant
• Best Esports Athlete
  • Collapse
  • S1MPLE
  • Showmaker
  • Tenz
  • Simp
• Best Esports Team
  • Atlanta Faze (Call of Duty)
  • DWG (League of Legends)
  • Navi (CS GO)
  • Team Spirit (DOTA 2)
  • Sentinels (Valorant)
• Best Esports Coach
  • B1AD3
  • Crowder
  • Engh
  • Kkoma
  • Silent
• Best Esports Event
  • The International DOTA 2 Championships
  • 2021 League of Legends World Championship
  • Valorant Champions Tour Stage 2: Masters
  • PGL Major: Stockholm 2021
  • PUBG Mobile Global Championship
• Best Game Direction
  • "Deathloop"
  • Psychonauts 2
  • It Takes Two
  • Returnal
  • Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• Game of the Year 2021:
  • "Deathloop"
  • It Takes Two
  • Metroid Dread
  • Psychonauts 2
  • Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
  • Resident Evil: Village

The 8th Annual Game Awards premiers Dec. 9, 2021, at 8:30 pm EST. According to Geoff Keighley, players can expect new game announcements "in the double digits," along with over 50 games appearing in some capacity. Users can vote for their picks now at thegameawards.com.

For more on The Game Awards, be sure to stay tuned to Pro Game Guides.