Prepare yourself… to not be shocked in the slightest… Zelda: Breath of the Wild won “Game of the Year” at 2018 GDC Awards

gdcawardsThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild continues its sweep of this year’s “Game of the Year” awards, as it won the top honor at last night’s Game Developers Choice Awards. Developers for the adventure game also strode on stage to collect awards for “Best Audio” and “Best Design” during the ceremony.

The unique visual stylings of Jason Roberts’s Gorogoa were honored with the “Innovation Award,” and the puzzle game’s portability were also honored as “Best Mobile/Handheld Game.” Studio MDHR also carried home multiple trophies during last night’s GDC Awards ceremony for Cuphead, including “Best Debut” and “Best Visual Art,”

“Every year sees countless amazing games worthy of recognition, but this year in particular has seen some of the strongest titles to arrive this generation. The GDCAs give us an opportunity to reflect on and honor the games that provided us with endless joy,” said Katie Stern, the General Manager of the Game Developers Conference. “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild helped us rediscover a childlike sense of adventure and discovery. Titles like Gorogoa and What Remains of Edith Finch offered us distinct creative visions that can only be experienced in games, and games like Cuphead and Horizon: Zero Dawn crafted worlds we could lose ourselves in. Congratulations to all of tonight’s nominees and winners and thank you for your creativity and dedication.”

A replay of the 2018 GDC Awards ceremony can be viewed at the Twitch channel for the Game Developers Conference. And a complete list of the winners can be found after the break.

Game of the Year

  • PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG Corporation)
  • Nier: Automata (Platinum Games / Square Enix)
  • WINNER: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
  • Horizon: Zero Dawn (Guerrilla Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • Super Mario Odyssey (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)

Innovation Award

  • WINNER: Gorogoa (Jason Roberts / Buried Signal / Annapurna Interactive)
  • The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
  • What Remains of Edith Finch (Giant Sparrow / Annapurna Interactive)
  • Everything (David OReilly / Double Fine Productions)
  • PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG Corporation)

Best Debut

  • Hollow Knight (Team Cherry)
  • Golf Story (Sidebar Games)
  • WINNER: Cuphead (Studio MDHR)
  • Night in the Woods (Infinite Fall)
  • Gorogoa (Jason Roberts / Buried Signal)

Best Design

  • Super Mario Odyssey (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
  • Horizon: Zero Dawn (Guerrilla Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG Corporation)
  • WINNER: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
  • Nier: Automata (Platinum Games / Square Enix)

Best Mobile/Handheld Game

  • Reigns: Her Majesty (Nerial / Devolver Digital)
  • Hidden Folks (Adriaan de Jongh / Sylvain Tegroeg)
  • Monument Valley 2 (Ustwo games)
  • WINNER: Gorogoa (Jason Roberts / Buried Signal / Annapurna Interactive)
  • Bury Me, My Love (The Pixel Hunt / Figs / ARTE France / Playdius)

Best VR/AR Game

  • WINNER: Superhot VR (Superhot Team)
  • Star Trek: Bridge Crew (Red Storm Entertainment / Ubisoft)
  • Lone Echo (Ready at Dawn / Oculus Studios)
  • Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (Capcom)
  • The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR (Bethesda Game Studios / Bethesda Softworks)

Best Visual Art

  • Persona 5 (P-Studio / Atlus)
  • WINNER: Cuphead (Studio MDHR)
  • Horizon: Zero Dawn (Guerrilla Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
  • Night in the Woods (Infinite Fall / Finji)

Best Narrative

  • WINNER: Night in the Woods (Infinite Fall / Finji)
  • Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice (Ninja Theory)
  • What Remains of Edith Finch (Giant Sparrow / Annapurna Interactive)
  • Horizon: Zero Dawn (Guerrilla Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (MachineGames / Bethesda Softworks)

Best Audio

  • Cuphead (Studio MDHR)
  • Nier: Automata (Platinum Games / Square Enix)
  • Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice (Ninja Theory)
  • WINNER: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
  • Horizon Zero Dawn (Guerrilla Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Best Technology

  • Destiny 2 (Bungie / Activision)
  • Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice (Ninja Theory)
  • Assassin’s Creed: Origins (Ubisoft Montreal / Ubisoft)
  • WINNER: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Guerrilla Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
  • The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)

Audience Award

  • WINNER: Nier: Automata (Platinum Games / Square Enix)

Ambassador Award

  • WINNER: Rami Ismail

Lifetime Achievement Award

  • WINNER: Tim Schafer
This entry was posted in Mobile, News, PC, PS4, Switch, Wii U, Xbox One and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.
John Scalzo is Warp Zoned's Editor-In-Chief and resident retro gaming expert. You can email him at john AT warpzoned DOT com.