The Shacknews Awards 2024 is our opportunity to recognize the incredible people and teams behind some of the greatest video games and adjacent industries of the year. This Year of the Games celebration covers the triple-A space and indies, has special sections for remaster and remakes, as well as categories to honor expansions, add-ons, and everything in between. Please take a look at our nominees for The Shacknews Awards 2024.
Note: Shacknews will not be releasing a list of nominees for Game of the Year or Indie Game of the Year. We will publish a top-24 list for both categories alongside an article for winners as well as blurbs in our main coverage for some categories. Some games that missed our nominee cut off in 2023 made the following list. Similarly, some games that missed our 2024 cut off will make 2025's nominees.
Person of the Year
Swen Vincke
Dunkey & Leah (Bigmode)
Abubakar Salim (Tales of Kenzera: ZAU)
LocalThunk
Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone
Tomomi Sano
Do it for Shacknews Award
The Zelda Orchestra
Xur
Maximilian Dood
Brandon Cole (accessibility advocate)
Stevetendo
Nate Purkeypile
GSC Game World
JSR_ and Peanut Butter the Dog
Harada & Murray
EA Sports College Football 25 Devs
Kendrick Lamar
Jonathan Rush
Best Developer
Team Asobi
WayForward
Studio Zero
GSC Game World
Nightdive Studios
LocalThunk
Best Publisher
Nintendo
Capcom
Sega/ATLUS
Square Enix
Playstack
Bandai Namco
Shackbattle Game of the Year
Street Fighter 6
Battlefield 2042
Wreckfest
Best PC Game
UFO 50
Frostpunk 2
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
DooM 1+2
The Axis Unseen
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Best PS5 Game
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Helldivers 2
Astro Bot
Black Myth: Wukong
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Best Nintendo Switch Game
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Balatro
Mario & Luigi: Brothership
Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Super Mario Party Jamboree
Best Xbox Game
Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2
Metaphor: ReFantazio
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Indiana Jones and The Great Circle
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Tekken 8
Best Comeback
Contra (Operation Galuga, Vampire Survivors)
Prince of Persia (The Lost Crown, The Rogue)
Fallout
Marvel vs. Capcom
EA Sports College Football 25
BioWare
Modojo @ Shacknews Mobile Game of the Year
Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit
Balatro
Pokemon: TCG Pocket
Monument Valley 3
NFL Retro Bowl '25
Not Like Us - The Game
Most Improved Game
Diablo 4
F-Zero 99
Cities: Skylines 2
DayZ
Call of the Wild: The Angler
Vampire Survivors
Best Strategy Game
Unicorn Overlord
Homeworld 3
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
Satisfactory
Frostpunk 2
Metal Slug Tactics
Best Graphics
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Astro Bot
Black Myth: Wukong
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Tekken 8
Best Multiplayer Game
Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2
Tekken 8
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
EA Sports College Football 25
The Finals
Marvel Rivals
Best Hardware
PS5 Pro
Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo
Meta Quest 3S
Razer Freyja
MacBook Pro
Outstanding Achievement in Accessibility
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Tekken 8
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Star Wars Outlaws
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Best VR Game
Batman: Arkham Shadow
Warhammer 40k Space Marine - Defenders of Avarax
Arizona Sunshine Remake
Metro Awakening
Asgard's Wrath 2
Riven
Best Narrative Game
Tales of Kenzera: Zau
Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2
Mario & Luigi: Brothership
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Life is Strange: Double Exposure
Neva
Best Art Style
Another Crab's Treasure
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
The Plucky Squire
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Tales of Kenzera: Zau
Mario & Luigi: Brothership
Best FPS Game
The Finals
I Am Your Beast
The Axis Unseen
Doom 1+2
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Best Gaming Accessory
Razer Kishi Ultra
GameScent
Roto Explorer VR Chair
SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds
Esports Hero
Hayao (Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike)
Faker (League of Legends)
Arslan Ash (Tekken 8)
Punk (Street Fighter 6)
Alex T (Tetris)
Best Horror Game
The Outlast Trials
Silent Hill 2
Crow Country
The Casting of Frank Stone
Phasmophobia
Mouthwashing
Best Cozy Game
Flock
Luma Island
Endless Ocean: Luminous
Simpler Times
Little Kitty, Big City
Thank Goodness You're Here!
Best RPG
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Visions of Mana
Dragon's Dogma 2
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Mario & Luigi: Brothership
Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake
Best Early Access Game
Path of Exile 2
Hades 2
The Rogue Prince of Persia
Deadlock
Delta Force
Windblown
Best Expansion
Splatoon 3: Side Order
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Destiny 2: The Final Shape
DayZ: Frostline
Factorio: Space Age
Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred
Best Co-Op Game
Helldivers 2
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate
Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2
Contra: Operation Galuga
Inkbound
Best Trendsetter
Balatro
Nintendo Music
Things Running Doom
Nightdive Studios
Digital Eclipse (Gold Master series)
Best Mod
Portal Revolution
Resident Evil 2: Akuma Mode
Fallout London
Halo 2 E3 2003 demo (Halo: The Master Chief Collection)
Doom 3
Best Fighting Game
Tekken 8
MultiVersus
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero
Rivals of Aether 2
Under Night In-Birth 2 Sys:Celes
Best Sports Game
WWE 2K24
MLB The Show 24
TopSpin 2K25
Turbo Golf Racing
Undisputed
EA Sports College Football 25
Best Remake / Remaster
The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Persona 3 Reload
Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster
Silent Hill 2
Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake
Best Racing Game
F1 24
Monster Jam Showdown
DeathSprint 66
Most Overlooked Game
Yars Rising
Dungeons of Hinterberg
Minds Beneath Us
Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Best Strand Game
Mario & Luigi: Brothership
Death Stranding on Xbox
Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Best Open World Game
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Dragon's Dogma 2
The Axis Unseen
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Best Ongoing Game
Fortnite
The Long Dark
Splatoon 3
The Finals
F-Zero 99
DayZ
Best Sound Design
Helldivers 2
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Senua's Saga: Hellblade II
Astro Bot
Silent Hill 2
Best Voice Actor
John Eric Bentley (Barret, FF7 Rebirth)
Abubakar Salim (Zau/Zuberi, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU)
Keri Russel (Open Roads)
Troy Baker (Indiana Jones and The Great Circle)
Hannah Telle (Life is Strange: Double Exposure)
Melina Juergens as Senua (Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2)
Best Music
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Pacific Drive
Mario & Luigi: Brothership
Astro Bot
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Best Action-Adventure Game
Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2
Another Crab's Treasure
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Black Myth: Wukong
Best Headshot
Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
T.A.L.K.E.R. 2
I Am Your Beast
Quietest Lobby
Foamstars
Concord
Skull & Bones
XDefiant
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition
Best Free-to-Play Game
MultiVersus
Delta Force
Once Human
The Finals
Marvel Rivals
Pokemon TCG Pocket
Best Cameo
Peacemaker (John Cena) in Mortal Kombat 1
Snoop Dogg in Fortnite
Cameo Bots in Astro Bot
Ghostface (Roger L. Jackson) in Mortal Kombat 1
Godzilla in Dave the Diver
Terry Bogard in Street Fighter 6
Best Add-on
Vampire Survivors: Operation Guns
Dave the Diver - Godzilla content pack
Balatro - Friends of Jimbo
River City Girls 2 - Double Dragon DLC
TMNT: Shredder's Revenge - Radical Reptiles
Ace League Satellaview Tracks - F-Zero 99
Best NPC
Tri (The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom)
Technikki (Mario & Luigi: Brothership)
Gallica (Metaphor ReFantazio)
Igon (Shadow of the Erdtree)
Vincent Valentine (FF7 Rebirth)
More (Metaphor: ReFantazio)
Best Water
Another Crab's Treasure
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Astro Bot
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Dragon's Dogma 2
Best Nintendo Switch Port
Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate
Pentiment
Grounded
Pizza Tower
Stray
Best PC Port
Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut
Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition
God of War Ragnarok
Red Dead Redemption
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate
Best Online Presentation
Xbox Developer_Direct (Jan 18, 2024)
Xbox Games Showcase (June 2024)
Wholesome Direct (June 2024)
Nintendo Direct (June 2024)
EVO 2024 Announcement Show (February 2024)
Nintendo Museum Direct
Best Video Game Pet
Nix (Star Wars Outlaws)
Zelda's Cat (The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom)
Plateau The Cat (Metaphor: ReFantazio)
Kuma (Tekken 8)
Assan (Dragon Age: The Veilguard)
Koromaru (Persona 3 Reload)
Best Platformer
Penny's Big Breakaway
Pepper Grinder
Astro Bot
Sonic X Shadow Generations
Neva
Animal Well
Biggest Surprise
Xbox goes multiplatform
Balatro
Tango Gameworks is shut down until it isn't
Nintendo Music
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo!
Best Puzzle Game
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
Isles of Sea and Sky
Riven
Animal Well
World of Goo 2
Monument Valley 3
Best Old School Throwback Game
Tetris Forever
Dragon Quest 3 2D-HD Remake
Yars Rising
Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics
Castlevania Dominus Collection
Doom + Doom 2
Best Gore
Helldivers 2
Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2
Slitterhead
Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster
Pop! Goes the Culture Presents Best Adaptation
Fallout
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft
Secret Level
Like A Dragon: Yakuza
Arcane (Season 2)
Game That Should Be On Nintendo Switch
Pokemon: TCG Pocket
EA Sports College Football 25
Rivals of Aether 2
Pacific Drive
Tekken 8
Visions of Mana
Congratulations to all of the nominees for The Shacknews Awards 2024! The winners of categories will be revealed over the course of December 2024.