The SXSW Gaming Awards weren’t able to host an on-location event this year due to the COVID-10 outbreak. However, an online rendition of the awards announced the winners of the seventh annual award show. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice won the game of the year at the awards. The was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on 22 March 2019. Since then, it has gone on to gather critical acclaim.
“Gaming is a key part of the creative ecosystem that brings us together, and now more than ever it provides us with a unique sense of escape and adventure in uncertain times,” a statement from SXSW programming chief Hugh Forrest read. “We were devastated that we weren’t able to celebrate our honorees in person with the cancellation of our event, but glad that we’re still able to share their achievements and creative works with our community.”
The list of winner at the SXSW Gaming Awards 2020
SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD — GAME INDUSTRY CHAMPION OF CHANGE
- Winner: Steven Spohn
SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD — GAME INDUSTRY JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
- Winner: Cecilia D’Anastasio
VIDEO GAME OF THE YEAR
- Winner: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice — FromSoftware/Activision
Nominees:
- Control — Remedy Entertainment / 505 Games
- Devil May Cry 5 — Capcom; Disco Elysium — ZA/UM
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order — Respawn Entertainment / Electronic Arts
MOBILE GAME OF THE YEAR
- Winner: Sky: Children of the Light — thatgamecompany
Nominees:
- Call of Duty Mobile — TiMi Studios / Activision
- Sayonara Wild Hearts — Simogo / Annapurna Interactive
- Where Cards Fall — The Game Band / Snowman
- Whispers of a Machine — Clifftop Games / Raw Fury
TABLETOP GAME OF THE YEAR
- Winner: Paladins of the West Kingdom — Renegade Game Studios
Nominees:
- Parks — Keymaster Games
- Pax Pamir — Wehrlegig Games
- Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon — Awaken Realms
- Taverns of Tiefenthal — North Star Games
XR GAME OF THE YEAR
Winner: No Man’s Sky BEYOND VR — Hello Games
Nominees:
- Blood & Truth — Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Pistol Whip — Cloudhead Games
- The Under Presents — Tender Claws
- tori — BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America, Inc.
TRENDING GAME OF THE YEAR
- Winner: Pokemon Sword and Shield — Game Freak / The Pokemon Company, Nintendo
Nominees:
- Apex Legends — Respawn Entertainment / Electronic Arts
- Borderlands 3 — Gearbox Software / 2K Games
- Death Stranding — Kojima Productions / Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Super Mario Maker 2 — Nintendo
MATTHEW CRUMP CULTURAL INNOVATION AWARD
Winner: Disco Elysium — ZA/UM
Nominees:
- Death Stranding — Kojima Productions / Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Knights and Bikes — Foam Sword / Double Fine Productions
- Overland — Finji
- Sea of Solitude — Jo-Mei Games / Electronic Arts
MOST PROMISING NEW INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Winner: The Outer Worlds — Obsidian Entertainment / Private Division
Nominees:
- Astral Chain — PlatinumGames / Nintendo
- Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night — ArtPlay / 505 Games
- Control — Remedy Entertainment / 505 Games
- Katana ZERO — Askiisoft / Devolver Digital
EXCELLENCE IN ANIMATION
Winner: KINGDOM HEARTS III — Square Enix
Nominees:
- Apex Legends — Respawn Entertainment / Electronic Arts
- Death Stranding — Kojima Productions / Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Luigi’s Mansion 3 — Nintendo
- Mortal Kombat 11 — NetherRealm Studios / Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
EXCELLENCE IN ART
Winner: The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening — Nintendo
Nominees:
- Control — Remedy Entertainment / 505 Games
- Disco Elysium — ZA/UM
- Luigi’s Mansion 3 — Nintendo
- Sayonara Wild Hearts — Simogo / Annapurna Interactive
EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN
Winner: Control — Remedy Entertainment / 505 Games
Nominees:
- Astral Chain — PlatinumGames / Nintendo
- Disco Elysium — ZA/UM
- Luigi’s Mansion 3 — Nintendo
- Outer Wilds — Mobius Digital / Annapurna Interactive
EXCELLENCE IN GAMEPLAY
Winner: Devil May Cry 5 — Capcom
Nominees:
- Astral Chain — PlatinumGames / Nintendo
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare — Infinity Ward / Activision
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice — FromSoftware / Activision
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order — Respawn Entertainment / Electronic Arts
EXCELLENCE IN MULTIPLAYER
Winner: FINAL FANTASY XIV: Shadowbringers — Square Enix
Nominees:
- Apex Legends — Respawn Entertainment / Electronic Arts
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare — Infinity Ward / Activision
- Monster Hunter World: Iceborne — Capcom
- Mortal Kombat 11 — NetherRealm Studios / Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
EXCELLENCE IN MUSICAL SCORE
Winner: Death Stranding — Kojima Productions / Sony Interactive Entertainment
Nominees:
- Devil May Cry 5 — Capcom
- Disco Elysium — ZA/UM
- Outer Wilds — Mobius Digital / Annapurna Interactive
- Sayonara Wild Hearts — Simogo / Annapurna Interactive
EXCELLENCE IN NARRATIVE
Winner: Disco Elysium — ZA/UM
Nominees:
- Control — Remedy Entertainment / 505 Games
- Death Stranding — Kojima Productions / Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Outer Wilds — Mobius Digital / Annapurna Interactive
- A Plague Tale: Innocence — Asobo Studio / Focus Home Interactive
EXCELLENCE IN SFX
Winner: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order — Respawn Entertainment / Electronic Arts
Nominees:
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare — Infinity Ward / Activision
- Luigi’s Mansion 3 — Nintendo
- Mortal Kombat 11 — NetherRealm Studios / Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
- Resident Evil 2 — Capcom
EXCELLENCE IN TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT
Winner: Death Stranding — Kojima Productions / Sony Interactive Entertainment
Nominees:
- Concrete Genie — Pixelopus / Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Control — Remedy Entertainment / 505 Games
- Devil May Cry 5 — Capcom; Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice — FromSoftware / Activision
EXCELLENCE IN VISUAL ACHIEVEMENT
Winner: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice — FromSoftware/Activision
Nominees:
- Control — Remedy Entertainment / 505 Games
- Death Stranding — Kojima Productions / Sony Interactive Entertainment
- The Outer Worlds — Obsidian Entertainment / Private Division
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order — Respawn Entertainment / Electronic Arts
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