Game Awards Archives

AppWizard

January 13, 2026

After Expedition 33’s success, Split Fiction’s Josef Fares warns publishers not to “only do” double-A

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has received critical acclaim and commercial success, winning Game of the Year at the previous year’s Game Awards. Josef Fares, founder of Hazelight Studios, warns the triple-A gaming sector against merely replicating trends from Expedition 33's success, emphasizing the need for innovation rather than imitation. He highlights the importance of diversity in gaming, asserting that both triple-A and double-A titles have their place in the industry. Fares points out that while high-budget games face pressure to avoid risks, innovation is still possible, citing examples from studios like Naughty Dog, Rockstar, and Nintendo. He also mentions that other major studios, such as Capcom, are exploring unconventional ideas.

AppWizard

January 8, 2026

Crimson Desert, Atomic Heart 2, Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy and more — every Xbox and PC game shown during New Game Plus Showcase

The New Game Plus Showcase, created by content creators, aims to generate excitement around video game announcements without charging developers for participation. The inaugural showcase occurred on January 8, 2023. Deep Dish Dungeon is a dark survival game combining base-building mechanics and survival elements, available for wishlist on Steam, with plans for release on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5. The Blood of Dawnwalker is an open-world fantasy ARPG where players live as a human by day and a vampire by night, set for release in 2026 on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5. Prologue: Go Wayback! is a survival game featuring procedurally generated maps, currently in Early Access on Steam for [openai_gpt model="gpt-4o-mini" prompt="Summarize the content and extract only the fact described in the text bellow. The summary shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. Text: In the gaming landscape, the period following The Game Awards often sees a lull in major presentations until the summer showcases like Summer Game Fest or the Xbox Games Showcase. However, this year has marked the emergence of a notable event—the New Game Plus Showcase, commonly referred to as New Game+. This initiative, crafted by content creators, aims to rekindle "genuine excitement and conversation" surrounding video game announcements. Uniquely, it does not impose fees on developers for participation, setting it apart from many other industry events. Announced on December 29, the inaugural showcase took place on January 8 at 1 P.M. PT / 4:00 P.M. ET. Deep Dish Dungeon This intriguing dark survival game from Pokuch and META Publishing presents an engaging blend reminiscent of Valheim and Prey, combining base-building mechanics with survival elements and mysterious alien powers. Gamers can wishlist it now on Steam, with plans for release on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC platforms like Steam, GOG, Epic Games, and PS5. The Blood of Dawnwalker A captivating gameplay presentation and developer interview highlighted The Blood of Dawnwalker, an open-world fantasy ARPG where players navigate life as a human by day and a vampire by night. The showcase emphasized the dynamic interactions within the game world, which reacts to player actions. This title is anticipated for release in 2026 on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5. Prologue: Go Wayback! Brendan "PLAYERUNKNOWN" Greene shared insights into his new survival game, Prologue: Go Wayback!, during the showcase. The game features procedurally generated maps and deeper survival mechanics, currently available on Steam in Early Access for .99, with a free demo accessible for players. Beautiful Light A fresh glimpse into Beautiful Light, an extraction shooter inspired by STALKER, revealed intense combat scenarios against mutants and other players, set against atmospheric backdrops. This title is slated for a December 2026 release on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. Project Shadowglass Starhelm Studios provided an exclusive look at Project Shadowglass, an immersive sim that challenges players to orchestrate daring heists in a dark fantasy realm. Unlike many retro-style pixel graphics games, this title adopts a first-person perspective, enhancing its unique appeal. It is set to launch on Steam, with wishlist options available now. Aphelion DON'T NOD showcased Aphelion, a sci-fi action-adventure game featuring an astronaut named Ariane who must navigate a perilous frozen world to rescue her partner, Thomas. The presentation highlighted the game's musical elements and is expected to release on Xbox, Steam, and PS5 in late 2026. The Expanse: Osiris Reborn A developer interview for The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, a third-person ARPG from Owlcat Games, explored character creation and the game's world responsiveness. Set in the beloved sci-fi universe of the TV show, it promises an engaging experience for fans and newcomers alike. Distant Shore: BRETAGNE Distant Shore's latest title is an action-adventure physics-based puzzle game where players manipulate objects in their environment using magnetic forces. Currently available for wishlist on Steam, it promises to offer a unique gameplay experience. Avowed Obsidian Entertainment discussed Avowed, a fantasy RPG set in the Pillars of Eternity universe. The developers revealed updates including new playable races and enhancements to weapon classes. Notably, the game will also be available on PS5, with preorders now open. Grounded 2 Obsidian also presented Grounded 2, showcasing new insect encounters and various items players can craft. The highlight was the ridable ladybug buggy mount, equipped with a water gun, adding a whimsical touch to the survival experience. Outward 2 The sequel to Nine Dots' immersive RPG, Outward 2, is set to challenge players with a more difficult survival experience. The developers shared insights during the New Game Plus showcase, with an Early Access release planned for Q3 2026 on PC. Forsaken Realms: Vahrin's Call Inspired by Fable and The Elder Scrolls, Forsaken Realms: Vahrin's Call is an open-ended action RPG that emphasizes player freedom and deep interactions within its fantasy world. It is expected to launch on PC in 2026, with console releases to follow. Dragontwin Draconic Interactive AB is developing Dragontwin, an open-world strategy RPG that allows players to customize and fly dragons into combat. Currently in Early Access for Patreon supporters, it will be available on PC and consoles later. Atomic Heart DLC #4 The showcase featured a first-look teaser for the upcoming fourth DLC for Atomic Heart, generating anticipation among fans eager for new content. The CUBE Mundfish revisited The CUBE, an MMO shooter set on a massive, rotating cube in the sky. This unique environment promises to shift gameplay dynamics, and players can wishlist it now on Steam. IMMORTAL: Gates of Pyre IMMORTAL: Gates of Pyre, an RTS that combines accessible gameplay with complex mechanics, was highlighted in a developer interview. It has been in development for five years and is set to launch on Steam in the future. ExeKiller ExeKiller is a retro-futuristic western action game that blends various gameplay styles, offering players the freedom to approach quests in multiple ways. It is currently available for wishlist on Steam. Far Far West Developer Evil Raptor is crafting Far Far West, a co-op shooter where players embody robot cowboys tackling bounties. This title is set to launch on PC in 2026, appealing to fans of cooperative gameplay. Erosion Erosion presents a captivating open-world roguelike experience with time-looping mechanics and a strong narrative focus, set in a post-apocalyptic Wild West. A playtest is currently live on Steam, with a full release planned for Spring 2026 on both Steam and Xbox. The Division 2: Survivors and The Division 3 The Division 2 developers showcased the upcoming winter-themed extraction mode, Survivors, while also confirming the development of The Division 3 and a mobile game inspired by the original title." max_tokens="3500" temperature="0.3" top_p="1.0" best_of="1" presence_penalty="0.1" frequency_penalty="frequency_penalty"].99, with a free demo available. Beautiful Light is an extraction shooter inspired by STALKER, scheduled for release in December 2026 on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. Project Shadowglass is an immersive sim focused on orchestrating heists in a dark fantasy realm, set to launch on Steam. Aphelion is a sci-fi action-adventure game featuring an astronaut navigating a frozen world, expected to release on Xbox, Steam, and PS5 in late 2026. The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is a third-person ARPG set in the sci-fi universe of the TV show, featuring character creation and world responsiveness. Distant Shore: BRETAGNE is an action-adventure physics-based puzzle game where players manipulate objects using magnetic forces, available for wishlist on Steam. Avowed is a fantasy RPG set in the Pillars of Eternity universe, with updates on playable races and weapon classes, and will be available on PS5. Grounded 2 features new insect encounters and a ridable ladybug buggy mount, enhancing the survival experience. Outward 2, the sequel to Nine Dots' RPG, will offer a more challenging survival experience, with Early Access planned for Q3 2026 on PC. Forsaken Realms: Vahrin's Call is an open-ended action RPG emphasizing player freedom, expected to launch on PC in 2026. Dragontwin is an open-world strategy RPG allowing players to customize and fly dragons, currently in Early Access for Patreon supporters. Atomic Heart DLC #4 was teased during the showcase, generating anticipation for new content. The CUBE is an MMO shooter set on a rotating cube, available for wishlist on Steam. IMMORTAL: Gates of Pyre is an RTS combining accessible gameplay with complex mechanics, set to launch on Steam in the future. ExeKiller is a retro-futuristic western action game that allows multiple gameplay styles, available for wishlist on Steam. Far Far West is a co-op shooter featuring robot cowboys, set to launch on PC in 2026. Erosion is an open-world roguelike with time-looping mechanics, currently in playtest on Steam, with a full release planned for Spring 2026 on Steam and Xbox. The Division 2 developers showcased the upcoming winter-themed extraction mode, Survivors, and confirmed the development of The Division 3 and a mobile game.

AppWizard

January 8, 2026

Is today’s puzzle game scene interesting? ‘No, I don’t think it is,’ says Jonathan Blow, even though there are ‘really good games in the past’ devs could look to for inspiration

Jonathan Blow has unveiled his new project, Order of the Sinking Star, at last year's Game Awards. The game has been in development for nearly a decade and is described as a "game design supercollider," combining four distinct puzzle games into a vast puzzle chimaera with 500 hours of content. Blow considers Stephen's Sausage Roll one of the best puzzle games, despite its difficulty, and found Trifolium: The Adventures of Gary Pretzelneck interesting due to its deceptive simplicity. He has not encountered many recent puzzle titles that have impressed him.

AppWizard

January 7, 2026

Valve announced the 2025 Steam Awards winners (and shockingly Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 didn’t win everything)

Valve announced the winners of the 2025 Steam Awards, highlighting user preferences on the gaming platform. Hollow Knight: Silksong was the only title to win multiple awards, while Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won the Best Soundtrack Award. The Steam Awards, held annually since 2016, are determined by user votes, with this year's selections showcasing a diverse range of titles, including smaller games like The Midnight Walk and RV There Yet?.

AppWizard

January 5, 2026

Hollow Knight Silksong wins Steam’s Game of the Year with a staggering 43 million votes from PC players

Hollow Knight Silksong won the Game of the Year at the 2025 Steam Awards, receiving 43.8 million votes. It also won the award for Best Game You Suck At. The game was released on September 4, 2025, and experienced significant traffic that caused outages on platforms like Steam and Xbox. It did not win the Game Awards' GOTY, which went to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Players can expect additional content with the upcoming Sea of Sorrow expansion. Other notable awards included Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for Best Soundtrack, Hades 2 as Best Game on Steam Deck, Silent Hill F for Outstanding Visual Style, and The Midnight Walk as VR Game of the Year. Team Cherry is also developing a new release for the Nintendo Switch 2. Baldur’s Gate 3 received the Labor of Love award.

AppWizard

January 4, 2026

PC players hand Silksong their Game of the Year gong over Expedition 33 as the 2025 Steam Awards winners are announced

Hollow Knight Silksong won the Game of the Year title at the 2025 Steam Awards, determined by user votes. It also received the 'Best Game You Suck At' award, making it the only title to secure two wins that year. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won Best Soundtrack. Baldur's Gate 3 received the 'Labor of Love' award, while Hades 2 was named 'Best Game on Steam Deck.' Dispatch won 'Outstanding Story-Rich Game,' Silent Hill f received 'Outstanding Visual Style,' The Midnight Walk was named 'VR Game of the Year,' and RV There Yet won the 'Sit Back and Relax' award. Arc Raiders was recognized for 'Most Innovative Gameplay.' Hollow Knight Silksong reached the 'platinum' tier of bestsellers during the Steam Winter Sale.

AppWizard

January 3, 2026

The PC game releases we’re most excited about in January

January typically sees a quieter period for PC gaming, with many anticipated titles debuting later in the month. Notable releases include: - January 12: Quarantine Zone: The Last Check (Steam) - Players act as a checkpoint officer in a zombie apocalypse. - January 26: Highguard (Steam) - A free-to-play hero shooter facing skepticism. - January 29: Cairn (Steam) - A mountain climbing game praised by early players. Upcoming gaming events and sales include: - CES from January 6-9. - Steam Winter Sale (December 18 - January 5). - Detective Fest (January 12 - January 19). - Board Game Fest (January 26 - February 2). - Taipei Game Show (January 29 - February 1). Early access launches in January: - January 6: StarRupture (Steam) - A sci-fi base building and defense game. - January 22: Bladesong (Steam) - Players craft blades in a dark fantasy setting. - January TBA: Echoes of Elysium (Steam) - A co-op airship survival RPG delayed from December. Major updates and events: - January 20: World of Warcraft's Midnight Pre-Expansion Content Update. - January 12: Anthem concludes its service. - January 22: Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven expansion introduces new content. Additional game releases in January include: - January 9: Pathologic 3 (Steam). - January 12: Big Hops (Steam). - January 15: Craftlings (Steam) and Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon (Steam). - January 16: BrokenLore: Unfollow (Steam). - January 20: Mio: Memories in Orbit (Steam). - January 21: Dynasty Warriors Origins: Visions of Four Heroes (Steam). - January 22: Nova Roma (Steam) and Arknights: Endfield (Epic). - January 28: The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin (Steam) and The Midnight Walkers (early access). - January 29: Don't Stop, Girlypop! (Steam).

AppWizard

December 25, 2025

Blade director reassures suffering fans with soothing words: ‘Please be patient, it will be a special game’

Arkane Studios unveiled their latest project, Blade, at The Game Awards 2023, but concerns have arisen due to the lack of updates and its absence from the Xbox Games Showcase. The game's silence intensified speculation after it did not appear at the Game Awards 2025. Arkane's co-creative director, Dinga Bakaba, reassured fans on social media that the team is dedicated to delivering a special game. The studio faces challenges, as their previous title, Prey, struggled commercially, and the disappointing performance of Redfall led to the closure of Arkane Austin in 2024. Additionally, Microsoft's focus on artificial intelligence and recent layoffs in its gaming division have raised concerns about the future of game development. The success of Blade is critical for Arkane, as it has the potential to offer a unique take on superhero narratives.

AppWizard

December 23, 2025

Swen Vincke warns Divinity newcomers that they probably shouldn’t play the early games in the series: ‘They’re a bit outdated by now,’ which is putting it very mildly

Larian Studios announced their latest project in the Divinity franchise at The Game Awards, claiming it to be their "biggest game ever" following the success of Baldur's Gate 3. The studio has a history of crowdfunding for projects like Divinity: Original Sin 2. Co-founder Swen Vincke encourages new players to explore earlier titles in the series, as they are interconnected. The timeline of the Divinity series includes Divinity: Dragon Commander, Divine Divinity, Ego Draconis, Original Sin, and Original Sin 2. The first game, Divine Divinity, was released in 2002, followed by Beyond Divinity in 2004. Both older titles are available for purchase during GOG's Winter Sale.

AppWizard

December 23, 2025

Tributes pour in for FPS “visionary” Vince Zampella, co-creator of Call of Duty and Titanfall, who has died

Vince Zampella passed away at the age of 55. He co-founded Infinity Ward and was instrumental in creating titles such as Call of Duty 2, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. He later co-founded Respawn Entertainment, where he oversaw the development of the Titanfall series, Apex Legends, and the Star Wars Jedi franchise. Most recently, he led the Battlefield franchise, contributing to the successful release of Battlefield 6 in 2025. Zampella's work on the Titanfall 2 campaign, particularly the mission Effect and Cause, is highly regarded for its innovative mechanics. Tributes from industry figures highlight his influence and legacy, with statements from studios he helped establish expressing gratitude for his leadership and vision. Many developers shared personal anecdotes about his inspiring nature. His contributions have significantly impacted the video game industry and the gaming community.