The action-adventure game genre combines two popular game genres: Complex worlds, fixed storylines, and puzzles, which are all typical components of adventure games, meet action game elements that demand skills such as running, jumping, and fighting. The gamescom award jury will determine the best action-adventure game of the year.
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- The gamescom
- gamescom 2023
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gamescom award
The award for the best games of the year
gamescom award 2022 - The winners
All winners of the gamescom award 2022 at a glance: These are the best games of 2022!
- Best Action Adventure Game
- Best Action Game
- Best Family Game
- Best Indie Game
- Best Multiplayer Game
- Best Ongoing Game
- Best Role Playing Game
- Best Sports / Racing Game
- Best Strategy / Simulation Game
- Most Original Game
- Most Wanted Microsoft Xbox Game
- Most Wanted Nintendo Switch Game
- Most Wanted PC Game
- Most Wanted Sony PlayStation Game
- Consumer Award
- gamescom Global Awards
Winners & Nominees
The winners of the gamescom award 2022 have been determined! The jury of the gamescom award has selected the best game per category from the three nominees. Winners were announced during the gamescom: Opening Night Live on Tuesday, August 23rd and in the gamescom studio hosted by IGN on Saturday, August 27th.
Best Action Adventure Game
Best Action Game
Best Family Game
Best Indie Game
Best Multiplayer Game
Best Ongoing Game
Best Role Playing Game
Best Sports / Racing Game
Best Strategy/Simulation Game
Most Original Game
Most Wanted Microsoft Xbox Game
Most Wanted Nintendo Switch Game
Most Wanted PC Game
Most Wanted Sony Playstation Game
Consumer Award
gamescom Global Awards
About the Award
Every year, the gamescom award ceremony is organized by the Digital Gaming Culture Foundation as part of gamescom. The gaming award honors the best new games presented at gamescom.
Categories
The gamescom award selects the event's highlights in 20 categories overall, divided into the groups Genre, Platform, Consumer Awards and gamescom global Awards. Game producers can apply for one or more categories from the Genre and Platform groups and automatically enter in the selected categories of the Consumer Awards and gamescom global Awards.
"Genre" Group
The award categories in the "Genre" group are based on the video game genres to which the submitted games belong. The gaming platform doesn't matter when it comes to categorizing. The gamescom award jury is responsible for nominating as well as awarding of the winners.
Best Action Adventure Game
Best Action Game
The action game genre includes jump 'n' run games, racing games, shooter games, and beat 'em up games, which primarily require skill and reaction speed. Most action games challenge the player to navigate a character through the game world safe and sound. Usually, players can use firearms or fighting techniques to fend off enemies.
Best Family Game
With the gamescom award Best Family Game, the jury will pay credit to video games that invite children and their parents to have fun. First, the three best family games will be selected out of all the entries before the best family-friendly game will be honored at gamescom.
Best Indie Game
Like last year, gamescom 2021 offers the special "Awesome Indies" program for independent game developers. There will also be an indie game award presented at gamescom: Independent developers get the chance to submit their games to be assessed by the jury in the category Best Indie Game.
Best Multiplayer Game
In this category, the jury will award the best multiplayer game of the year. The genre includes games for several players to enjoy at the same time. Multiplayer games are either played online or offline, with or against each other.
Best Ongoing Game
The Best Ongoing Game Award recognizes the best game expansion (add-on, games-as-a-service, DLC). In contrast to all the other categories, the jury will also consider games that have been submitted for the gamescom award before. One requirement is developing additional content offering new possibilities for players (in terms of features, action, levels, etc.).
Best Role Playing Game
In this category, the gamescom award jury will select the best role-playing game of the year. The concept of this genre allows players to take on the role of a character and navigate him or her through a complex fictional world. Most of the time, role-playing games make use of narrative elements. Players can live through different storylines and develop their character throughout the game. We are excited to find out which game presented at gamescom 2022 will be crowned the best role-playing game of the year!
Best Sports/Racing Game
In sports games, it's all about defeating opponents in a sporting competition – whether it's on the soccer field, in the boxing ring, or at the racecourse. In a racing game the player participates in a racing competition on a given track to reach the finish as fast as possible. Often multiple laps are driven.
Best Strategy/Simulation Games
In this category, the gamescom award jury will honor this year's best strategy or simulation game, regardless of the gaming platform. As the title suggests, strategy games require strategic decision-making. When playing in multiplayer mode, the player competes against others or otherwise against the computer. In simulation games, real-world processes are recreated virtually – for example, planning a city, building an amusement park, running a business, or even living a human life.
Most Original Game
The Most Original Game category focuses on outstanding innovation in gameplay, art direction, and game experience.
"Platform" Group
Some award categories are based on the platform the games were developed for: Microsoft Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC and Sony PlayStation. The gamescom award jury is responsible for nominating as well as awarding of the winners.
Most Wanted Microsoft Xbox Game
Promising games for the Xbox can be submitted in the category Most Wanted Microsoft Xbox Game. At gamescom, the jury will select the most anticipated Xbox game of the gamescom 2022 out of three nominees.
Most Wanted Nintendo Switch Game
The best Switch game out of three nominees will receive the award.
Most Wanted PC Game
In this category, the jury will be looking at the best computer games that will be presented at Gamescom 2022. We are incredibly excited about this year’s new releases – whether from well-known companies or smaller, independent game developers.
Most Wanted Sony PlayStation Game
In this category, new titles for the Sony PlayStation presented at gamescom can be submitted. The console model is irrelevant. From which game does the jury expect the most?
"Consumer Awards" Group
The Consumer Awards allow the gamescom community to vote for their favorites in two categories. Direct submissions are not possible.
Best Booth
Visitors of Gamescom vote for their favorite booth in the Entertainment Area of gamescom 2022.
Best Trailer / Announcement
Fans and visitors of gamescom vote for the coolest game trailer resp. the best announcement of a new game during gamescom. Examples for eligible trailers and announcements are all materials shown during Opening Night Live.
"gamescom global Awards" Group
gamescom global Awards focuses on exhibitors at gamescom 2022 who have attracted attention with a special game lineup, who are committed to diversity, or who have made special efforts to ensure a sustainable trade fair presence. As a special prize the jury additionally awards the <3 of GAMING AWARD.
Best Lineup
In the Best Lineup category, the jury will pick a winner out of all gamescom exhibitors.
gamescom goes green
This category honors special efforts by gamescom exhibitors to reducing the environmental footprint of their trade fair presence and by that offering a more sustainable experience.
HEART OF GAMING Award
Each and every gamescom highlight is eligible for this extraordinary award: not only games, add-ons, and technologies, but also people, institutions, companies, concepts, or terms.
Procedure and Deadlines
- From 11.07.2022 to 27.07.2022, game developers can submit their games for the different categories of the gamescom award.
- The jury will nominate three favorites in each category. The evaluation is based on a points system.
- The nominees will be announced on 15.08.2022 in a press release and here on the gamescom award page.
- The winners of the category groups Genre, Platform and gamescom global Awards will be selected by the jury. The audience will vote for the winners of the Consumer Awards.
- The winners will be announced at the gamescom: Opening Night Live on 23.08.2022 and until the end of gamescom in the gamescom studio.
The Jury
The games submitted for the gamescom award will be assessed by an independent and internationally staffed jury of around 30 experts from the gaming industry.
Among others, the jury includes representatives of German and international media and social media companies, industry representatives, representatives of gaming communities, testers from the German Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body (USK), and journalists.
Assessment Criteria
The jury will assess the submitted games based on gameplays following 7 fixed criteria. Each assessment criterion will be assigned with a score on a scale from 1 to 10. The criteria will be used for both the nomination and the selection of the winners.
- Graphics: The jury will evaluate the graphic style, the atmosphere of the game world, the character design, and the game's color scheme in terms of aesthetics.
- Gameplay: Game mechanics are crucial for the gaming experience and will therefore be closely scrutinized. Creativity, sophisticated controls, and appropriate difficulty levels will positively affect the rating.
- Sound: A good soundtrack adds to every gaming experience and allows players to fully immerse themselves in the game world. Games with fitting, atmospheric and undistorted music and soundscape will receive positive reviews.
- Innovation: This category rewards innovative concepts, game elements, and technologies.
- Entertainment: When it comes to assessing the quality of games, it's obviously very important that gamers get their money's worth. Among other things, the jury will look at the fun factor, the richness in variety, and how long the game entertains the players.
- Technological progress: If the game uses the latest technologies, it will score points in this category.
- Sales prospects: Is this game already hyped, has it been recommended, or are there other reasons to expect a big success in sales? In this case, the jury can award points in this category.
Submission
Game developers got the chance to submit their games for one or more gamescom award categories between 11.07.2022 until 27.07.2022.
The participation is closed!
Who can enter?
All exhibitors of gamescom 2022 who booked an exhibition space at the Entertainment Area are eligible to enter.
What can be submitted?
- Depending on the category, games can be submitted as full versions or expansions to the gamescom award. Here you can read the exact requirements in the regulations .
- Only games that have never been entered in the gamescom award may be submitted. The only exception is the category "Best Ongoing Game" – as this is about expansions, it is permissible that the main game and other expansions have been submitted in the past.
- Only games that are freely playable in the Entertainment Area for gamescom 2022 visitors may be submitted. (Restrictions due to age bracelets and/or waiting times don’t apply).
- Only games with a release date between the start of gamescom 2022 (at the earliest on the day of Opening Night Live = 23.08.2022) and gamescom 2023 in Germany or the company's domestic market may be submitted. If a game is published as a closed or open alpha or beta version (including Early Access), that does not count as a release.
What's the procedure for entering?
- Games can be submitted from 11.07.2022 to 27.07.2022 via an entry form here on the gamescom award page.
- It is mandatory to provide a gameplay video of approximately 10 minutes to demonstrate game mechanics, sounds, camera angles, and graphics representative of the game. The video can be submitted as a link to a public video platform, official website, or download service (e.g., WeTranser).
- There is also the option to submit:
- Voice-over commentary (preferably in English)
- Presenting technical achievements
- Presenting gameplay innovations or features
- Aspects of community involvement, fan services, etc.
- Link to the trailer and/or an official website
What are the participation fees?
| Number of categories | Price |
|---|---|
| 1 category | 360 EUR |
| 2 - 3 categories | 700 EUR |
| Each additional category | 200 EUR per additional category |
| Submission Best Indie only | 69 EUR |
Consumer Awards
Visitors of gamescom 2022 vote for their favorite booth of the entertainment area. Fans and visitors of Gamescom also vote for the coolest game trailer resp. The best announcement of a new game during gamescom.
Contact and Press
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Benjamin Rostalski Director Award Office gamescom award
Tel. +49 30 29 04 92 92
Mobil +49 173 4827862 -
Press information
Do you have any questions about entering in the gamescom award, or do you need a press kit for your coverage? You can find all the information here.