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STALKER 2 Is An Example of Why The Game Awards Should Change Its Date

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home November 27, 2024 1 View 7 Min Read
STALKER 2 Is An Example of Why The Game Awards Should Change Its Date

For the last decade, The Game Awards has taken place every December, usually between December 3 and December 10. In theory, this is the ideal spot for a ceremony like this, with it capping off the year with a celebration of the games that have come out and a tease of what’s to come in the next 12 months. But The Game Awards‘ placement isn’t ideal for a certain group of games, a group that STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl now belongs to.




The Oscars, the Grammys, and even the gaming industry’s own D.I.C.E. Awards all occur within the first few months of the year, allowing every movie, artist, and game of the past year to be considered. The Game Awards doesn’t follow this approach, and this leads to a handful of games every year being left off the nominee list due to the voting jury not having enough time to play them, or due to them not landing within the Game Awards’ consideration window. A case for the Game Awards to shift its date has been growing for years, with Kotaku’s Kenneth Shepard recently discussing the impact it’s likely had on Dragon Age: The Veilguard. And now, thanks in part to STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl, that case is stronger than ever.

STALKER 2 Ferris Wheel

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The Case for The Game Awards to Move Its Date Is Growing Stronger


Some Great Games Have Missed Their Chance for a Game Award Over The Years

Back in December 2021, Halo Infinite hit Xbox and PC. While Halo Infinite won the Player’s Voice category at the 2021 Game Awards, it wasn’t eligible for nominations in any other category, with the game technically having missed The Game Awards’ consideration window, having released just a day before the ceremony’s December 9 air date. Though Halo Infinite could have then been eligible for the 2022 Game Awards, it didn’t receive any nominations, essentially getting lost in the mix amid 2022 releases like Elden Ring, God of War Ragnarok, Overwatch 2, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

Marvel’s Midnight Suns and Pentiment were another two titles that missed their chance of taking home a Game Award. Pentiment released on November 15 and Marvel’s Midnight Suns launched on December 2, and both titles were arguably snubbed at the 2022 Game Awards. And much like Halo Infinite, these titles were then forgotten about when it came time to vote for 2023’s Game Awards nominees.


STALKER 2 Is The Latest Case for Why The Game Awards’ Date Should Be Moved

After an unprecedentedly difficult development cycle, STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl is finally in players’ hands, and while it’s far from perfect, it’s making a sizable impact in the gaming world. Unfortunately, STALKER 2‘s release date means that it missed its opportunity to be nominated at this year’s Game Awards. In theory, STALKER 2 could still have its chance in the spotlight at next year’s Game Awards, but with juggernauts like Monster Hunter Wilds, Grand Theft Auto 6, Borderlands 4, and Ghost of Yotei all set to release in 2025, the likelihood is that it’ll get passed over.

Asgard’s Wrath 2
released on December 15, 2023, and it’s received a nomination for Best VR Game at this year’s Game Awards. This makes it one of the rare examples of a game missing its year’s consideration window and actually being nominated a year later.


December 2024 Could Have a Few Games Worthy of a Game Award Nomination

But STALKER 2 isn’t the only game this year that’s likely to miss its chance due to the Game Awards’ limited consideration window and next year’s intense release schedule. Marvel Rivals and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle are both set to release in the coming weeks, and both have the potential to be forgotten about come next year’s Game Awards ceremony. Even December VR releases like Skydance’s Behemoth and Alien: Rogue Incursion could suffer a similar fate.

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