gamescom award

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.

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.

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.

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.

The goal of a racing game is to cross the finish line of a set track with a vehicle as quickly as possible. Usually, an entire race takes several laps around the track. Like other game genres, racing games have a couple of subcategories, e.g., primarily unrealistic fun racers or racing simulations aiming to achieve the most realistic gaming experience possible with realistic vehicles and tracks.

The Best Remaster category honors remakes of older games. Remakes of that sort often adapt the idea of the game to modern technologies and game mechanics.

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 2021 will be crowned the best role-playing game of the year!

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. Simulation games come in all shapes and forms. Which simulation will convince the gamescom award expert jury to be the best of the best?

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. Find out which game will win the award for best sports game of 2021 in the gamescom live shows!

In the Best Strategy Game category, the gamescom award jury will honor this year's best strategy 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 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.

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.).

The Most Original Game category focuses on outstanding innovation in gameplay, art direction, and game experience.

The best games for the Xbox can be submitted in the category Best Microsoft Xbox Game. At gamescom, the jury will select the best Xbox game of the year out of three nominees.

This year, some promising titles for the Nintendo Switch will be presented at gamescom. The best Switch game out of three nominees will receive the award.

In this category, the jury will be looking at the best computer games that will be presented at gamescom 2021. We are incredibly excited about this year's new releases – whether from well-known companies or smaller, independent game developers. The game that will receive the title of "best PC game" will be announced in the gamescom live shows.

In this category, new titles for the Sony PlayStation presented at gamescom can be submitted. The console model is irrelevant. Which game will impress the jury the most to win the title as the best PlayStation game of the year?

All gamescom partner streamers are eligible candidates in this category and get the chance to win the popular Best Streamer Award.

All nominees from the category groups "Genre" and "Platform" are automatically nominated for the gamescom "Most Wanted" Consumer Award. Therefore, a direct submission is not possible.

Every year, gamescom sets the stage for our partner companies to present, announce or reveal new games. The jury will select the most spectacular announcements, premieres, or reveals for the Best Announcement Award.

In the Best Lineup category, the jury will pick a winner out of all gamescom partner companies.

All winners of a genre or platform category will automatically enter for the "Best of gamescom" award, which the jury will present. Winners from the Consumer Awards and gamescom global Awards category groups are not eligible for this award.

In the Best Trailer category, all game trailers presented at gamescom now can win the prize.

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.