The twelfth annual Video Game Awards was streamed through multiple platforms on Friday. The biggest event in gaming each year, this show was the most expensive one to date: light shows, acrobatics, orchestral performances, celebrities, the Muppets, and more. To the surprise of very few, French breakout indie game darling Claire Obscure: Expedition 33 swept the awards. The game was nominated for a record-breaking nine awards, winning all but one of them, including game of the year. While some viewers were disappointed that other popular games did not receive any awards, it was hard to deny the validity of E33’s worthiness in each category.
There were also important game announcements and trailers. Belgium’s Larian Studios, makers of the acclaimed Balder’s Gate 3 showed off a new project. More exclusive titles were announced for the Nintendo Switch and Xbox. There was also a new trailer for the much-anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6, scheduled for release sometime in 2027. Finally, there was the last reveal for a game that had aroused much speculation, due largely to the large statue erected in the desert that served as the promotion for the unknown project. It was revealed to be for a new game called Highguard, a first-person shooting game with a similar aesthetic to Overwatch. It was somewhat of an anticlimax and disappointment for many viewers, but the overall show was by most accounts a resounding success. The numbers have yet to be released, but last year’s show eclipsed the Superbowl by many millions of live viewers. It’s likely that this year has surpassed that by millions more. The surprising size of these streams shows how gaming, far from the niche it was once considered, has grown into a massive global phenomenon. Now it seems to have an online presence to match that audience.
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