The winners of the Steam Awards 2022 have been announced! See which game the Steam community named Game of the year.
We remind you that here is last year’s Steam Awards, where Resident Evil Village was recognized as the game of 2021. Other notable wins were Terraria for “The Work of Love”, Nioh 2 as “The Best Game You Suck At” and Forza Horizon 5 for “Outstanding Visual Style”.
Voting for the Steam Awards 2022 began on December 22 and ended on January 3, 2023.
Steam Awards 2022
Game of the Year — Elden Ring
Nominees for the Game of the Year Award: Dying Light 2 Stay Human, Stray, God of War (2018), Call of Duty Modern Warfare II
“Maybe it was an exciting gameplay or an exciting story… well-crafted characters, impeccable design or an exciting multiplayer game. Whatever the reason, the winner in this year’s Game of the Year category is a real classic.”
Elden Ring, a fantasy role-playing game from FromSoftware, became the best game of the year on Steam in 2022. The success of this game cannot be underestimated, as it quickly charmed fans of a genre like Souls. Released on February 24, 2022, Elden Ring puts you in the role of a Tarnished One on a journey to defeat and kill dangerous enemies to become an Elden Lord in the Lands Between. The game’s complex gameplay, exciting world and time—tested structure all contributed to its critical success and commercial success.
Before its release, it was named The most anticipated game among other awards by The Game Awards for two years in a row. There are many nominations and awards in 2022, including “Best Game of the Year” from the Golden Joystick Awards and “Game of the Year” from The Game Awards 2022.
VR Game of the Year – HITMAN 3
Nominees for the best VR game of the year: BONELAB, Green Hell VR, Among Us VR, Inside the Backrooms
“The virtual game of the Year is not just masquerading as ordinary reality. This game enhances reality by taking advantage of virtual reality and expanding the boundaries of the virtual world.”
HITMAN 3 is the epic conclusion to the World of Assassination trilogy, in which players take on the role of the legendary Agent 47, a legendary assassin known for his ingenuity and improvisation in performing the most complex and thoughtful murders.
Every location in HITMAN 3 is thought out to the smallest detail. When Agent 47 joins forces with his long-lost friend Lucas Gray to destroy the partners of Providence, they have to adapt to the ever-increasing hunt. Thanks to IO Interactive’s award-winning Glacier technology, HITMAN 3 offers an incredibly immersive game world with the ability to replay, giving players unprecedented freedom of choice.
The main game was released in early 2021, and virtual reality support for PC was added in 2022. This worked wonders with the “murder simulator”, enhancing the immersion in the role of a deadly bald agent. At The Game Awards 2021, it was nominated for Best Virtual and Augmented Reality game for previously released virtual reality support for PlayStation. In the same year, PlayStation Blog named it the game of the year for PS VR.
Labor of Love — Cyberpunk 2077
Nominees of Labor of Love: Dota 2, Project Zomboid, No Man’s Sky, Deep Rock Galactic.
“This game has been out for a long time. The team has long passed the debut of its creative brainchild, but being good parents, these developers continue to develop and support their creation. This game is still being updated with new content after all these years.”
The release of Cyberpunk 2077 from CD PROJEKT RED in 2020 returns to the Steam Awards, this time in the Labor of Love category. In 2021, it was nominated and awarded “Outstanding Game with a Rich Plot”, competing with Resident Evil Village and Days Gone.
Cyberpunk 2077 got off to a difficult start, as it was riddled with bugs breaking the game, and was usually considered a “half-baked” release. Despite this, the developers did not slow down and continued to work on the game, correcting themselves and turning it into what is now one of the best open-world role-playing games in recent times. The success of the Cyberpunk Edgerunners animated series is also partly due to this redemption arc.
Better with friends – Raft
“Better with Friends” nominees: Ready or Not: Monster Hunter Rise, Multiverse, Call of Duty Modern Warfare II
“There are some games that are not at all similar when you play alone. Maybe you need a friend to watch your back. Maybe you need a friend you can stab in the back. In any case, fun awaits those who gather friends together to play this game.”
Raft is simple, you and your friends are stuck on a raft, and the goal is to survive and uncover the mysteries you face. After spending 4 years in early access, Raft finally released its version 1.0 in mid-2022, updating the multiplayer adventure with its latest chapter.
The really impressive thing here is the fact that he managed to beat games like Monster Hunter Rise and Call of Duty Modern Warfare II.
Outstanding Visual Style — Marvel Spider-Man Miles Morales
Nominees for Outstanding Visual Style: Scorn, Bendy and the Dark Revival, Cult of the Lamb, Kena Bridge of Spirits.
“The visual style does not pretend to realistic graphic accuracy (although this in itself is a noble goal)…he describes a distinctive look that permeates the entire game.”
After the release of Marvel’s Spider-Man, young Miles Morales settles into his new home, learning the intricacies of being Spider-Man under the guidance of his mentor Peter Parker. However, when a fierce power struggle threatens to destroy everything he holds dear, Miles must accept his role as Spider-Man and accept the challenge.
The most innovative gameplay — Stray
Nominees for the most innovative gameplay: Mount & Blade II Bannerlord, Teardown, Neon White, Dome Keeper
“The designers of this game are at the forefront of creative experimentation, bringing a fresh look and brain-breaking surprises. This game delighted, inspired and entertained with a novelty that had not been played before.”
Stray by Annapurna Interactive tells about the journey of a stray cat who finds himself lost, lonely and separated from his family. To get home, they must overcome the dangers of a long-forgotten cyber city and solve an ancient mystery.
The best game in which you screw up – Elden Ring
Nominees for the best game that you failed: GTFO, Victoria 3, Total War Warhammer III, FIFA 23
“This game rewards perseverance and is not for the faint of heart. It’s the hardest game we’ve ever loved.”
Elden Ring gets another award, this time more focused on difficulty. This is not surprising, since this is one of the most successful games of this year on different platforms. However, there were promising games among the nominees, such as the GTFO game based on the zombie killer squad, and FIFA 23, well, FIFA 23.
Best Soundtrack — Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
Nominees for Best Soundtrack: Metal Hellsinger, Sonic Frontiers, Persona 5 Royal, Hatsune Miku Project DIVA Mega Mix+
“This unsung hero deserves recognition for outstanding musical accompaniment. It’s OST with the MOST!”
Outstanding Story Game — God of War
Nominees for the Outstanding Story Game Award: A Plague Tale Requiem, Uncharted Legacy of Thieves Collection, The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe, Marvel Spider-Man Remastered
“Sometimes only a game with a lot of narrative will hit the spot, and this one strikes. It’s as exciting as any soap opera, and as well-tuned as a prestige TV script. Bravissimo — for making us feel!”
Sit back and relax — LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Sit back and relax. Nominees: PowerWash Simulator, Disney Dreamlight Valley, Dorfromantik, Slime Rancher 2
“This game is an antidote to a busy day. It’s smooth, it’s relaxing, it lets your worries melt away. This game is your zen moment.”
