No Surprise… The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Won “Game of the Year” at 2017-2018 GDC Awards

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild continued its sweep of this year’s “Game of the Year” awards, as it won the top honor at last night’s Game Developers Choice Awards. Developers for the adventure game also strode on stage to collect awards for “Best Audio” and “Best Design” during the ceremony.

The unique visual styling of Jason Roberts’s Gorogoa was honored with the “Innovation Award,” as well as with the “Best Mobile/Handheld Game” prize for the puzzle game’s portability. Studio MDHR also carried home multiple trophies during last night’s GDC Awards ceremony for Cuphead, including “Best Debut” and “Best Visual Art.”

“Every year sees countless amazing games worthy of recognition, but this year in particular has seen some of the strongest titles to arrive this generation. The GDCAs give us an opportunity to reflect on and honor the games that provided us with endless joy,” said Katie Stern, the General Manager of the Game Developers Conference. “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild helped us rediscover a childlike sense of adventure and discovery. Titles like Gorogoa and What Remains of Edith Finch offered us distinct creative visions that can only be experienced in games, and games like Cuphead and Horizon: Zero Dawn crafted worlds we could lose ourselves in. Congratulations to all of tonight’s nominees and winners and thank you for your creativity and dedication.”

A replay of the 2017-2018 GDC Awards ceremony can be viewed at the Twitch channel for the Game Developers Conference. And a complete list of all the winners (and nominees) can be found after the break.

Game of the Year

• WINNER: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• Horizon: Zero Dawn
• Nier: Automata
• PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
• Super Mario Odyssey

Honorable Mentions
Cuphead, Divinity: Original Sin II, Gorogoa, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Night in the Woods, Persona 5, What Remains of Edith Finch,

Innovation Award

• WINNER: Gorogoa
• Everything
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
• What Remains of Edith Finch

Honorable Mentions
Cuphead, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Horizon: Zero Dawn, Nier: Automata, Pyre, Super Mario Odyssey, Tacoma

Best Debut

• WINNER: Cuphead
• Golf Story
• Gorogoa
• Hollow Knight
• Night in the Woods

Honorable Mentions
Doki Doki Literature Club!, Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator, Thimbleweed Park, Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap

Best Design

• WINNER: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• Horizon: Zero Dawn
• Nier: Automata
• PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
• Super Mario Odyssey

Honorable Mentions
Cuphead, Divinity: Original Sin II, Getting Over It With Bennett Foddy, Gorogoa, Prey, What Remains of Edith Finch

Best Mobile/Handheld Game

• WINNER: Gorogoa
• Bury Me, My Love
• Hidden Folks
• Monument Valley 2
• Reigns: Her Majesty

Honorable Mentions
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, Fire Emblem Heroes, Flipflop Solitaire, Gnog, Old Man’s Journey

Best VR/AR Game

• WINNER: Superhot VR
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR
• Lone Echo
• Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
• Star Trek: Bridge Crew

Honorable Mentions
Doom VFR, Farpoint, Gnog, Luna, Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality, Robo Recall

Best Visual Art

• WINNER: Cuphead
• Horizon: Zero Dawn
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• Night in the Woods
• Persona 5

Honorable Mentions
Assassin’s Creed Origins, Destiny 2, Gorogoa, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Star Wars: Battlefront II, Super Mario Odyssey

Best Narrative

• WINNER: Night in the Woods
• Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
• Horizon: Zero Dawn
• What Remains of Edith Finch
• Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

Honorable Mentions
Divinity: Original Sin II, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Nier: Automata, Persona 5, Tacoma, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Best Audio

• WINNER: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• Cuphead
• Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
• Horizon: Zero Dawn
• Nier: Automata

Honorable Mentions
Destiny 2, Night in the Woods, Persona 5, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, Star Wars: Battlefront II, Super Mario Odyssey

Best Technology

• WINNER: Horizon: Zero Dawn
• Assassin’s Creed Origins
• Destiny 2
• Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Honorable Mentions
Nier: Automata, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, Star Wars: Battlefront II, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

Audience Award

• WINNER: Nier: Automata

Ambassador Award

• WINNER: Rami Ismail

Lifetime Achievement Award

• WINNER: Tim Schafer