God of War Wins “Game of the Year” at 2018-2019 GDC Awards

Red Dead Redemption 2 may have received the most nominations, but Sony Santa Monica’s God of War walked away with “Game of the Year” at the 2018-2019 Game Developers Choice Awards. But while these two juggernauts battled it out across a half-dozen categories, a parade of independent developers were the big winners of the night.

Mountains’s Florence captured two awards, “Best Mobile Game” and “Best Debut.” The black-and-white world of Lucas Pope’s Return of the Obra Dinn won “Best Narrative” while the wild colors of Nomada Studio’s Gris won “Best Visual Art.” Meanwhile, Subset’s Into the Breach won for “Best Design,” Matt Makes Games’s Celeste claimed “Best Audio,” and Beat Games’s Beat Saber took home “Best VR/AR Game.”

Red Dead Redemption 2 did manage to capture one prize at the 2018-2019 GDC Awards. Rockstar Games can claim to have the “Best Technology.”

The complete list of winners, nominees, and Honorable Mentions from this year’s Game Developers Choice Awards can be found after the break.

Game of the Year

• WINNER: God of War
• Celeste
• Red Dead Redemption 2
• Return of the Obra Dinn
• Spider-Man

Honorable Mentions
Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, Florence, Into the Breach, Monster Hunter: World, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Tetris Effect

Innovation Award

• WINNER: Nintendo Labo
• Florence
• Red Dead Redemption 2
• Return of the Obra Dinn
• Tetris Effect

Honorable Mentions
Astro Bot: Rescue Mission, Celeste, God of War, Minit, Moss, A Way Out

Best Debut

• WINNER: Florence
• Gris
• The Messenger
• Moss
• Yoku’s Island Express

Honorable Mentions
Beat Saber, Far: Lone Sails, Moonlighter, Two Point Hospital

Best Design

• WINNER: Into the Breach
• Celeste
• God of War
• Red Dead Redemption 2
• Spider-Man

Honorable Mentions
Astro Bot: Rescue Mission, Frostpunk, Minit, Monster Hunter: World, Return of the Obra Dinn

Best Mobile Game

• WINNER: Florence
• Alto’s Odyssey
• Donut County
• Holedown
• Reigns: Game of Thrones

Honorable Mentions
Alphabear 2, Furistas Cat Cafe, Pocket Run Pool, The Room: Old Sins, Twinfold

Best VR/AR Game

• WINNER: Beat Saber
• Astro Bot: Rescue Mission
• Budget Cuts
• Moss
• Tetris Effect

Honorable Mentions
Deracine, Firewall Zero Hour, In Death, Jurassic World Alive, Tendar

Best Visual Art

• WINNER: Gris
• God of War
• Red Dead Redemption 2
• Return of the Obra Dinn
• Spider-Man

Honorable Mentions
Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, Battlefield V, Below, Dragon Ball FighterZ, Tetris Effect

Best Narrative

• WINNER: Return of the Obra Dinn
• Florence
• God of War
• Red Dead Redemption 2
• Spider-Man

Honorable Mentions
Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, Detroit: Become Human, Celeste, Life is Strange 2, Where the Water Tastes Like Wine

Best Audio

• WINNER: Celeste
• God of War
• Red Dead Redemption 2
• Spider-Man
• Tetris Effect

Honorable Mentions
Battlefield V, Beat Saber, Forza Horizon 4, Return of the Obra Dinn, Wandersong

Best Technology

• WINNER: Red Dead Redemption 2
• Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey
• Forza Horizon 4
• God of War
• Spider-Man

Honorable Mentions
Battlefield V, Far Cry 5, Detroit: Become Human, Return of the Obra Dinn, Sea of Thieves

Audience Award

• WINNER: Beat Saber

Pioneer Award

• WINNER: Rieko Kodama

Lifetime Achievement Award

• WINNER: Amy Hennig