Tonight, on February 1, 2022, the New York Game Awards took place awarding some of the best gaming has to offer with a selection of strong winners.
The New York Videogame Critics Circle (NYVGCC) is a renowned organization founded in 2011 by Harold Goldberg of the Washington Post that aims to bring the best the journalism world has to offer the video game world, while advocating for multiculturalism and helping the underprivileged. Goldberg says “We want to help, we need to give back, and we’re very serious about that mission,” in being advocates for a greater message in gaming.
Every year this prestigious non-profit group holds a New York Game Awards show that aims to embrace and expand on that message, by not only celebrating the very best the game world had to offer in the year prior, but celebrating the people that brought the games to fans.
In a star-studded affair, the big names gave their messages to the industry remotely at the New York Game Awards, with video comments by industry greats, including CEO of Microsoft Gaming, Phil Spencer, CEO of Entertainment Software Association, Stanley Pierre-Louis, and founder of Double Fine, Tim Schafer. It is hard to deny the talent the awards display within the industry.
Big Apple Award for Best Game of the Year:
- Psychonauts 2 (Winner)
- Chicory: A Colorful Tale
- Deathloop
- Dorfromantik
- Halo Infinite
- Life Is Strange: True Colors
- Metroid Dread
- Resident Evil: Village
Off Broadway Award for Best Indie Game:
- Sable (Winner)
- Before I forget
- Chicory: A Colorful Tale
- Death’s Door
- ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights
- Genesis Noir
- Little Nightmares 2
- Wildermyth
Herman Melville Award for Best Writing in a Game:
- Life Is Strange: True Colors (Winner)
- Chicken Police – Paint It Red
- Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
- Persona 5 Strikers
- Psychonauts 2
- Resident Evil: Village
- Strangeland
Statue of Liberty Award for Best World:
- Psychonauts 2 (Winner)
- Chicory: A Colorful Tale
- Chicken Police – Paint it Red
- Exo One
- Far Cry 6
- Monster Hunter Rise
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
- Resident Evil: Village
Tin Pan Alley Award for Best Music in a Game:
- Sable (Winner)
- Chicory: A Colorful Tale
- Everhood
- Far Cry 6 – Pedro Bromfman
- Genesis Noir
- Life Is Strange: True Colors
- NBA 2K 22
Great White Way Award for Best Acting in a Game:
- Maggie Robertson – Lady Dimitrescu – Resident Evil VIllage (Winner)
- Erika Mori – Alex Chen – Life Is Strange – True Colors
- Giancarlo Esposito – Far Cry 6
- Michael Mando as Vass Montengro – Vass Insanity, Far Cry 6
- Ozioma Akagha as Julianna Blake in Deathloop
- Sera-Lys McArthur as Thunderbird, North Star Rainbow Six Siege
Coney Island Dreamland Award for Best AR/VR Game:
- Resident Evil 4 (Winner)
- Floor Plan 2
- Mare – Quest
- Ragnarock
- Star Wars Pinball VR
- Traffic Jams
Central Park Children’s Zoo Award for Best Kids Game:
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Winner)
- Bowser’s Fury from Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
- Chicory: A Colorful Tale
- Death’s Door
- Kena: Bridge of Spirits
- Miitopia
A-Train Award for Best Mobile Game:
- NieR Re[in]carnation (Winner)
- Fantasian
- Crash on the Run
- Marvel Future Revolution
- Pikmin Bloom
- Queen Rock Tour
- Zombie Rollerz: Pinball Heroes
Freedom Tower Award for Best Remake:
- Resident Evil 4 VR (Winner)
- The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles
- Mass Effect Legendary Edition
- Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
- Shadow Man Remastered
- Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
Captain Award for Best Esports Team:
- Natus Vincere (a.k.a. Na’Vi) (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive) (Winner)
- Atlanta FaZe Clan (Call of Duty League)
- EDward Gaming (League of Legends)
- Team Spirit (Dota 2)
Joltin’ Joe Award for Best Esports Player of the Year:
- Genki “Gen” Kumisaka (Tekken 7 for Donuts USG) (Winner)
- Chris “Simp” Lehr (Call of Duty for Atlanta FaZe)
- Lee “Scout” Ye-chan (League of Legends for EDward Gaming)
- Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive for Natus Vincere)
- Tyson “TenZ” Ngo (Valorant for Sentinels)
- Xin “Leave” Huang (Overwatch League for Chengdu Hunters)
Knickerbocker Award for Best Games Journalism:
- Rebekah Valentine – Investigative reporting (Winner)
- People Make Games – Video Series
- Megan Farokhmanesh – Investigative reporting
- Zoya Street – Essay
- Renata Price – Reviews
- Kirsten Grind, Ben Fritz, and Sarah E. Needleman – Activision/Kotick Investigations
Andrew Yoon Legend Award Recipient:
- Tim Schafer
