Deathloop and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart lead nominees at The Game Awards 2021
Arkane Studios and Bethesda’s “final” PlayStation-exclusive game could end up going out with a bag. After Microsoft acquired ZeniMax earlier this year, we don’t think we’ll see any Bethesda game release as an exclusive on any Sony console anytime soon. Because of this, a win by Deathloop would be a fitting swansong. Heading into The Game Awards 2021, Arkane Studios’ time-loop shooter title currently leads the way with nine nominations, including Game of the Year, Best Performance, and Best Action. If Deathloop doesn’t end up winning it all, Sony’s big AAA title for 2021, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, might. The first new Ratchet & Clank installment in years received six nominations followed by Hazelight Studios’ It Takes Two with five. Other Game of the Year contenders include Psychonauts 2, Resident Evil Village, and Metroid Dread. If either Deathloop or Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart end up winning the GOTY award, it will mark the fourth straight year that a PlayStation-exclusive has captured the prestigious award. The last time that a PlayStation-exclusive didn’t win the GOTY award at The Game Awards was in 2017 when Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild took home the crown.
When is The Game Awards 2021?
The Game Awards is an annual extravaganza that brings together the biggest names in all of gaming in a celebration of all things video games. In addition to giving away awards and rewarding developers for their efforts, The Game Awards also sees several games finally make their trailer debuts and announcements. For this year, The Game Awards will feature musical performances, including The Game Awards Orchestra at the Microsoft Theater, among others. Unlike last year, The Game Awards 2021 will return for a live and in-person ceremony. The Game Awards’ creator and executive producer, Geoff Keighley, will return to host the event at the Microsoft Theater in Downtown, Los Angeles, on December 9, 2021.
