The Steam Awards 2019 Nominations Are Now Live

Published: November 27, 2019 9:00 AM /

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The Steam Awards 2019 Nominations

The Steam Awards 2019 Nominations are now open!

Every year, Valve hands out awards selected by their users. Awards require nominations first, though, and now's the time to get that done! Whether you think Gris' visuals make it worthy of The Outstanding Visual Style Award or the improvements in No Man's Sky deserve The Labor of Love Award, it's time to make your picks!

The Categories of The Steam Awards 2019 Nominations

Here are the categories of The Steam Awards 2019 Nominations. Note that all of these categories require you to vote for games released in 2019 with the exception of "The Labor of Love Award".

  • The Game of the Year Award
    Maybe it was its immersive gameplay, or its gripping story... its well-crafted characters, immaculate design, or addictive multiplayer. Whatever the reason, the winner of 2019's Game of the Year Award is an instant classic.
  • The VR Game of the Year Award
    When it comes to breaking new ground in games, there is no greater pace of advancement than in VR. If we had our way, all VR devs would get an award for building the future of immersive games and experiences unparalleled by any other medium. But since there’s only one trophy, it’s up to you, Steam Awards Selection Committee member, to crown just one as the best of 2019.
  • The Labor of Love Award
    This game has been out for a while. The team is well past the first unveiling of their creative baby, but being the good parents they are, these devs continue to nurture and support their creation. This game, to this day, is still getting new content after all these years.
    * This is the only category where you can vote for a game released before 2019.
  • The Better With Friends Award
    There are some games out there that just aren't the same when you play by yourself. Maybe you need to have a friend to watch your back. Maybe you need to have a friend that you can stab in their back. Either way, mirth is awaiting those who gather friends to play these games.
  • The Most Innovative Gameplay Award
    This game is at the front lines of experimentation, pushing the boundaries of the medium with exciting, novel interactions and brain-breaking surprises. This game thinks outside the box, and pulls you out with it!
  • The Outstanding Story-Rich Game Award
    Some days, only a narrative-heavy game will hit the spot, and this one packs a wallop. It's as gripping as any soap opera, and as well-tuned as a prestige-TV screenplay. Bravissimo -- for making us feel things!
  • The Best Game You Suck At Award
    Games have a way of pushing us past any limits we thought we had. Like a montage sequence, we put in work, training our fingers to be quick and nimble, mastering timing and placement over weeks and weeks. At the end of the gauntlet, we're rewarded with profound beauty and a deep sense of personal growth. Unless you hurled your monitor through a plate-glass window on the first day.
  • The Outstanding Visual Style Award
    These devs are the Willy Wonka of eye candy. Visual style doesn't aspire to real-world graphical fidelity (though a noble goal in itself)… it describes a distinctive look and feel that suffuses an entire game. This game displays visual cohesion and expression that not only fit the game's world, but make our world look paltry by comparison.

The Steam Awards 2019 Nominations badge

The Steam Awards 2019 Badge

As one might expect, Valve has also created a badge for people who vote in The Steam Awards 2019 Nominations.

There are four tasks to complete, each of which will earn you one level of the badge. They are:

  • Nominate at least 1 game
  • Play a game you nominated
  • Nominate a game in each category
  • Review or update your review of a game you nominated

And that's it! You can go ahead and make your Steam Awards 2019 Nominations right now — do it before time is up! Don't forget that the Steam Autumn Sale 2019 is underway, too!

What are your picks for The Steam Awards 2019 Nominations? What's your choice for the Labor of Love Award, and why is it Stardew Valley? Let us know in the comments below!

Have a tip, or want to point out something we missed? Leave a Comment or e-mail us at tips@techraptor.net


A photograph of TechRaptor Senior Writer Robert N. Adams.
| Senior Writer

One of my earliest memories is playing Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo Entertainment System. I've had a controller in my hand since I was 4 and I… More about Robert N