As for the other four categories shared by Silksong and Clair Obscur – Game of the Year, Best Art Direction, Best Score & Music, and Best Independent Game (why Expedition 33, with its AA budget, is competing with indies is beyond me, but it is what it is) – it still feels a tad odd for the developers of what has been one of the most anticipated, and the most wishlisted, games of the past half-decade to just give up.
Sure, most people do view Expedition 33 as a game with no rivals this year – just look at the Polymarket bets, which give it a 93% chance of winning Game of the Year – but it’s important to remember that the opinions of regular gamer guys and gals matter little at The Game Awards, a ceremony that gives 90% of the voting power to gaming journalists and news outlets with no connection to the gaming world whatsoever.
In other words, if Astro Bot managed to beat Black Myth: Wukong in 2024, predicting the winner this year is more or less a futile exercise – and anything can happen, including Expedition 33 losing to one of the other five contenders.
So, what do you think about Team Cherry’s reluctance to attend the event? Could there be other factors at play, like the time and financial costs of attending, similar to why GDC’s creator believes the conference has outlived its usefulness? What is your Game of the Year this year? Drop your thoughts down in the comments!
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