The newest Game Awards is also her best

No matter how you watch The Game Awards, the 2024 ceremony was up there with the best of them. There was a wider range of winners than recent years have allowed and many races that were too difficult to call until the envelope was opened. The openings were consistent and included some punches, some heavy punches and some shocking heavy punches. He even tried to address concerns about the show, though often with Muppet Corporation-approved jabs that seemed less like an apology and more like getting in front of bad press.

And yet, there is was significant changes this year. Winners were given more time to make speeches, even though many awards were still handed out without much grace. Sven Vinke, who was presenting Game of the Year, took more time this year than last year when Baldur's Gate 3 actually won, and used that time effectively – both to get some shots at last year's rather rough handling of the team , and for asking studios to let games be born from creativity and art, not market share demographics or audience retention pie charts. However, the most important thing was Amir Satwat.

Game Changer should be given importance every year

Amir Satwat Wins at The Game Awards (1)

When the ceremony paused for VT on Satvat, who won the inaugural Game Changer award for his work helping laid-off developers find new opportunities, I admit to rolling my eyes. The Game Awards seemed to use him to replace Future Class, which celebrated a wide range of gifted people in gaming and who showcased diversity of opinion through the power of collective bargaining (Last year, Future Class wrote an open letter to Kayleigh asking him to address issues inside and outside of games , including a request to mention Palestine in the show that was ignored). One man, chosen to avoid controversy and keep the message about the game itself, seemed like a compromise.

The Game Awards did not deserve my doubts. When the uplifting footage began, I was cynical. For viewers who aren't looking as closely, this could have been an honest exchange on Future Class, or they might not have even drawn that reference and just thought Satwat was a good person. But my initial thought was that this new award, the Game Changer, was a way to get the Future Class award for good causes with a greater ability to pick out difficult troublemaker candidates and make them stand alone, not with the voice of the crowd.

That mindset wasn't helped by the fact that earlier in the show, The Game Awards nominated a former triple-A developer who now works in the indie mobile scene with TreesPlease Games. An inspirational speech about environmental change turns out to be a pseudo-commercial for Longleaf Valley, a decidedly uninspiring fusion game. I'm sure the company is doing a good job, and environmental causes are obviously important to our planet at this point, but this game seemed frankly below the level of creativity and artistic value that The Game Awards should highlight. I suggested that Game Changer was a similar moment for the milk show that made it look like you were saying something when you weren't actually saying anything. Then Savat took the stage.

Amir Satwat's speech is what the Game Awards should be about

Amir Satwat Wins at The Game Awards (2)

I was surprised he was on stage at all. When the award was Future Class, it included a ribbon for a few of the most famous names that made the cut, and the rest of the names could be found in links on The Game Awards website. However, in a show filled with extended blockbuster trailers and more time devoted to gaming award winners, the show still allowed him to speak at length, and it was my highlight of the ceremony.

He didn't say anything particularly stunning. Vincke's rejection of thinking about profit was much more drastic. But it was rough, emotional. He cried. He spoke from his heart. That's what the rewards are all about. You like me, you really like me! It's really cool that Okami is coming back, Intergalactic looks great, The Witcher 4 is obviously the headliner. But at its core, The Game Awards is an awards show, and I want to see more of a human element to the spectacle.

“I love video games with all my heart,” Sawat said. “To all game makers around the world, you are seen and appreciated, and our community will always be there to help you.” He thanked his parents and cried. Often, the few chosen to speak at The Game Awards are big-name developers who are used to being in the spotlight, and they act as promoters. It's the indie developers (who rarely get a chance anyway) and the actors (for whom there is only one award) where the appreciation and emotion comes from. Satwat offered the show a much-needed dose of nervous, overwhelmed gratitude. This is what premiums are made of.

Satwat's speech reminded me of my favorite speech from The Game Awards when That Dragon, Cancer won Games for Impact in 2016. To underline my point that the ceremony is losing its personalization, it is no longer an award given to performances, despite the fact that it is often the most diverse category with the most interesting stories. Dragon, Cancer's tearful speech was delivered by designer Ryan Green, whose wife Amy wrote the game, and eulogized their young son, whose death from cancer inspired them to create the game in his memory. How many similar moments have we lost over the years only to hear that the GrubHubTGA code gets you a free Coke with any medium pizza?

Few would discuss Satvat's speech afterward. It's not as cool as the co-op spin-off Elden Ring. But such moments there is The Game Awards. That might not be why it gets 100 million viewers, it might not make headlines, that doesn't make the show a profitable behemoth. But it's all built on the backs of people doing what we love. It felt like the 2024 show understood that more than usual, and that's how I'll remember it.

The Game Awards 2023-1

The Game Awards

Founded by Jeff Keighley, The Game Awards is a video game event that focuses on celebrating the best games of the year with a focus on reveals and promos for upcoming launches.

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