When it comes to awarding video games for their design, their characters, or just their overall gameplay experience, it’s usually pretty clear cut what deserves to be nominated. Or, at the very least, what should be considered for nomination. But in 2017, a game came out that kind of changed how people thought about these awards ceremonies. That game was PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. Not that the game was bad, or that it didn’t deserve certain awards per se, but many felt that (given the timeline of the awards nominations) the game shouldn’t be nominated because it wasn’t done.
After all, the game was on Steam Early Access for much of the year, and only launched in full on PC about two weeks before the year ended. Does that deserve such nominations? Especially when there are fully complete games that didn’t get nominated? Well, now, that argument has lessened because of the full release, and thus it shouldn’t be a surprise that the DICE Awards have nominated PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds for Game of the Year, among other honors.
Aside from Game of the Year, the game was recognized for “Outstanding Achievement In Game Design”, “Outstanding Achievement In Online Gameplay”, and “Action Game Of The Year”. All apt in describing what PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is as a game.
Now, it does have some steep competition in these categories, including some fierce ones in the Game of the Year category. As Cuphead, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Horizon: Zero Dawn stand in its way. Given how things have gone in other awards ceremonies, it’s unlikely that PUBG will break through, but we can hope.
The awards ceremony itself will be held in Las Vegas on February 22nd, and will be streamed on the internet. What awards do you feel PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds will win? Let us know in the comments below.
