The E3 show, which is one of the most important video game events of the year, took place in the US city of Los Angeles with many promising video games being showcased during this year’s show. And like every year for more than a decade, the Game Critics Awards were given to those video games that showed the most promise at this year’s E3.
And even though some may think that the idea of video game critics giving awards to games that are not out yet is slightly absurd, the truth of the matter is that there were some truly great games on display at E3 this year, games that surely deserved the recognition of the gaming press.
Although to be eligible for an award, there had to be playable demonstration of the game on the show floor, meaning that impressive-looking titles like Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding (a game for which we saw a truly awe-inspiring trailer) could not receive an award this year.
Unsurprisingly though, it was Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (which surely was one of E3’s top highlights this year) which scooped up the most awards, winning a total of three awards. And Sony, which most pundits thought had a great E3 this year, also picked up three awards, thanks to PS4 exclusive game Horizon: Zero Dawn, the great-looking God of War 4, and their highly-anticipated PlayStation VR headset. Also, Sid Meier’s latest strategy outing Civilization VI was recognised as the best PC game of the show, while the WWI-era game Battlefield 1 game won a Game Critics Award too.
Here follows the complete list of winners (and nominees) of this year’s Best of E3 Game Critics Awards.
Best of Show
- Battlefield 1
- Dishonored 2
- Horizon: Zero Dawn
- Sea of Thieves
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild * WINNER *
- Titanfall 2
Best Original Game
- Abzu
- Detroit: Become Human
- Horizon: Zero Dawn * WINNER *
- Sea of Thieves
- We Happy Few
Best Console Game
- Battlefield 1
- Dishonored 2
- Horizon: Zero Dawn
- The Last Guardian
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild * WINNER *
Best PC Game
- Battlefield 1
- Civilization VI * WINNER *
- Dishonored 2
- GWENT: The Witcher Card Game
- Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III
Best VR Game
- Batman: Arkham VR * WINNER *
- Resident Evil VII
- Star Trek: Bridge Crew
- The Unspoken
- Wilson’s Heart
Best Hardware
- Oculus Touch
- PlayStation VR * WINNER *
- Xbox One S
Best Action Game
- Battlefield 1 * WINNER *
- Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
- Gears of War 4
- Lawbreakers
- Titanfall 2
Best Action/Adventure Game
- Dishonored 2
- Horizon: Zero Dawn
- Mafia III
- The Last Guardian
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild * WINNER *
Best RPG
- Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
- Final Fantasy XV * WINNER *
- South Park: The Fractured But Whole
- Tyrrany
- Persona 5
Best Fighting Game
- Absolver
- Injustice 2 * WINNER *
- Tekken 7
- The King of Fighters XIV
Best Racing Game
- Forza Horizon 3 * WINNER *
- F1 2016
- Gran Turismo Sport
Best Sports Game
- FIFA 17
- Madden NFL 17
- Pro Evolution Soccer 2017
- Steep * WINNER *
Best Strategy Game
- Civilization VI * WINNER *
- GWENT: The Witcher Card Game
- Halo Wars 2
- Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III
Best Family Game
- LEGO Dimensions
- LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens
- Skylanders: Imaginators * WINNER *
Best Online Multiplayer
- Absolver
- Battlefield 1
- Lawbreakers
- Sea of Thieves
- Titanfall 2 * WINNER *
Best Independent Game
- Absolver
- Abzu
- Cuphead
- Inside * WINNER *
- We Happy Few